Even Spider-Man can get left on read. Tom Holland recently revealed the hilarious story of how he once slid into Erling Haaland’s Instagram DMs, only to receive no reply from the football superstar. The actor opened up about the awkward yet funny moment during his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he confirmed that the Manchester City and Norway striker had indeed ignored his message.
During the chat, Jimmy Fallon asked Holland if the story was true, the actor simply replied, “Yes,” and laughed off the unexpected snub.
Why Did Tom Holland DM Erling Haaland?
Holland revealed that the message came during a Formula 1 weekend in Monaco. The Spider-Man star was attending the Monaco Grand Prix when he spotted Haaland nearby in a hospitality suite. “I was at Monaco. I was watching Lewis race, and I saw him. He was like a hospitality suite across from me,” Holland recalled.
The actor decided to take his chance and message the footballer. As he added, “And I just thought I’d shoot my shot.”
.@TomHolland1996 slid into @Erling Haaland’s DMs and he didn’t respond 😭 #FallonTonight #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/LTXWMRYmZE
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) July 14, 2026
Tom Holland On Erling Haaland’s Ignoring His DM
Rather than being upset, Holland turned the situation into a joke. The Spider-Man actor admitted that even global fame does not guarantee a response. “That is exactly the type of humbling experience that is important for actors,” Holland said.
He continued, “You know, they’re like, ‘I’ll text him. I’ll take him to dinner.’ Not even a response. Not an excuse. Not, ‘I’m busy tonight.’ Nothing.”
Tom Holland’s Praise For Erling Haaland
When Fallon asked whether he would still invite Haaland for dinner, Holland joked that the striker might not be interested following their conversation about football results. “I don’t think he would have dinner with me after the other day,” Holland joked.
However, he quickly added, “He’s a professional. He’s incredible. He’s an absolute legend.”
The funny exchange has since become one of the highlights of Holland’s appearance from The Tonight Show.
On the work front, Tom Holland is prepping up for two back-to-back releases – The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
What Did Erling Haaland Say?
The reason behind Haaland’s silence was revealed earlier when the footballer appeared on the Norwegian interview show A Laget H. Haaland explained that he did not realise the message was from Tom Holland because he does not regularly watch films and did not recognise the actor’s name or profile.
Thinking it was a random message from an unknown person, Haaland chose not to respond. Later, after discovering who had actually reached out, the striker admitted he felt embarrassed and joked that he should probably contact Holland.
