Erling Haaland is back in action post the World Cup break, as he had to watch from his home the global tournament as a result of his Norway failing to qualify for it. But with the break over, and club football resumed, Haaland was back to basics, scoring a brilliant goal in his side’s 3-2 win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Round of 16. The win ensured City’s qualification to the next round as holders Liverpool crashed out.
Although Jurgen Klopp’s heavily rotated side gave a fight-back with two goals, City’s wizard Kevin de Bruyne was in full throttle as well on top of the Norwegian. De Bruyne dished out two assists to help his side to the win, of which one was an inch-perfect cross for Haaland’s opener. With another goal in his bag, Erling Haaland has received some serious backing from the Belgian to shatter all records, and even surpass the one who currently owns them, Cristiano Ronaldo.
De Bruyne explains how Erling Haaland could surpass Ronaldo
De Bruyne shrugged-off a disappointing World Cup campaign with Belgium where they bowed out from the groups stage itself and some internal rifts between the players were the headlines of their short-stay in Qatar. The 31-year-old bagged two assists against Liverpool, one to set-up Haaland’s opener, and second a delicious curling cross for Nathan Ake to net the winner.
The Belgian was left so impressed with Erling Haaland, who scored his 24th goal of the season in just 18 games in all competitions, that he even backed the youngster to rattle all goal-scoring records and leave behind Cristiano Ronaldo as well, who currently has 819 goals. De Bruyne said after the Liverpool win:
“He [Haaland] can probably go to 600, 700 or 800 [goals] if he stays fit and does all the same things he is doing. Erling is still a young boy enjoying his life — but he takes football very seriously. He loves scoring goals, that is the most unique thing he has.
“It is very hard to compare the strikers I’ve played with, because they are all totally different. Of course they play in the same position. But some are physical players — and some are speed demons that can score goals for fun. Erling hasn’t got there yet because of his age — but the others have all scored 300 or 400.
“He is so obsessed with goals, he can maybe go beyond that. Erling is a top-level striker. But he doesn’t take himself too seriously. When you talk about professional footballers or professional athletes, I think the top ones all have that extra little edge. A little something to become the best version you can.”
While De Bruyne feels Erling Haaland lacks that ‘extra edge’, the former Dortmund striker is still doing just fine without it. He has so far racked up 180 goals in 224 career games for both club and country, and is well on course to to put his name in the same bracket as some of the legendary strikers. And like his teammate De Bruyne says, Haaland could well leave behind the likes of Ronaldo and Messi, at least in the goal scoring charts, if he gains that extra edge over the time.