Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Jude Bellingham Are Bringing Their Bromance to the World Cup Quarterfinals

Norway‘s Erling Haaland and England‘s Jude Bellingham‘s friendship began during their time at Borussia Dortmund, where they played together for two seasons

Their playful bond, including viral moments like a cheek kiss and Valentine’s Day video, has captivated fans worldwide

The duo will face off in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, reigniting their bromance on a global stage

When it comes to Norway’s Erling Haaland and England’s Jude Bellingham, think the hit TV show Heated Rivalry, but soccer instead of hockey and friends instead of lovers.

Fans have fallen in love with Haaland and Bellingham throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and now, the rivals who double as longtime friends will bring their bromance to the pitch when they go head-to-head for the first time in the global tournament.

While the duo’s frenemy dynamic will be on display for 90-plus minutes when Norway faces England in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11, the internet has been long obsessed with the soccer strikers due to their relationship — and, well, platonic PDA — on the field for years now.

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Haaland and Bellingham’s relationship dates back to their time on the German club Borussia Dortmund, where they overlapped for two seasons between 2020 and 2022. They made 63 appearances together and helped the club secure the 2021 German Cup.

Following Bellingham’s impressive showing in a Champions League match in September 2021, he playfully interrupted Haaland’s postgame interview and planted a kiss on his cheek, as seen in a now-viral clip circling social media.

Reacting to the playful interruption, Haaland praised Bellingham, calling him “amazing” and noting that he was just 18 years old — three years his junior. “It’s crazy. What can I say? He’s amazing,” Haaland said at the time.

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The Norwegian hailed Bellingham as a “really good person” and a “phenomenal talent” in a different interview, reported Sky Sports. He added, “I think we have the same banter together, so we get on really well together, and we have a really good connection on the pitch.”

The club even leaned into their relationship dynamic, uploading a hilarious video of the pair on Valentine’s Day. The segment saw the soccer stars reading corny pickup lines to each other in the video, which has since amassed 2.5 million views on Borussia Dortmund’s official YouTube alone.

“I’m sorry to let you know that you are under arrest… for stealing my heart,” Haaland said to Bellingham over sexy, smooth jazz music before both of them burst into laughter.

The English star then gave it a go, reading: “You must be a beaver because whenever I think of you, dam.” The duo rattled these one-liners off nonstop for a nearly 3-minute-long clip, which was uploaded on Feb. 14, 2022.

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After their stint together on Borussia Dortmund, Haaland joined Manchester City in 2022. The former teammates stayed close, with Haaland even supporting Bellingham with texts throughout the World Cup in Qatar that year (Haaland’s native Norway didn’t make the tournament that year).

In 2023, Bellingham moved to Real Madrid and the duo have played against each other four times in the Champions League ever since. Their playful interactions have been captured on camera and ultimately spread across social media, further fueling their fanbases and satisfying the internet’s obsession.

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Meanwhile, there’s much to look forward to at the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals when the pair go head-to-head. While much is at stake for their respective national teams in pursuit of securing the trophy, fans will be looking out for their bromance on the pitch.

Seeing the pair share another lighthearted moment on the pitch on a global stage might just be the ultimate goal.

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