Soccer-Haaland skips Ballon d'Or to watch friend in Swedish title decider

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Southampton - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - October 26, 2024 Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after the match REUTERS/Molly Darlington/File Photo

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Norway striker Erling Haaland may be one of the best players in the world, but he won't be in the room when the Ballon d'Or is awarded in Paris on Monday, preferring instead a trip to Sweden where his friend Erik Botheim can win the league with Malmo FF.

The 24-year-old Manchester City striker was spotted in Malmo early on Monday evening ahead of their game against bitter rivals IFK Gothenburg, where a victory would give them their second straight Allsvenskan title and fourth in five years.