Christmas stories in football often look like a polished PR stunt, but sometimes they have real personality — smiles, unexpected encounters, and those signature jabs that anyone who has lived through a derby will recognize instantly. This time the main character was Manchester City's striker Erling Haaland, who decided to swap his match kit for a Santa suit and set off on a festive “away day” around Manchester, visiting local homes.
Christmas Tour Around the City: Camera, Gifts, and the Surprise Factor
The Norway international posted a video on his YouTube channel with a self-explanatory title along the lines of “I Turned Into Santa on the Streets of Manchester.” In the clip, Haaland goes from house to house, hands out presents to children, poses for photos, and at a certain point reveals who is actually hiding behind the beard and the red suit. The reactions were classic for this kind of format: cautious looks at first, then genuine shock and delight when “Santa” suddenly turned into one of the Citizens' star attackers.
A House Where the Derby Moved to the Sofa
The funniest moment came in one living room: six young Manchester City fans were sitting together on the sofa, but among them was one Manchester United supporter. In Manchester, that kind of contrast is almost a sport in itself — even away from the stadium, club colours can turn an ordinary evening into a mini-derby, where jokes become soft but accurate little “jabs” at the rival's pride.
A Calendar as Trolling: United on the Naughty List
Haaland didn't miss the chance and played the scene as if he were announcing a matchday lineup: the United fan received his gift first — a Manchester City club calendar. Then came a joke that was impossible to mistake for neutral politeness: if you support United, your year has probably been a tough one, so you're going straight onto the “naughty list.” It didn't feel like gloating, but rather like familiar football humour — slightly sharp, yet unmistakably derby-shaped.
Why the “Reds” Deserve Gifts Too: An Unexpected Gesture to a Rival
At the same time, Haaland made it clear that this story wasn't only about a punchline — there was a human side to it as well. He specifically noted that Manchester United supporters going through a difficult spell are precisely the ones who should be cheered up first. For football culture, it's a telling contrast: on the pitch rivals give nothing away, go hard in duels, and fight for every moment, but away from the match there is still room for respect and good-natured irony.
When Football Steps Outside the Stadium
Moments like this work not because of the costume or the camera, but because of the atmosphere: football stops being just the table, the stats, and the weekend scoreline. This time Haaland showed that even in a city where club rivalry is felt in every pub and on every street, the holiday can still bring people together — even if it happens through a joke where the derby is recognizable from the very first second.
