Semenyo opens up about relationship with Haaland amid golden boot battle

Nii Ayitey Brown 10:00 - 03 February 2026

Antoine Semenyo has opened up on his growing partnership with Erling Haaland at Manchester City, calling their Golden Boot rivalry “healthy competition.” The Ghana forward praised Haaland as a “goal machine” while embracing the fight for places in Pep Guardiola’s star-studded squad.

Antoine Semenyo says the dynamic between him and team-mate Erling Haaland at Manchester City is rooted in mutual respect and shared ambition, even though a viral social-media moment of Haaland joking about Semenyo coming for his Golden Boot sparked headlines.

The Ghanaian forward, who completed a £65 million move to City from Bournemouth in January, has wasted no time making his mark at the Etihad Stadium. Already on the scoresheet in important fixtures, including a goal in City’s lively 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 1 February, Semenyo has impressed both fans with his attacking threat.

In a clip shared on social media earlier this month, Haaland jokingly told Semenyo:

He is coming for my Golden Boot, so he is not going to pass to me!.

Rather than sparking tension, Semenyo says the exchange shows the healthy competitive spirit between City’s attacking weapons.

“He’s great, he’s made me feel comfortable from day one, and before that clip came out, he was just saying to me that it’s great to have you here,” Semenyo said.

He said to me: ‘We’re going to win the league, cups together, and compete for the Golden Boot together, but I’m lucky to have you as one of my team mates.’

Semenyo went on to praise Haaland’s unparalleled goalscoring prowess.

He’s a goal machine, all he needs is one to get a goal, and it’s good we’ve got two top goalscorers in the same team.

The reality on the numbers board backs up Haaland’s reputation. The Norwegian stands atop the Premier League Golden Boot race with 20 goals, while Semenyo, in his first weeks at City, has already scored 12 in the competition.

For Semenyo, the competitive environment at Manchester City, one filled with quality attackers, is a challenge he relishes.

“The quality of players is through the roof so you have to be on your A game always otherwise you’ll look like an outsider,” he explained.

It’s helped me improve, making sure I’m on my toes and focused every single day and you have to fight for your spot. You have to fight for your spot. You have to show why you deserve the starting lineup.

That fight for minutes has already paid dividends on the pitch. In City’s recent clash at Tottenham, Semenyo’s strike doubled the hosts’ lead before Spurs stormed back to draw.

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