Manchester United fans sang Roy Keane’s song taunting Erling Haaland’s father Alf-Inge Haaland when they spotted him on the train heading to the FA Cup final.
Both the fans and Alf-Inge were on their way to Wembley on Saturday, May 25 for the FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City when the incident happened.
What happened?
Nearly two and a half decades now, the animosity between Roy Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland still lingers due to Keane’s offensive tackle against Alf-Inge in what’s tagged ‘Keane-Haaland footballing rivalries.’
The first key moment in their fierce rivalry occurred in September 1997, when Alf-Inge, then representing Leeds, confronted Keane over a suspected injury feigning.
The 51-year-old later learned that Keane had suffered a serious cruciate ligament rupture that ended his season prematurely.
Their rivalry reached its peak during a Manchester derby in 2001, when Keane aggressively lunged at Haaland’s leg with his studs, causing lasting damage to Haaland’s knee.
This injury ultimately led to Alf-Inge Haaland’s retirement after just four substitute appearances in the following season.
Initially handed a standard three-match suspension and a fine of £5,000, Keane’s actions were revisited the next year with the publication of his autobiography.
Keane later admitted in his autobiography that the tackle was intentional as he sought revenge for a previous incident involving Haaland.
He wrote: ‘I’d waited long enough. ‘I f***ing hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c.’
His book comments resulted in an additional £150,000 fine and a five-match ban for implying that the foul was intentional.
Meanwhile, the song sung by the Manchester United supporters on the train referenced this tackle, with lyrics including “‘Oh Keano’s f***ing magic, he wears a magic hat.”
”He signed for Man United, cos they’re f***ing dynamite.”
Some Man United fans spotted Haaland's dad Alf-Inge on the way home yesterday and started singing Roy Keane's chant
— Manchester United Die Hard Fans (@DieHardUtdFans) May 26, 2024
Oh Keano’s f*ckin’ magic 🎶pic.twitter.com/CKKqRo0V5f
Manchester United’s fans went too far for taunting Alf-Inge Haaland who was simply a father supporting his son at a football match and should not be subjected to taunts about an incident that happened about two decades ago.
Despite the taunts, Alf-Inge remained composed and did not engage with the Man United supporters.
He went on to watch his son Erling played in the FA Cup final but unfortunately Manchester United won 2-1 against Manchester City.
With Erling’s move to Manchester City, the rivalry between Alf-Inge and Keane heated back up, leading to constant criticism from Keane against Erling Haaland throughout the season.
After a game against Arsenal, Keane harshly compared Haaland to a ‘League Two player’ and later called him a ‘spoiled brat’ for his behavior when substituted after scoring four goals against Wolves.
Even with the criticism from Keane, it remains a source of pride that Haaland played a crucial role in City’s four consecutive English league titles, marking another historic achievement for both the club and coach Pep Guardiola.
Erling Haaland secured the Premier League Golden Boot for the second time with an impressive 27 goals in the season.
What’s your take on this? Please, share your thoughts with us in the comments box below:
