Published: 10:47 BST, 8 August 2026 | Updated: 10:52 BST, 8 August 2026
A little yarn for you. Back in the day, Erling Haaland would pay visits to Pretty Little Thing's all-pink Manchester headquarters. Staff would gawp. What's he doing here?
A reasonable question. What business does a fearsome 6'4" Norse Viking have with a brand who sell trendy outfits to young women and girls?
It turns out that Haaland has a close friendship with Umar Kamani, the fashionista who founded Pretty Little Thing (PLT).
And so, Haaland being Haaland, football's chief of playful nonchalance, he would simply amble in to PLT's office for a chat with his mate. To steal one of the Norwegian's quotes: why not?
That attitude has led to a bromance blossoming. This summer, after chewing up the World Cup, Haaland has been holidaying on a yacht in the French Riviera with Kamani. It's not the first luxury trip they've been on – they have been on holidays to Monaco and St Tropez before and partied together in Dubai.
What's more, the Daily Mail can reveal that one of Kamani's close friends brokered the meeting between Haaland and Michael Jordan which recently went viral.
Erling Haaland has a surprise close friendship with Pretty Little Thing founder Umar Kamani
Haaland used to regularly stroll into PLT's Manchester office while Kamani was there
The pair have been enjoying a summer holiday in the south of France after the World Cup
It's another indicator of Haaland's rising status in the celebrity world and a well-deserved link-up after an exhausting season.
The Manchester City star, 26, recently claimed on Snapchat that his brain is 'fried' after playing in 67 games for club and country last season. Norway's first World Cup in 28 years saw them reach the quarter-finals, beating Brazil along the way. If anyone's joints need soothing in the Mediterranean sun, it's probably Haaland's.
The duo have been merrymaking at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, a stunning coastal resort in Antibes where suites break the bank at up to £7,058 per night. Mind you, that's merely a drop in the ocean for Haaland, who nets close to £1million per week, and Kamani, whose net worth is estimated to be around $1billion (£797m). They've been joined by Haaland's partner Isabel Haugsend Johansen, Kamani's wife Nada, and their friends.
Kamani sat with Haaland's family for Norway's World Cup last-16 victory over Brazil – in which the striker scored two – and the pair linked up for their jaunt almost immediately after they were knocked out by England.
Their friendship dates back to 2022, right when Haaland signed for Manchester City in a £51m deal from Borussia Dortmund. It was a proud moment for the young striker – his father, Alf-Inge, had played for the club, and Erling, who was born in Leeds, claimed to have been a fan his whole life.
