Erling Haaland has taken the football world by storm at his first FIFA World Cup, and he sure made many a fan of him — including Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Haaland enjoyed a sensational debut World Cup campaign, scoring seven goals in five matches to fire Norway into the quarter-finals before their memorable run ended in a 2-1 defeat to England.
While Haaland was making headlines on the pitch, Ibrahimovic was stealing plenty of attention off it as one of Fox Sports’ standout pundits.
Now, after Norway’s exit, Haaland met up with the Swede and shared a wholesome moment — bestowing a signed jersey to Zlatan.
This @Ibra_official and @Erling link-up is one we never knew we needed
(via YT/Erling) pic.twitter.com/9Ib9W52iVF
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 18, 2026
“From the best to the best.” – @Ibra_official
(via YT/@Erling) pic.twitter.com/J5piKckO8r
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 18, 2026
During the tournament, the Swedish legend also revealed the unusual advice he once gave the Manchester City striker—and Haaland admitted he has no intention of ignoring it.
‘The strength is in the hair’
Speaking on James Corden’s After Hours, Haaland recalled a phone call with Ibrahimovic that left him with one very clear instruction.
“Zlatan, you know what he told me? ‘Never cut your hair because the strength is in the hair,'” Haaland said via Fox Sports.
“What can I do? I have to listen to him, no?”
The exchange quickly went viral, but Ibrahimovic later confirmed there was more truth behind it than many realised.
Zlatan Explains The Story
After Norway’s Round of 32 victory over Ivory Coast, Ibrahimovic expanded on the advice live on air.
“I truly believed that when I was playing,” he said. “When things were going well, I had my ponytail.”
The former AC Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United striker then revealed the connection that first linked him with Haaland.
“When Haaland showed up on the big stage, we had the same agent, who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. I saw him with his long ponytail, and my agent was telling me, ‘Listen, I saw Zlatan in him.’
“I said, ‘You keep that hair because that hair is going to take you where you want to go.'”
Both Haaland and Ibrahimovic were represented by the late super-agent Mino Raiola before his death in April 2022.
Norway’s run to the quarter-finals marked the nation’s best-ever World Cup finish after returning to the tournament for the first time in 28 years.
