Anastasia Kostromitina, a 24-year-old model from Russia, has become a viral sensation due to her uncanny resemblance to Manchester City forward Erling Haaland.
Moscovite Kostromitina initially resisted the comparison but has since embraced it, even participating in a video choreographed by her mother, Mariya. The clip, which features Anastasia mimicking Haaland's gestures and poses, has garnered millions of views.
Mariya Kostromitina, 56, who is an influencer, initiated the video with a caption questioning if her daughter resembled a star. The model's father served in the Soviet Red Army.
"To be honest, I went through all the stages of denial about it," Anastasia Kostromitina stated, according to a Life news outlet report. "And at first, I didn't understand how I resembled him. Then I felt a little hurt. But now I understand that being like such a great athlete, even if only physically, is actually quite good."
Kostromitina admitted she was inspired to create the video after seeing similar content online. "My entire feed was filled with videos of girls who looked like him, and I thought, 'Why not make one too?' Especially since their videos were getting a lot of views," she explained.
While Kostromitina is not an avid football fan, she watches games with her boyfriend and is rooting for the Norwegian national team. "Of course we'll be cheering for Norway, and we're hoping Erling Haaland goes all the way," her mother Mariya said. She described the footballer, who has scored seven goals in four appearances, as "an absolute powerhouse."
Kostromitina mentioned receiving some hurtful comments, which she took as a sign the video was trending. However, she noted that the majority of comments are positive. "The haters don't bother me. They only add to my following."
Kostromitina hopes the attention will lead to more modeling opportunities in Moscow. She also expressed a willingness to take a selfie with Haaland if given the chance.
