Haaland skips Ballon d’Or and travels to Sweden to watch friend clinch domestic league title

By The Associated Press

Manchester City's Erling Haaland attends the soccer match between Malmö FF and IFK Gothenburg at Eleda Stadium in Malmö, Sweden, Monday Oct. 28, 2024, while the Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place in Paris. (Andreas Hillergren/TT News Agency via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Andreas Hillergren]

MALMÖ, Sweden (AP) — Erling Haaland skipped the Ballon d’Or gala in Paris on Monday to watch a friend clinch the Swedish league title with Malmö instead. The Manchester City striker, who was nominated for the Ballon d’Or but was not considered among the favorites, was seen in the stands in Malmö as the defending Swedish champion beat IFK Göteborg 2-1 to secure the title with two rounds remaining. Haaland’s friend Erik Botheim plays for Malmo as a forward. Malmo, which also won the league last year, is eight points clear of Hammarby in second place. Because of the long winter, the Swedish league starts in the spring and ends in the fall.