MALMÖ, Sweden — Erling Haaland made the choice to miss the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris to support a close friend celebrating a championship victory in Sweden.

The Manchester City forward, although nominated for the prestigious award, wasn’t viewed as a leading contender. Instead, he was spotted in the stands at Malmö Stadium, where the local team triumphed over IFK Göteborg with a score of 2-1, clinching the Swedish league title with two matches left to play in the season.

Haaland shared a moment from the event on social media, posting a photo of himself proudly donning a Malmö jersey that matched the light blue hue of his City uniform.

The player was there to cheer on his friend Erik Botheim, who plays as a forward for Malmö FF.

Malmö FF has had a dominant performance in the league, leading the standings while having achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Swedish championship 24 times, making them the most successful team in the nation’s football history.

In Sweden, due to the extended winter season, the football league begins in the spring and concludes in the fall, which is different from most other European leagues that typically follow a different schedule.