Erling Haaland has reacted after Mohamed Salah scored a stoppage-time winner for Egypt in their opening AFCON victory over Zimbabwe.
Salah struck late after Egypt had fallen behind, with Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush equalising before the Liverpool star sealed the win.
Following the match, Salah shared an Instagram photo alongside Marmoush, prompting a quick response from Haaland, who commented: “Salam brusjans” with a thumbs-up emoji.
Fans speculated over the meaning of the message, believing it to be a mix of Arabic and Norwegian, loosely interpreted as a friendly greeting.
Salah’s AFCON impact comes after a turbulent spell at Liverpool, having been benched by Arne Slot, linked with a January exit and speaking out in a recent interview.
The Liverpool forward has been a long-time rival of Haaland since the Norwegian joined Manchester City in 2022, with both players winning league titles and Golden Boots during that period.
[Sky Sports reports] Salah previously said Haaland has an easier life as a striker, adding: “He’s a striker, so his life is easier… As a winger, getting that kind of quota is pretty difficult.”
While Salah continues his AFCON campaign with Egypt, Haaland remains with Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s side chase Premier League leaders Arsenal during the festive period.