Erling Haaland chose to forgo the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday to support a friend as Malmö secured the Swedish league title. 

The Manchester City forward, nominated for the prestigious award but not regarded as a frontrunner, was spotted in the stands as Malmö, the reigning champions, triumphed over IFK Göteborg with a score of 2-1, clinching the title with two matches still to play.

He shared a photo on Instagram wearing a Malmö jersey, which features the same light blue hue as Manchester City’s kit.

Haaland’s friend, Erik Botheim, plays as a forward for Malmö.

Malmö currently leads the league table by eight points over Hammarby and has achieved the Swedish title a record 24 times.

Due to the extended winter season, the Swedish league operates on a schedule that begins in the spring and concludes in the fall, in contrast to most European leagues.