Erling Haaland has finally answered Tom Holland’s dinner invitation after leaving the actor’s Instagram message unanswered.
The Manchester City and Norway striker responded publicly after Holland discussed the awkward exchange during a July 13 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Haaland told Holland that the invitation was accepted and asked him to choose the restaurant.
Holland had messaged Haaland after spotting him across a hospitality area at the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix in June. The actor said he never received a response.
Haaland later admitted that he had seen the message but did not recognize Holland’s name or know that it belonged to the actor who plays Spider-Man. He said he rarely watches movies and did not want to answer someone he did not know.
Erling Haaland Told Tom Holland to Name the Place
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Haaland answered the invitation in the comments beneath an Instagram clip from Holland’s Tonight Show interview. People reported that the striker wrote, “Dinner invitation accepted @tomholland2013. A little late Just name the place!”
The reply came after Holland’s story began circulating online. Fallon brought up the unanswered message during Holland’s interview, and Holland confirmed that he had tried to reach Haaland privately.
Holland had not publicly named a restaurant at the time of publication.
Tom Holland Called the Unanswered Message Humbling
Fallon raised the story after seeing a post that said Haaland had received a message from Holland but did not know who had contacted him. Holland confirmed that he had sent the message and laughed while describing the silence that followed.
“That is exactly the type of humbling experience that is important for actors,” Holland said, according to TheWrap.
Holland said he had assumed he could message Haaland and offer to take him to dinner. Instead, he received no reply, no excuse and no polite explanation that the striker was busy with football.
The Message Came After the Monaco Grand Prix
Holland said he decided to contact Haaland after seeing him during the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix in June. He was watching Lewis Hamilton race when he noticed Haaland in a hospitality suite across from him.
Rather than approach the striker during the event, Holland sent him an Instagram message. “I just thought I’d shoot my shot,” Holland told Fallon.
The actor said he had not expected to discuss the private message on television. He appeared amused by the exchange and continued praising Haaland during the interview.
Haaland Said He Did Not Recognize Holland
Haaland had already explained the unanswered message during an appearance on the Norwegian program A-laget. He called the situation embarrassing but said he did not recognize the actor’s name.
“I don’t watch movies much, so I have no idea who people are,” Haaland said, according to TheWrap. He said someone had asked him to go to dinner, but he had never seen Holland and did not want to respond to an unknown person.
Holland is known internationally for playing Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Haaland’s explanation still matched Holland’s joke that even a major movie star cannot assume every famous athlete knows him.
Holland Still Called Haaland an Absolute Legend
Holland continued praising Haaland during the interview, calling him “incredible” and “an absolute legend.” He also joked that dinner might be less likely after England defeated Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals.
Haaland’s public reply removed that concern, at least online. The striker accepted the invitation and left the next move to Holland.
Neither man has announced a date, city or restaurant for the proposed dinner.