Manchester City superstar striker Erling Haaland has been a dream transfer target of Real Madrid's for years, even before he joined the Citizens in 2022. Because Real were actually the ones on track to sign him from Borussia Dortmund in a deal similar to the one Jude Bellingham had brokered between BVB and Real from the day he signed his contract with the Bundesliga giants. But because Real were so fixated on Kylian Mbappe and had thought he was coming in 2022 for free anyway, they never sealed the deal for the real heir to Karim Benzema.
Haaland is one of the few players who ended up not regretting missing out on the Real Madrid train. In just his first season at Manchester City, Erling set the record for the most goals in a single season in Premier League history and won the treble, proving to be the difference in the Citizens finally winning the Champions League after billions in investment - and no shortage of heartbreak against Real Madrid themselves.
Years later, Haaland is still going strong, and he added to his legacy in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 with one of the most clinical braces in the tournament's history, needing only those two chances to sink Brazil and ruin what was an underrated performance from Vinicius Junior.
Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior are playing a recruiting game
Afrer the game, Vini Jr. showed the utmost respect to Haaland, greeting him when he was talking to the press. Before the game, Vini and Haaland were showing a burgeoning friendship on social media, and with both Haaland's dad and Fabrizio Romano fanning the transfer flames of a rumor that never died despite his Manchester City signing, Madridistas are getting their hopes up for the Viking to come to the Santiago Bernabeu one day.
And on his own Instagram, via Madrid Xtra, Erling Haaland posted a beautiful photo of him and Vinicius Junior embracing after the game - a poetic moment of sportsmanship between two elite athletes who just happened to be on the opposite ends of the outcome despite playing brilliantly and giving their all.
Real Madrid fans know that with Kylian Mbappe, there is no space for Haaland, but they also know that anything can happen in world football. Haaland's attitude and playing style suit Real Madrid and his friends Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior much better than Kylian Mbappe, and if Real want to go back to the power of friendship, Haaland's photo just sent them the message that he is always there if they want to make that call. It is up to Florentino Perez.
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