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Man City's Erling Haaland and Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes have a tense history and will meet in the World Cup last-16 this weekend
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal clash during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Erling Haaland and Gabriel Magalhaes have clashed in the past(Image: Getty Images)
Erling Haaland and Gabriel's feud in full ahead of Brazil vs Norway at World Cup 2026:
The World Cup 2026 showdown: The fierce rivalry between Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes has now transitioned onto the biggest stage as Norway prepare to face Brazil in the World Cup last-16 in New York on Sunday. Haaland enters the match in phenomenal form with five goals in three games, while Gabriel remains the immovable rock of the Brazilian defence, setting the stage for a spectacular collision.
The 2024/25 season flashpoint: The tension between Haaland and Magalhaes truly ignited during a crucial Premier League match between City and Arsenal. After scoring a dramatic late equaliser for the Sky Blues, Haaland provocatively threw the ball directly at the back of the Brazilian defender's head.
Initial reactions to the incident: Following the controversial ball-throwing incident, Haaland completely brushed off the severity of his actions during his post-match interviews. He described the clash as a normal part of football, claiming that what happens on the pitch is a battle or a war where such provocative acts are entirely standard.
Gabriel's furious revenge: Gabriel was incredibly angered by the disrespect and publicly warned that he would be waiting for the Norwegian striker in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium. True to his word, when Arsenal completely dismantled Pep Guardiola's side in a resounding 5-1 victory, the Arsenal defender made sure to celebrate wildly right in Haaland's face.
The reasoning behind the celebration: Addressing his aggressive and passionate celebration during the 5-1 rout, Gabriel openly admitted it was a direct retaliation for the ball being thrown at his head previously. He explained that as soon as Arsenal scored, he specifically sought out his rival and went straight to shouting directly into his ear as a deliberate provocation. Speaking after, the defender said: "I did it (the celebration) because he threw the ball at my head, to provoke him the way he provoked me. The moment we scored, he was right next to me, so I went straight to shouting in his ear."
Escalation at the Etihad: The bad blood continued into the following season when City secured a massive 2-1 victory over Arsenal at home. During this incredibly tense game, the feud reached a dangerous boiling point when Gabriel actually attempted to headbutt the striker in the heat of the moment.
Referee intervention and aftermath: Despite the shocking attempted headbutt, Gabriel managed to escape a straight red card when referee Anthony Taylor decided to book both players with yellow cards instead. Haaland strongly believed that his decision to stay on his feet, rather than diving to the ground, ultimately saved his bitter rival from being sent off the pitch.
Mockery from Haaland: Following City's 2-1 triumph, the Norwegian forward decided to rub salt into Arsenal's wounds while directly looking into the television cameras. He was seen mockingly singing the lyrics "oh sometimes, I get a good feeling" from a popular Flo Rida song, deliberately antagonising the Arsenal centre-back further.
Social media retaliation: Gabriel patiently waited until the very end of the domestic campaign to deliver his final blow in the club rivalry. He posted a video of himself lifting the Premier League trophy on TikTok at exactly 3pm, deliberately setting the footage to the exact same Flo Rida song that Haaland had mockingly sung months prior.
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