Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland is on another planet right now - and even iconic head coach Pep Guardiola says the comparison to soccer's two greatest modern icons is officially on the table.
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Haaland scored twice in Manchester City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth, bringing his season total to 26 goals for club and country - including 17 in just 13 matches for City. With numbers like that, Guardiola says the 24-year-old striker is performing in the same statistical stratosphere Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo once owned.
"This is what it's like if you play with Messi or Ronaldo," Guardiola said post-match. "His influence is so big. You see the numbers? Of course he's at that level."
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Haaland is being dominant on the field
Guardiola acknowledged that Messi and Ronaldo sustained their dominance for more than a decade at the highest level of international competition - both in clubs and at with their countries -, but he believes Haaland's mindset shows he's built for the same type of greatness.
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"The first goal - the way he shoots the ball - it's like, 'I am going to score,'" Pep said. "He has that hunger. It's top."
The City boss also praised Haaland's coachability and willingness to take criticism, noting he can be "tough sometimes" on his star striker because Erling "lives for goals" and embraces pressure. City certainly needed his killer instinct. The win lifted them to second place in the Premier League table, keeping pace in the title race.
Rising talent helping fuel the attack
Pep also highlighted the growing role of French playmaker Rayan Cherki, who assisted both of Haaland's goals against the Cherries.
"He has a special talent," Guardiola said. "The vision in the final third is good... step by step, he can realize what we need to do." Nico O'Reilly rounded out the scoring with a slick finish after halftime, sealing a victory that showcased City's evolving - yet still lethal - attacking force.
Erling Haaland isn't just scoring at a world-class rate - he's drawing comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo from a manager who coached one of them. If this continues, we may be watching the next era's defining superstar take full control.
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