Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is making the most of his off-season break in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro following his participation with Brazil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The footballer recently shared a carousel of images on social media documenting a gym workout alongside American actor Terry Crews, which included a direct invitation to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. Captioning the post with "We are waiting for you, @erling," Vinicius sparked significant fan engagement.
The images featured the pair lifting weights together, with one photo showing Crews holding the Brazilian national team jersey. Another image captured the actor meeting a family member of the winger. This public interaction references a viral meme from the 2026 World Cup, which parodied a scene from the 2004 film White Chicks, featuring the two athletes instead of Crews and Marlon Wayans. Haaland had previously acknowledged the meme, suggesting they recreate it, to which Vinicius responded with amusement.
The two stars developed a friendship during the tournament, notably sharing a handshake and hug after Norway eliminated Brazil. Further fueling speculation, Vinicius commented "Happy birthday bro see u soon" on Haaland’s birthday post on July 21, when the striker turned 26. Both players had impressive individual campaigns at the 2026 World Cup. Vinicius served as a key asset for Brazil, scoring four goals and providing one assist across five matches. Haaland, meanwhile, led Norway to their first-ever quarter-final appearance with seven goals in five games, earning a spot in the Team of the Tournament despite an extra-time loss to England.
Ahead of the round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway, a parody of a scene from the 2004 comedy film White Chicks, in which Crews sang to Marlon Wayans, was shared online.The edit digitally replaced Crews with Vinicius, while Wayans was replaced with Haaland.
While his tournament came to an end in an extra-time loss to England in the last 8, his performances earned him a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament.
