Vinicius invites Haaland to join holiday with Hollywood star Terry Crews after World Cup embrace

Vinicius Junior has extended a surprise holiday invitation to Erling Haaland, asking the Manchester City striker to join him and American actor Terry Crews during his summer break in Brazil.

The Real Madrid and Brazil forward posted several photos on Friday across his social media accounts showing him relaxing with Crews, adding a direct message to Haaland: “We are waiting for you, Erling.”

Vinicius is currently spending a few days off in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro before reporting back for pre-season with Real Madrid ahead of the new campaign.

Among the images shared, one shows a playful moment with the Brazilian riding on Crews’ back, while others capture the pair lifting weights together and touring Vinicius’ personal trophy room. The forward also used the visit to introduce the actor to some members of his family.

Viral World Cup meme brought to life

The online interaction between Vinicius, Haaland and Crews builds on a viral meme that spread widely during the recent World Cup, in which artificial intelligence was used to place Vinicius and Haaland into one of the most famous scenes from the film “White Chicks”, in which Crews starred.

The light-hearted holiday invitation comes after the two forwards faced each other on the World Cup stage, in a match that ended Brazil’s campaign earlier than expected.

Vinicius, who grew up in Sao Goncalo, had been one of Brazil’s standout performers at the tournament, scoring four goals in the group stage. However, Brazil’s run was halted in the last 16 by Norway, led by Haaland.

The Norway striker scored both goals in a 2-1 victory, knocking the Selecao out of the competition.

One of the enduring images from that knockout tie at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was the embrace between Vinicius and Haaland in the mixed zone after the match, a moment that contrasted with the disappointment of Brazil’s exit.

Off-pitch spotlight on Vinicius

Away from the pitch, Vinicius has been heavily in the spotlight in recent weeks for reasons beyond football.

He has drawn attention for a noticeable change in his appearance, which has been attributed to cosmetic surgery, as well as for his frequent online interactions with Brazilian influencer Virginia Fonseca.

The pair announced their separation on 15 May, on the eve of the World Cup, but their recent photos and posts together have fuelled speculation that they have rekindled their relationship.

While there has been no official confirmation from either party about their current status, their renewed public exchanges have added an extra layer of intrigue to Vinicius’ off-season, alongside his now-public invitation for Haaland to join his holiday with Crews in Rio de Janeiro.