As the era of Messi and Ronaldo is about to end, Erling Haaland is one of the names most expected to follow in the footsteps of this duo. At the age of 23, Haaland showed great potential when he scored 52 for Man City last season and pocketed the Silver Ball title.
Below are interesting facts about Haaland, showing why this star is so great.
Born into a family with a sports tradition
Haaland is described as being born to become an athlete. Both of the Norwegian player’s parents are famous athletes. Haaland’s father, Mr. Alf-Inge, was once a famous football player, playing for several famous teams in England such as Leeds United or Man City – the club that his son later played for.
Meanwhile, Marita Braun – Haaland’s mother – was a national heptathlon champion. Haaland’s grandfather is a famous long-distance runner in Norway.
Holding the world record at just 5 years old
On January 22, 2006, Haaland, then only 5 years old, jumped an incredible distance of 1m63. This achievement helped Haaland set a new world record. Now, after 17 years, this achievement has not been broken.
From a young age, Haaland has practiced sports. This player’s father wanted his son to play many different sports before making the most suitable choice. Haaland tried his hand at handball, athletics and even skiing. However, in the end, this player still chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a professional player.
Idol Zlatan Ibrahimovic
When asked about his favorite players, Haaland mentioned a series of names including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. However, the person most mentioned by players born in 2000 is Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
In September 2022, Haaland scored a karate-style goal against his former team Dortmund in the C1 Cup, just like Ibra did many times in the past. Maybe Haaland was inspired by his predecessor.
If he can maintain his current form, Haaland can completely surpass Ibra in the future. At this time, Haaland won the C1 Cup, a major title that Ibra has never owned.
Each scored 9 goals in one match
Haaland was promoted to the first team by Bryne Club when he was only 15 years old. After only a short time, Molde – the giant of Norwegian football – took notice of Haaland and successfully recruited him. This is also the launching pad that brought Haaland to European football.
One of Haaland’s most memorable matches came at the 2019 U20 World Cup. In the final match against Honduras, he scored 9 goals. Although the Norwegian team could not pass the group stage, with just the above match, Haaland pocketed the title of top scorer of the tournament.
Eat according to the same menu as Ronaldo
Witnessing Ronaldo’s persistence thanks to his discipline and reasonable lifestyle, Haaland immediately learned and followed.
In an interview in 2020, Haaland’s father admitted that his son ate the same menu as the Portuguese superstar every day, including fish, chicken, and pasta. Haaland eliminates as much salt as possible in meals.
Besides, Haaland also limits alcoholic beverages and maintains a healthy lifestyle. Sleep is also something Haaland cares about. Every time he sleeps, this player always wears a ring to measure sleep quality.
Set the C1 Cup background music as an alarm
Haaland has a special passion for the ball. Sharing on TV2 channel, Haaland revealed that he lets the background music of the C1 Cup be his alarm every day. “I set an alarm with that music. Every time I wake up, I hear that sound. That way, I will have a perfect start to the day,” Haaland shared.
At the age of 23, Haaland quickly conquered this trophy. The Norwegian player’s goal is to successfully defend the title he won with Man City.
Besides, Haaland also said he wants to be as close to the ball as possible. The young striker used to put the ball next to him every time he slept.
Remarkable achievement at the age of 23
With the treble last season, Haaland pocketed all of England’s biggest titles. Besides, the 23-year-old player also broke a series of records such as the player who scored the most goals in the Premier League in a season or the player with the fastest 30 goals in C1 Cup history.
In terms of goals, Haaland also reached the milestone of 250 goals not long ago. This season, Haaland also scored 13 goals in 12 matches in the Premier League and continued to compete for the Golden Boot title.
It’s a bit unfortunate for Haaland when this player’s Norway team did not play well. Recently, Norway failed to qualify and Haaland will have to sit at home and watch Euro 2024.