Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has sparked significant conversation after referring to his new teammate Elliot Anderson as a “diver” during his return to pre-season training this week. The comment surfaced in a viral social media interaction, which has already garnered over 1.2 million likes and 23,500 comments, as the Norwegian striker responded to a fan’s question regarding his greeting for the club’s latest arrival.
The friction between the two players stems from their recent encounter during the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final. In that match, Stale Solbakken’s Norway side lost 2-1 to England in extra time despite taking an early lead. A pivotal moment occurred in the 55th minute when a goal from Torbjorn Heggem was overturned by VAR. The decision followed a foul by Haaland on Anderson, where the Norwegian was seen using both hands to push his opponent to the ground.
Anderson joined Manchester City this summer on a British record £116 million move from Nottingham Forest, signing a five-year deal. However, that transfer record was short-lived, as the mark was broken by Morgan Rogers’ reported £117 million transfer to Chelsea just days later.
Haaland, 26, has established himself as a prolific goal machine since arriving at the Etihad from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2022. He has netted 162 times in nearly 200 games across all competitions, recently securing his third Premier League Golden Boot award in four seasons, even as Manchester City narrowly missed out on the league title to Arsenal.
As the squad prepares for the upcoming season, new manager Enzo Maresca has addressed the leadership structure following the departure of former captain Bernardo Silva. Maresca noted that Haaland may not be the ideal candidate for the captaincy role. The team is now focused on their immediate future, as Erling Haaland and his teammates prepare to open their 2026-27 campaign with an FA Community Shield clash against Arsenal on Sunday, August 16.
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