Haaland skips Ballon d’Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title

Haaland skips Ballon d'Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City's Erling Haaland attends the soccer match between Malmö FF and IFK Gothenburg at Eleda Stadium in Malmö, Sweden, Monday Oct. 28, 2024, while the Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place in Paris. (Andreas Hillergren/TT News Agency via AP)

MALMÖ, Sweden (AP) — Erling Haaland skipped the Ballon d’Or gala in Paris on Monday to watch a friend clinch the Swedish league title with Malmö instead.

The Manchester City striker, who was nominated for the Ballon d’Or but was not considered among the favorites, was seen in the stands in Malmö as the defending Swedish champion beat IFK Göteborg 2-1 to secure the title with two rounds remaining.

He posted a picture on Instagram of himself wearing a Malmö jersey, which has the same light blue color as City’s shirt.

Haaland’s Norwegian friend Erik Botheim plays for Malmo as a forward.

Malmo, which is eight points clear of Hammarby in the league table, has won the Swedish title a record 24 times.

Haaland skips Ballon d'Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, top, second from left, watches the soccer match between Malmö FF and IFK Gothenburg at Eleda Stadium in Malmö, Sweden, Monday Oct. 28, 2024, while the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in Paris. (Andreas Hillergren/TT News Agency via AP)

Because of the long winter, the Swedish league starts in the spring and ends in the fall unlike most of the European leagues.

Haaland skips Ballon d'Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, right, and Malmo’s Erik Botheim celebrate after the soccer match between Malmö FF and IFK Gothenburg at Eleda Stadium in Malmö, Sweden, Monday Oct. 28, 2024, while the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in Paris. (Andreas Hillergren/TT News Agency via AP)
Haaland skips Ballon d'Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title | iNFOnews.ca
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland sits in the audience as he watches the soccer match between Malmö FF and IFK Gothenburg at Eleda Stadium in Malmö, Sweden, Monday Oct. 28, 2024, while the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in Paris. (Andreas Hillergren/TT News Agency via AP)

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