Erling Haaland opted to skip the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris to support his friend, Erik Botheim, who was playing in Malmo's match against Goteborg in Sweden.
Haaland, who was nominated for the prestigious award, had an exceptional 2023-24 season with Manchester City but wasn't expected to be a top contender to win, with teammates Rodri and Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior seen as favorites.
Malmo's 2-1 victory over Goteborg at Eleda Stadium clinched their second consecutive Allsvenskan title and fourth in five years, giving Haaland a chance to witness their celebrations firsthand. Haaland and Botheim share a strong friendship dating back to their days on Norway's youth national team, where they also collaborated on a rap video with Erik Sandberg, which has since gained over 12 million views on YouTube.
With the match behind him, Haaland will now return to England as Manchester City prepares for their Carabao Cup round-of-16 clash against Tottenham on Wednesday, October 30.
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