Erling Haaland’s agent appears highly ambitious about the plan to turn him into a billion-dollar brand through gaming and VR.
Erling Haaland’s brand has never been stronger. The Manchester City forward has just become the first player in Premier League history to win the Golden Boot in his first two seasons.
Off the pitch, the empire of the Norwegian striker is also growing stronger.
After superstar Erling Haaland signed with Manchester City two years ago, agent Rafaela Pimenta declared that one day his value could reach the billion-pound mark, including salary, transfer fees, and potential projects in virtual reality or digital realms.
Rafaela Pimenta has been the closest assistant to the late agent Mino Raiola for over 20 years. After Raiola’s passing, Pimenta took over.
She manages Erling Haaland’s sports affairs, such as contract negotiations, commercial relationships, marketing, and media.
“I enjoy working with Haaland’s team because they expect professionalism and clarity. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female. They always listen to you, and that’s very refreshing,” Pimenta told The Guardian in 2022.
In the same interview, Pimenta suggested the idea of a digital Haaland version and ways for the forward to become a £1 billion asset.
“The multipliers in the gaming industry are enormous. In the metaverse, I can sell Erling Haaland for €2,000-100 million to people in India, China, Brazil, and Mexico,” said the representative for the Manchester City striker, outlining the idea.
According to the “super-agent,” in the future, fans will experience a football match through VR glasses, creating a sensation as if they are actually at the stadium.
“We will sell the experience of a football match, not only to television stations but also to individuals who never have enough means or cannot find tickets to Bernabeu or Etihad. They can experience the match as if they were there. So, when talking about a billion pounds, I am using calculations beyond physical limits,” Pimenta responded.
The ambition of superstar Erling Haaland’s representative is not unreasonable. In fact, the Premier League organizers have collaborated with software company Rezzil to prepare for the launch of a VR game later this year.
According to their website, Rezzil software directly integrates with Premier League match data, allowing clubs to adjust the software, thereby recreating match scenarios and replaying them through VR glasses.
Players will have the opportunity to experience the sensation of becoming their favorite players, providing a unique opportunity to recreate iconic Premier League goals and moments from a virtual reality perspective.
