In an unusual incident during their Champions League clash against Manchester City, Young Boys captain Mohamed Ali Camara approached City striker Erling Haaland at halftime to request his shirt, a move that has drawn criticism from both fans and pundits.
Image of Erling Haaland celebrating his goal against Young Boys - Source: Getty Images
Young Boys manager Raphael Wicky, unaware of the exchange at the time, expressed surprise when informed about it. “I’m a little bit surprised by that right now,” he told reporters after the game. “I don’t think it had anything to do with the game or the performance, but I’ll probably have a word with him and see what he thought.”
You've got to take your chances if you want Erling Haaland's shirt 😅
Mohamed Camara managed to get it at half-time 👕#UCL pic.twitter.com/S5puTnCxFn
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 7, 2023
Camara’s actions have sparked a debate about the etiquette of shirt-swapping, with former City player Keith Curle stating that he would be “raging” if he were the manager. “In the heat of the battle, you’re asking for their shirt,” Curle said on Sky Sports. “I’d be raging. I’ve seen it done before, and I think it’s wrong.”
Meanwhile, City manager Pep Guardiola appeared more nonchalant about the incident. “I don’t know about it,” he said. “We win 3-0. It happened, I don’t know the reason why.”
While shirt-swapping is a common practice among players at the end of matches, doing so at halftime is considered unconventional and disrespectful to the competitive spirit of the game. Camara’s request could potentially lead to disciplinary action from the club.
