Just like a typical Viking, Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland has grabbed England and the rest of Europe by the scruff of the neck in the past two seasons.
The world first took notice of Haaland at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, when he scored nine goals in Norway’s 12-0 demolition of Honduras. At the time, he had just signed for Austrian giants RB Salzburg, and that put the spotlight on him.
At Salzburg, Haaland shone like a million stars, registering 29 goals and seven assists in just 27 appearances. After his impressive numbers, Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund acquired his services in a deal worth €20 million. In Germany, Haaland was also brilliant, churning out 86 goals and 23 assists in 89 games.
After proving his brutality in front of goal in Germany, Haaland got his big move to Manchester City two years ago.
When he arrived at Manchester, there were high expectations for him, as he was coming into a Pep Guardiola-tutored side that was known for creating chances aplenty. With his proven goalscoring record, many pundits pegged his Premier League return at 20.
Haaland whetted the appetites of Manchester City fans on his debut against Bayern Munich, scoring the vital winner to help his side win the pre-season friendly. However, he blanked in his first competitive game – the Community Shield against Liverpool.
That game turned many heads, as Haaland was played out of the game and it was clear that he was struggling. Still, Guardiola backed his new star, stating that it was normal for even the best players to struggle when they switch leagues.
“It is good for him (Haaland) to see the reality in a new country and a new league but he was there,” Guardiola said after the match. “He didn’t score. He has incredible quality and he will do it.
“When Erling Haaland scored in the States (on City’s pre-season tour) everyone talked about how impressive he was.
“He was there and had the chances — nothing changes. He’s strong. Another time he will put it in the net — it’s football.”
Indeed, Guardiola’s faith was paid back in just Manchester City’s next game, the Premier League opener of the 2022/2023 season against West Ham. Haaland turned up clutch, producing the two goals to help them to a 2-0 win.
That season, Haaland went on to smash all the Premier League goal records. He totalled 36 goals in 35 games, the highest-ever return in the history of the league. His contributions were key, as they went on to win the treble. And of course, he won the Golden Boot with a healthy six-goal gap between him and Harry Kane, who produced 30 goals.
Last season, Haaland remained at the top of his game, albeit hampered by injuries. The Norwegian hitman registered an impressive 27 goals and five assists to help the citizens cart home the Premier League title. He also took home the highest goalscorer award.
Last Sunday, Haaland continued from where he stopped last season, scoring City’s opener in their game against Chelsea. That goal was his 91st for the club since joining two seasons ago. Many will be eager to see how many more goals he will score in the current campaign and you can expect Manchester City tickets to see a surge in demand.
Pep went lyrical after his star man’s performance, comparing him with the legendary Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He (Haaland) has the numbers of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In terms of numbers, he’s at that level. To score in 100 games 91 goals in the Premier League is unbelievable,” Pep said.
Pep even believes that Haaland has the potential to outdo his previous best this season.
“I have a feeling he feels better than he did last season at this stage. I felt last season he was tired. He feels good,” the Spanish tactician added.
Can Haaland Become The Best of The Best?
The English Premier League has been home to some of the best strikers in the world. Alan Shearer is currently the highest goalscorer in the competition’s history with 260 goals. He is followed by Harry Kane on 213, Wayne Rooney on 208, Andrew Cole on 187, and Sergio Aguero on 184 goals.
To become the best, you have to beat the best. So the target is to beat Shearer. Judging by Haaland’s goal returns from the past two seasons, he would need seven more seasons, including this, to surpass Shearer’s records.
Now, for a volatile sport like football where one can not predict teams, players, or coaches’ next moves, it would be tough to achieve that.
Moreover, Manchester City is a functioning machine now that Pep Guardiola is there. But it could all change if the former Barcelona manager decides to leave the club. Recall that his current contract expires at the end of the season, and he has not agreed on a new deal with the club.
Pep is not known to stay too long at clubs, and he could just call it quits this season, especially with the 115 financial breaches hanging over their head. This could see them get relegated if they are found guilty.
This could affect Haaland, and cause the club to struggle. Also, there is a possibility that the Norwegian could join another club. In his first season, there were lots of talks about him moving to Real Madrid, albeit they have now died down. Still, those talks could be revived if things do not go well at City.
It is also important to note that all the top five players on the rankings as stated above are English. And obviously, most top English players prefer to play their club football in their country. But Haaland is Norwegian and has no ties with England. As such, leaving English football would not be out of place for him.
Nonetheless, with what the 24-year-old goal poacher has shown since he moved to England, he has the skill set and hunger to score goals. If the status quo at Manchester City remains the same, the big Norwegian would surely surpass all the goalscoring records in England.
