Haaland: reasons to understand why it is the most talked about pass in Europe

The forward position is the most complex, and in the elite, the most difficult to cover, which explains notoriety and salary. And while tactical innovations have redefined the 9 position dramatically over the past 20 years, to the point where attributes like branding or versatility are now demanded that weren’t before, scoring is still his first responsibility.

In international football there is a handful that can compete for who is the best: among the veterans, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Harry Kane, Robert Lewandoswki and Lionel Messi; among the youngsters, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haland, without competition. The latter has just signed for Manchester City.

Norwegian numbers with the Borussia Dortmund can tell you how lethal it is: 85 goals in 88 games gives a ratio of 0.97, a Martian stat in a top-tier league. In his previous club, Salzburg in Austria, he even surpassed the goal per game; with his selection it is very close: 0.88. How is it possible to maintain such a high stat consistently for so long and at such a young age?

Haland It brings together several features that normally do not converge in a single crack. For example, it brings together size and speed at the same time. He is 1.94 m tall and weighs 88 kg, which makes it obvious that he dominates the passing game. Less usual is that with these measures he is capable of reaching 36 km / h, a speed that places him among the fastest strikers in the world. If Peruvian fans wish to have a reference, it is the same record held by Luis Advíncula.

That said, it is within the area where it excels. He is the striker who converts the most as opposed to what is expected, a formula that analysts use to measure the effectiveness of scorers. He is a lefty with perfect technique, but he defines with a right hand without problems and takes advantage of his height for an exquisite header. In positional terms, he is not far behind: Haaland manages to shoot 3 to 4 shots on goal per game in the small area, almost at the penalty spot, which indicates a great ability to be in the right place at the right time.

None of these statistics, however, accounts for subjective values, the most difficult to measure: explosion, gravity, opportunism, effect on opposing defenders, etc. The occasional acrobatics that he uses to define, as well as the space for growth and maturity that he still needs to travel, allow us to imagine the dominant forward that will be in 3 or 4 years from now under the right direction.

With Guardiolain it Manchester City, you will have it. The Spanish coach has taken one of the two jewels that could be hired at this end of the season. How Sterling, Mahrez, Foden, Gundogan and De Bruyne will take advantage of it is a matter of dream and fantasy. Where Gabriel Jesus has known how to be a player of 15 goals per season, Haaland could reach his peak of performance in a league that favors the attack and celebrates the exchange. The Norwegian’s choice has not been free: his father, Alfie, played in the Premier League, precisely at City, but was intentionally injured by Roy Keane in a classic against United which, in practice, forced him to retire prematurely .

Therefore, for Erling, the trip to England has a lot to do with family vindication and not a little challenge: while he seeks to conquer England, his generational peer, Mbappé, will surely seek to take Spain by storm. It is not new that both are called to lead football in the next decade and, in the manner of Cristiano and Messi, they are the only stars that resist mutual comparison.