That Night, The Iconic Moment at Etihad

April 20, 2026, the title decider: Haaland shows his completely torn jersey and undershirt

On April 20, 2026, the Premier League title decider saw Manchester City host Arsenal at the Etihad. In the 67th minute, right after scoring the winning goal, Erling Haaland was caught in a fierce tussle with Arsenal defender Gabriel during a wide run.

No one could have predicted what happened next: Gabriel's desperate pull not only ripped apart Haaland's Man City match jersey, but also tore through his thermal undershirt, splitting the fabric all the way from his shoulder blade to his waist, leaving his back fully exposed.

As he walked towards the referee, swinging the tattered fabric hanging off his body, fans around the world were stunned. What kind of body could survive such a violent pull without even a bruise? That Man City match jersey is made of top-tier athletic fabric, far more tear-resistant than regular clothes, yet it was ripped apart in the clash. But Haaland's body? It was as if it was forged from steel, completely unharmed.

That Iron Body Wasn't Born, It Was Built

Many call Haaland a "mutant", an alien from another planet. But anyone who knows him understands: that unbreakable body is the result of extreme self-discipline, day after day.

At 195cm tall and 94kg heavy, he maintains an ultra-low 6% body fat, comparable to professional bodybuilders, with every inch of his body being pure muscle. His maximum squat exceeds 200kg, his core strength is so strong that he can stand firm even against two defenders, and bounce opponents away like bowling pins.

To maintain this physique, he consumes 6000 calories of high-quality nutrients every day, eats raw beef heart and liver to supplement nutrition, goes to bed at 9 PM sharp, never touches alcohol, and even has a -110°C cryotherapy chamber at home to speed up recovery. It's this extreme self-discipline that gave him that "invincible" body: the jersey can be torn, but his body? It never falls.

The Goal Machine, Never Stopped By tackles

Haaland celebrating his goal, his 124th goal for Man City

This isn't the first time Haaland has left defenders helpless. Since joining Man City, he has redefined what a center forward can be, in just two and a half seasons:

• Reached 100 Premier League goals in just 111 games, breaking Alan Shearer's 20-year record for the fastest century of goals
• Scored 36 Premier League goals in the 2022-23 season, breaking the 29-year-old record for most goals in a single Premier League season
• 124 goals in 146 games for Man City, with a stunning 1.07 goals per game, the highest efficiency in world football
• 6 goals in 8 games against Arsenal, no matter how defenders try to stop him, he always finds the back of the net

Opponents have tried everything: pulling, tackling, every kind of physical confrontation they can think of to stop him. But what did they get? They can tear his jersey, but they can never tear through his goal record. As long as he's in the box, no defense can stop him, they can only end up as the background to his goals.

The Gentle Giant, Character On and Off the Pitch

Many people assume that a man with such a terrifying physique would be a brute on the pitch. But the opposite is true: Haaland is known as one of the nicest guys in world football.

Facing Gabriel's aggressive pull and choke hold, Haaland never chose to retaliate, never started a fight. He just calmly showed his torn jersey to the referee, appealing for the foul. Even when the referee only gave Gabriel a yellow card, he didn't complain. He just changed into a new jersey, and turned around to answer his opponent with the winning goal.

He once gave a penalty chance to his new teammate, even if it meant missing out on a goal record. He took the blame himself when his teammate missed, apologizing on social media. He gives his jersey to young fans after every game, sharing the joy of victory with everyone who supports him.

This is Erling Haaland. He has the hardest body in football, but the softest heart. He defeats opponents with his strength, wins respect with his sportsmanship. That's what a true superstar is.