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Feature
- 16 hours ago
Haaland accused of leaving mascot Moonbeam with head injury: Man City cover up claims
Robin Bairner
- 29 Mar 2025 10:30 GMT
- 6 min read
News
Manchester City find themselves in hot water over claims that Erling Haaland caused a head injury to club mascot Moonbeam and then covered it up.
Haaland, confirmed as the Premier League’s best-paid player this week, allegedly left a university student injured when he struck her prior to the club’s clash against Southampton on 26 October and left her with whiplash, The Sun reports.
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The unnamed woman believed that she had been hit by a stray ball but it was subsequently revealed that it was the Norway international who hit her.
Now she has accused Man City of a “cover up” after her contract with the club to work as a mascot Moonbeam was not renewed. She is said to have been paid around £100 a day for the job.
The Sun reports that she recalls asking a colleague: “What the hell was that that hit me?
“He said: ‘It was Erling. He hit you from behind.’
“I was pretty upset and I was crying and my head was thudding and I think I was in shock.
“I later realised he’d come behind me and hit me on the head and then leaned on my head.”
Moonbeam heads to hospital
She says she was later sick as well as suffering from head and neck pain. She was later advised to go to hospital by the club’s first-team doctor.
Man City cleared Haaland, the world's most valuable player, of any wrongdoing after reviewing CCTV footage while a complaint to Greater Manchester Police was also dismissed.
Now she claims the incident is behind her failing to have her contract renewed.
“I have never had any complaints from any of the managers about my work before,” she said.
“They said they didn’t feel like I’d performed in the interviews to the 100 per cent I usually do.”
How have City responded?
Man City have strongly denied the allegations that Haaland was involved in a significant incident of this sort.
“Manchester City refute the complaint that was made in this regard,” the club stated, via The Sun.
“The Club fully investigated and found that none of the evidence, including video footage backed up the claim that an injury was sustained in the manner alleged.
“We’re also aware a complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police and no further action was taken by them either.”
What is Man City mascot Moonbeam?
Moonbeam is one of two official Manchester City mascots along with Moonchester.
Moonbeam is a female alien mascot with large eyes, a friendly smile and blue skin. She wears the City kit and is often seen alongside Moonchester, her male counterpart.
