The bitter rivalry between Erling Haaland and Gabriel is set to take centre stage at New York New Jersey Stadium as Norway face Brazil in the World Cup last 16. The Manchester City striker and Arsenal defender have been central figures in their clubs’ battle for domestic supremacy, and their confrontations have regularly spilled over into open animosity.
The winner of this last-16 tie will advance to the quarter-finals, where either England or Mexico await. Former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport the personal duel between the pair is the standout of the tournament so far. “For all the battling for the Golden Boot between the greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Haaland, there have not been any great personal duels. Now we have one,” Sutton said. “It is the standout because of the bad feeling we know exists between the pair.” Former England captain Alan Shearer echoed that view, adding: “They don’t like each other which is fine, you don’t have to like your opponent, and we have seen them have clashes before.”
The bad blood between Haaland and Gabriel has clear roots in club football. In a match at Etihad Stadium that finished 2-2, John Stones scored a 98th-minute equaliser for Manchester City just as Arsenal, reduced to 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s first-half stoppage-time red card, appeared set to hold on for victory. In the chaotic aftermath of the goal, Haaland retrieved the ball from the net and threw it with force at the back of Gabriel’s head as the defender covered it with his Arsenal shirt.
Haaland’s conduct after the final whistle added further fuel to the fire. He approached Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on the pitch and delivered his now-infamous “stay humble” remark, said twice during the exchange. The Norwegian later addressed the incident, saying: “What happens on the football pitch stays there. It’s a battle, a war, so it’s normal to have provocative acts in football. It’s part of the game.”
Beyond the personal subplot, a striking historical footnote adds intrigue to the tie. Five-time world champions Brazil have never beaten Norway in four previous meetings, drawing two and losing two — making Norway the only side the Selecao have faced but never defeated.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
