Roy Keane has reignited his long-standing feud with Erling Haaland's father, Alf-Inge Haaland, by suggesting the former Manchester City player would have gone down from a headbutt, unlike his son. The Irishman's comments come after Arsenal defender Gabriel escaped with a yellow card for a headbutt on Erling Haaland during Manchester City's 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Keane, speaking on the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, praised Erling Haaland for staying on his feet but claimed his father would not have shown the same sportsmanship. 'His dad would have gone down!' Keane quipped.
The feud between Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland dates back to 1997, when Haaland, then playing for Leeds, accused Keane of faking an injury. In reality, Keane had ruptured his cruciate ligament, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Four years later, during the Manchester derby, Keane exacted revenge with a horror tackle that planted his studs into Haaland's right knee, effectively ending the Norwegian's career.
Keane was sent off for the foul and later received a three-match ban and a £5,000 fine. The following year, he was suspended for five more matches and fined £150,000 after admitting in his autobiography that he intended to hurt Haaland. 'I'd waited long enough. I f***ing hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you c***,' he wrote.
In 2021, Keane reiterated that he had no regrets about the incident. 'I never regretted anything I have done on a football pitch, never,' he told Sky Sports. 'Did I go to hurt players? Of course I did. I'd never apologise for that.'
The rivalry has extended to the next generation, with Keane previously criticising Erling Haaland for his behaviour and playing style. In 2022, he called Haaland a 'spoilt brat' after the striker reacted angrily to being substituted despite scoring four goals. Earlier that year, Keane compared Haaland's general play to that of a 'League Two player,' saying, 'In front of goal he's the best in the world, but his general play is so poor.'
