Brazil vs. Norway: The Premier League feud between Gabriel and Haaland heads to the World Cup stage

Brazil's World Cup last-16 clash with Norway will pit Gabriel Magalhaes against Erling Haaland once more, renewing a personal rivalry that has intensified over recent seasons through the Premier League title race between Arsenal and Manchester City.

On Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the centre-back and the striker promise another chapter defined by physical duels, provocative gestures and pointed comments. Here is everything Gabriel and Haaland have said about each other in their ongoing feud.

How the rivalry between Gabriel and Haaland began

Over the past four seasons, the Brazilian defender and the Norwegian forward have been fundamental pillars for the Gunners and the Citizens in the battle for the English title. However, the spark that ignited their feud came on March 31, 2024, during a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Immediately after the final whistle, the pair clashed on the pitch and had to be separated by Pep Guardiola, with the confrontation eventually ending in a handshake. At the time, both teams were locked in a tight battle at the top of the table, with Arsenal leading for much of the campaign before Manchester City overtook them in the closing weeks to clinch the title.

On September 22 that year, the verbal sparring escalated into physical provocation. Arsenal were leading 2-1 away from home, with both Gabriel and Haaland having scored, when John Stones equalised deep into added time.

In the celebrations, Haaland picked the ball out of the net and threw it at the back of Gabriel's head while the defender had his back turned and his face covered by his shirt. Referee Michael Oliver took no action, and VAR did not recommend a review for alleged violent conduct. The FA also declined to impose retrospective punishment.

football gods giving us Haaland vs Gabriel again pic.twitter.com/mIJPRrNHMB

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Arsenal legend Ian Wright described Haaland's actions as a 'real coward's move', noting that Gabriel was caught completely off guard and did not even realise the ball had been thrown by a City player. From that moment on, the pair have exchanged barbs at every opportunity.

What the two stars have said about each other

Immediately after the match, Gabriel was asked in the mixed zone what he thought about the incident. The Arsenal defender played the situation down, arguing that Haaland was simply happy to have avoided defeat since his team had the 'duty' to win at home.

'It is a battle, a war, so it is normal to have provocative acts in football, it is part of the game,' Gabriel told TNT Sports Brazil. 'Now this is over and we are waiting for them at our ground.'

On October 10, speaking at a Norway press conference ahead of their Nations League fixtures, Haaland showed no remorse for throwing the ball at his rival's head, keeping the temperature high ahead of the return fixture in the Premier League.

'I do not regret much in life,' Haaland said. 'In the heat of the moment, things happened in that game. What happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch. That is how it is.'

Haaland v Gabriel = ?@ManCity | @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/n1iKINvgri

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On February 2, 2025, Gabriel got his revenge in Arsenal's 5-1 demolition of City in the league. During the match, the centre-back celebrated one of the goals by screaming in Haaland's face and even asked the striker to fetch his boot after a challenge.

'I did it because he threw the ball at my head, to provoke him the way he provoked me,' Gabriel explained on the PodPah podcast in June of last year. 'The moment we scored, he was right next to me, so I went straight to shouting in his ear. He scored, one-all. We made it two, then three, four, five.'

The last time Gabriel and Haaland met

When they last faced each other on April 19 this year, the defender and the striker clashed once again. Arsenal and Manchester City met in another title-defining encounter, with Guardiola's side claiming a 2-1 victory at the Etihad. Arsenal ultimately won the Premier League, with City finishing as runners-up.

Haaland ? Gabriel ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Z8bw7kOzm0

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 19, 2026

Although Haaland scored, the match was dominated by the physical duels between the pair, which resulted in fouls and even a torn undershirt. In the grappling, Gabriel pulled at Haaland's sleeve, while the striker shoved the defender in return.

'I think my shirt got a bit pulled!' Haaland said after the match. 'I did not get the foul, but this is the Premier League nowadays. It is wrestling here and there. A lot of duels. A lot of scratches. Sometimes my missus is not so happy about this, it looks a bit wrong! But that is the reality.'

During the same match, the pair squared up face to face, with Gabriel appearing to threaten a headbutt on the City striker. Both were shown yellow cards, but Haaland argued after the game that the Arsenal defender should have been sent off.

'I think that is a red card, most of you agree with me on this,' Haaland said. 'If I go down, it is a red card. I would never do this.'

Despite the history, Gabriel and Haaland have also praised each other on several occasions, particularly for their competitiveness at the highest level and their status as reference points at their respective positions. At the World Cup, the question is which of them will come out on top when Brazil face Norway on Sunday.