Cleated rivalry: How Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland’s friendship is rewriting the script of toxic football masculinity

This article references rape and sexual assault.On a normal day, my algorithm consists entirely of three things: holidays I can’t afford, cats I want to adopt, and Zendaya (sometimes accompanied by Tom Holland). I’d be as likely to see sport-related content as I would to see something about Fortnite (ie: extremely unlikely). But for the past week, my For You Page has been flooded with images, memes and reels of 23-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham, and 25-year-old Norway striker Erling Haaland. Specifically, content celebrating the affectionate displays of friendship between the two, from Haaland — the ‘two-meter Viking’ — acting as Bellingham’s personal bodyguard against confrontational fellow players, to the pair hugging on the pitch, and Bellingham landing a jokey kiss on Haaland’s cheek during a post-match interview.The fanfare around the duo’s undeniable bromance has been quietly bubbling on Football Tok since they met whilst playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2020, but now it’s unfolding on a global scale. As the pair prepare to face off in the World Cup quarterfinal this Saturday, I’m not the only one whose social media is awash with the Bellingham-Haaland ‘cleated rivalry’, which sees fans drawing comparisons with ice-hockey romance series Heated Rivalry (in the US, they call studded football boots cleats!) We are all completely enamoured by two of the biggest names in men’s football being so visibly loving towards each other in front of millions of people around the world.But what is about their friendship that we find so captivating? Likely because such displays of positive masculinity are a rarity in men’s football, which has long been clouded by pervasive sexism, both on and off the pitch. Incidents of discriminatory fan culture have plagued the sport since its inception. This football hooliganism once looked like racist, sexist and homophobic chanting in the terraces, but since the UK passed the Football Offences Act 1991 and increased stadium surveillance, harassment has increasingly migrated online. You only have to look at the sexist vitriol levelled against male footballers’ partners, such as the body-shaming abuse of Lauren Fryer, Declan Rice’s girlfriend, in April 2024; or to the racist attacks directed at any Black player who misses a penalty; or to the stats which show that 7 in 10 Premier League footballers face abuse from tens of thousands of abusive posts on X, to see that.The problem is only increasing, according to charity Kick it Out, which publishes an annual summary of discrimination reports during the season. They received 1,398 reports in the 2024/25 season, marking a continued rise from last season (1,332) and the highest figure ever recorded by the charity. This, they say, represents more than double the number of reports received just four seasons ago. These figures become even more disturbing when considering them alongside research from Lancaster University, which found that cases of domestic abuse increase by 38% whenever England lose a match, and 26% when they win or draw. It’s why Women’s Aid always launches a domestic violence awareness campaign every time there’s a World Cup.But the issue doesn’t just lie with fan culture. Far from it. Accusations of rape and sexual assault have been levelled against multiple male players over the past few years. In 2022, Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy was accused of multiple sexual offences including rape, attempted rape and sexual assault against several women between 2018 and 2021. While he denied the allegations and was later cleared of all charges, he was allowed to continue playing for the club while investigations were still ongoing. Similarly, former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has just represented Ghana in the 2026 World Cup, despite being due to stand trial for rape and sexual assault next year. He has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one of sexual assault. Of course, Partey may well be cleared of all charges like Mendy, and the UK legal system operates under a presumption of innocence in pending criminal cases. But should these men be allowed to continue playing in front of millions of fans – including impressionable young boys – while under investigation for such serious crimes of violence against women? Carrie Dunn, a sports sociologist and author of Unsuitable for Females': The Rise of the Lionesses and Women's Football in England, points out that this sexism extends to female commentators, too. “Football has, historically, really struggled to overcome its sexism and misogyny,” she says. “We’ve seen it in the reaction to the punditry during the World Cup, from the abuse and scrutiny levelled at Karen Carney and Emma Hayes — there are a lot of men who might not listen to what a woman says, but they will listen to other men. It’s everyone’s responsibility to speak up when they see it, and football has a great capacity to break down some of these barriers. That’s why seeing this close male friendship is so refreshing — particularly between men who are no longer teammates. Because men’s football is traditionally so tribal, you don’t expect to see friendships between players in different teams like you do in women’s football, which doesn’t have the same intensity of rivalry.”That’s why Bellingham and Haaland’s friendship matters. As the rise of the manosphere preaches hegemonic masculinity and research signals a concerning rise in misogyny among Gen-Z men — with 31% saying women should ‘obey’ their husbands — seeing two figureheads of male sport publicly dismantle fragile masculinity on a global stage is not only refreshing; it’s vital. This is what young boys need to see on their screens.Here’s your cheat sheet of the pair’s friendship ahead of Saturday’s game:Did Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland play on a team together?Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland were teammates at Borussia Dortmund from 2020 to 2022. Haaland joined the Bundesliga side in January 2020, while Bellingham arrived from Birmingham City later that year in July. During their two seasons together, they formed one of Europe's most exciting young partnerships, helping Dortmund win the 2020-21 German Cup. They played 63 matches together across all competitions, with Bellingham assisting seven of Haaland's goals.Are Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland friends?Yes, the pair are widely regarded as close friends. They developed a strong bond during their time together at Borussia Dortmund and have continued to speak highly of each other despite playing for rival clubs, Manchester City and Real Madrid. The pair are often seen chatting after matches, exchanging shirts and supporting one another publicly. Although they become fierce rivals whenever they meet in the UEFA Champions League or on international duty, they have made it clear that their friendship extends beyond football.Which team does Erling Haaland play for?Erling Haaland plays for Manchester City F.C. in the Premier League and represents Norway at international level. Which team does Jude Bellingham play for?Jude Bellingham plays for Real Madrid CF in La Liga and represents England. Since leaving Borussia Dortmund, they have faced each other several times in the Champions League while starring for two of Europe's biggest clubs.