A photograph taken on September 14, 2022, at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, captured the moment when Norwegian forward Erling Haaland embraced English midfielder Jude Bellingham after a UEFA Champions League group match between England and Germany.
In football, not only the sporting aspect but also the human side—moments of joy and tears that make the game more alive—is often important. Ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup quarter-final match between England and Norway, fans' attention was once again drawn to the friendship of two athletes: Erling Haaland from Norway and Jude Bellingham from England.
Despite playing for competing national teams, both players previously played together at Borussia Dortmund. Their friendly moments attracted fan attention again as video clips of their interaction became popular on social media.
A short but touching exchange between them was posted on social networks under the caption 'Bellingham X Haaland'. Additionally, a four-year-old archival clip where both players exchanged playful compliments reappeared online. In this video, Bellingham says to Haaland: 'If you were a vegetable, you would be a cute cucumber.'
'Borussia Dortmund' also shared an edited video recalling their bond ahead of the long-awaited World Cup clash.
Erling Haaland became a key figure in Norway's historic performance at the World Cup. He scored two goals, which allowed Norway to eliminate Brazil from the tournament. Haaland himself expressed his astonishment at this achievement, noting: 'I never imagined I would experience something like this. I thought I had achieved a lot in life, but this shows me that anything is possible. It's a strange feeling to realize we eliminated Brazil.'
His second goal against Brazil on July 5 was recognized by fans as the goal of the tournament, receiving 34 percent of votes on Fifa.com, placing him above Lionel Messi (25 percent) in the match against Egypt, and above Azzedine Ounahi from Morocco (16 percent) after the game against Canada.
Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham, at the age of 23, is already shaping England's playing style. On July 5, he took center stage in the match against Mexico, scoring two goals in just 98 seconds, which was one of his greatest games. This athlete became the youngest player to play ten matches in the FIFA World Cup. He called that night 'the best night in England's career.'
Bellingham noted that despite the chaotic nature of the game, the Mexican team showed high class. He added: 'We didn't underestimate them for a minute, and they turned out to be as good as we expected. But this team showed character today, and I am proud of it.'
