Erling Haaland & Mohamed Salah's Heartwarming Christmas Exchange at AFCON
Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland extends a warm message to Mohamed Salah following the Liverpool forward's heroic late winner for Egypt in the AFCON. As Salah and Haaland's friendly banter continues, fans are intrigued by their heartfelt exchange.

Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland has sent a message to Mohamed Salah after seeing the Liverpool ace score a late winner for Egypt in their AFCON win over Zimbabwe. The Liverpool forward took to social media after the game and posed with fellow goalscorer and Haaland's Manchester City team-mate Omar Marmoush, bringing a swift response from the striker.Salah has jetted out to the Africa Cup of Nations after a turbulent few weeks at Liverpool. The forward has been benched by head coach Arne Slot, hit out at the club in an explosive interview and been linked with a January exit. However, he put his current Liverpool troubles to one side to play a starring role for Egypt in their AFCON opener on Monday. The Pharaohs were shocked in their opening fixture as they went 1-0 down to Zimbabwe but hit back in the second half through Marmoush. The game appeared to be heading for a draw until Salah popped up with a stoppage-time winner to secure an important win and a great start to the tournament for his side. Salah posed with Marmoush after the game and posted the picture of the two Egypt stars smiling on Instagram. Haaland was quick to respond with the two-word message "Salam brusjans" and a thumbs up emoji. Fans have been quick to speculate about what exactly Haaland means as it appears he's written his message in Arabic and Norwegian. The general consensus is that Haaland is feeling the Christmas spirit and saying something along the lines of "Peace, brothers" or "Hello, bros."Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Salah and Haaland have been rivals ever since the striker signed for Manchester City in 2022. The Norway star has gone on to collect two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League during that time with Pep Guardiola's side. He's also scored goals for fun and has won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2022–23 and 2023–24. Yet Salah has also shone for Liverpool over the same period, adding a second Premier League title to his collection last season and beating Haaland to the Golden Boot. Salah is due back at Liverpool after Egypt's involvement at AFCON but his future at the club had been thrown in to doubt thanks to his explosive interview. The Egypt star accused Liverpool of "throwing him under the bus" and also claimed his relationship with manager Arne Slot had broken down.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingWhile Salah has been having a challenging time at Liverpool, Haaland has made goalscoring look easy throughout his time with City. He recently became the fastest player ever to score 100 Premier League goals, needing just 111 games, and tops this season's scoring charts with 19 goals already from just 17 Premier League outings. Salah said earlier this year that Haaland has it easy being a striker. He told Sky Sports: "I respect him a lot. We may have only spoken once after the last game. But he’s a striker, so his life is easier. I wish him all the best, of course. But his life is easy because he plays as a striker. As a winger, getting that kind of quota is pretty difficult. Any winger can tell you that. That’s why I see it differently between us, because he’s a striker and I’m a winger."While Salah is at AFCON, Manchester City and Haaland will continue their hunt to regain their Premier League title from Liverpool. Pep Guardiola's side sit two points behind leaders Arsenal and face Nottingham Forest and Sunderland in their festive fixtures.Meanwhile, Salah will return at some point in January and is now being tipped to stay at Liverpool after the Reds lost summer signing Alexander Isak for a significant period due to a leg fracture that required surgery.
Haaland's Christmas Greeting to Salah
After Mohamed Salah's dramatic stoppage-time winner for Egypt in the AFCON match against Zimbabwe, the Liverpool forward shared a joyous moment with Manchester City's Omar Marmoush, prompting a heartening response from Erling Haaland. Haaland, in his Instagram message, wrote 'Salam brusjans' accompanied by a thumbs up emoji, sparking curiosity among fans about the meaning behind his words, believed to be a blend of Arabic and Norwegian conveying a message of peace or camaraderie.
Rivalry Turned Friendship?
Despite their on-field rivalry, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah seem to share a mutual respect that transcends club loyalties. Since joining Manchester City in 2022, Haaland has enjoyed significant success, while Salah has continued his stellar performances for Liverpool. Their friendly exchange hints at a deeper camaraderie beyond the competitive nature of the sport.
Challenges and Successes
While Salah faced challenges at Liverpool, including a strained relationship with manager Arne Slot, Haaland's goal-scoring prowess at Manchester City has been unmatched. Named the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, Haaland's impact on the team has been undeniable. Salah, on the other hand, remains a key figure for Liverpool, contributing to their recent Premier League title win.
Future Outlook
As Salah competes at AFCON, speculation surrounds his future at Liverpool, especially after critical comments regarding the club. However, the potential return of Salah to Liverpool may be crucial following Alexander Isak's injury setback. Meanwhile, Manchester City, led by Haaland, continues their quest to reclaim the Premier League title, setting up an exciting narrative for the remainder of the season.




