IT promises to be the biggest scrap in New York since Anthony Joshua was flattened in Madison Square Garden.
Or the titanic tussle between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in the ‘fight of the century’ back in 1971. And the fight to see who can land the knockout blow, will captivate football fans around the world.
Erling Haaland will be in the Norwegian corner. Looking to take down his hated rival from Brazil, in the shape of Gabriel in the yellow one.
Let’s hope no punches will be thrown this time, like the ones Andy Ruiz landed on Joshua to produce one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. But the verbal ones that have been exchanged between footballing heavyweights Haaland and Gabriel in recent times, have been damaging enough. It’s safe to say there is no love lost between these two.
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The feud started in the 2024/25 season, when Haaland scored a late equaliser for Manchester City against Arsenal, then three the ball at the back of Gabriel’s head.
“What happens on the football pitch stays there,” said Haaland. “That’s just how it is. It’s a battle, a war, so it’s normal to have provocative acts in football. It’s part of the game.”
The Arsenal man was furious however and Gabriel said he would be ‘waiting” for Haaland in the return fixture at the Emirates. He then celebrated like a mad man in Haaland’s face when Arsenal thumped Pep Guardiola’s side 5-1.
“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.”
A seismic spat had been spawned.
Haaland continued it last season, singing “oh sometimes, I get a good feeling’ into the TV cameras after City had secured a huge 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Etihad. During the game, Gabriel had attempted to headbutt the City striker as things reached boiling point between the pair. He escaped a sending off when referee Anthony Taylor booked the pair instead and Haaland believed that his reaction saved his rival.
“I think it’s a red card,” he said post-match. “I think most agree with me. If I go down like any other guy, it’s a red card. It’s not something I would do. My father taught me to stay on your feet.
“That’s the reality. Should I have gone down? Maybe. Then it would’ve been easier. But I didn’t.”
Ultimately, Gabriel waited until the end of the campaign before responding.
And he hit hard, posting a video of himself lifting the Premier League trophy to background music of the same Flo Rida song Haaland had sung a few months ago.
The intense rivalry had now migrated from the pitch to social media. And now the footballing gods have decided to bring them back together again. This time face-to-face in New York, when the winner will book a place in the World Cup quarter finals – and the loser will go home.
The script is one Steven Spielberg himself might be proud of. A sporting blockbuster, being played out in the Big Apple instead of Hollywood.
Haaland heads into the contest in prime shape. He has scored five goals in three games, and is hot on the heels of Lionel Messi in the race to win the Golden Boot.
Haaland has also found the back of the net in his last 13 competitive games, scoring 25 in total.
But Gabriel remains the rock around which Brazil’s defence is built. He might have missed the penalty which cost Arsenal the Champions League title in Budapest last month, but he has showed no signs of bringing a hangover to North America.
Whether Haaland likes it or not, Gabriel is one of the best centre backs on the planet. But then again, Haaland is one of the best strikers. If not THE best.
So buckle up to witness the collision between the irresistible force and immovable object. Something will have to give.
And the chances are that whoever blinks first, will get to hear about it from the person who made him do it.
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