Erling Haaland skived off the Ballon d’Or ceremony to watch his childhood friend win the Swedish league title – despite being nominated for football’s top prize.
The Manchester City striker was present for Malmo’s 2-1 win over Goteborg which saw them win the Allsvenskan title at home.
His long-time friend and Norway team-mate Erik Botheim was playing up front for Malmo, who sealed a fourth league crown in five seasons.
The pair grew up in the Norwegian youth system together and in 2016 recorded a song called Kygo jo, forming a band named Flow Kingz with defender Erik Tobias Sandberg.
That hit now has 12 million views on YouTube, with the video showing a teenage Haaland mucking about with his mates and wearing a cap backwards.
Erling Haaland skipped the Ballon d’Or ceremony to watch his childhood friend win the Swedish league title with Malmo
The Man City striker grew up with Erik Botheim and celebrated with him after the match
He shared pictures of his day out at the Eleda Stadion on Monday ahead of the ceremony
Haaland posted photos from his day at Malmo’s Eleda Stadion, wearing the club’s home kit and swaddled in their scarf.
‘Love the colours,’ he wrote atop a photo of him smiling.
Haaland finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or rankings while his Manchester City team-mate Rodri lifted his first crown ahead of Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Jdue Bellingham.
‘A very special day for me, my family and my country,’ Rodri, who arrived on crutches due to his ACL injury, said.
‘Today is not a victory for me, it is for Spanish football, for so many players who have not won it and have deserved it, like [Andres] Iniesta, Xavi [Hernandez], Iker [Casillas], Sergio Busquets, so many others. It is for Spanish football and for the figure of the midfielder.’
Haaland has finished in the top five in back-to-back seasons. He hit 38 goals in all competitions for Manchester City last season as they romped to the Premier League title.
Vinicius Junior had been slated to win the treasured prize – so confidently that last month, according to Marca, the Nike store in Madrid had already prepared decorations in his honour – but multiple reports emerged on Monday that Rodri would be taking home the gong.
A teenage Erling Haaland made a music video and song with Botheim called Kygo jo
City star Rodri won the Ballon d’Or after fending off Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham
On the back of that, Real Madrid decided to boycott the ceremony, keeping their 50-strong delegation in the Spanish capital.
That led to an awkward moment when no representatives were present to collect the Club of the Year award, which Madrid won, while Carlo Ancelotti seized the inaugural Johan Cryuff Trophy for men’s manager of the year and Kylian Mbappe was tied with Harry Kane for the Gerd Muller trophy for strikers.
