The whole world looks to the Norwegian striker to comprehend the limits of his abilities. The 19-year-old Erling Braut Haaland has successfully managed to make his way to stardom at such a young age with his stupefying performances at the grandest of stages, the UEFA Champions League. The Leeds born wonder kid has become the worst nightmare for defenders making the Austrian Bundesliga seem like pee-wee football. He drew attention to himself from footballing pundits and fans from all over the world while playing for the Austrian outfit where he scored 28 goals in 22 games.
As it normally goes, a legion of followers attributed his ability to religiously find the back of the net to the lack of competition in the league. The Austrian national managed to prove all cynics wrong by conquering Europe wearing the colors of FC Red Bull Salzburg. To make sure that the doubters stay quiet Haaland became the high scorer netting an astonishing 10 goals in only 6 games. Erling managed to find the back of the net of teams like defending champions Liverpool, Napoli and in his European debut against Genk, he successfully bagged a hat-trick.
Erling started out in the third tier of Norwegian football where he played for the 24 man squad of Bryne FK. He moved up the ranks in Bryne before making a move to Molde FK in the February of 2017. It was in Molde FK where he was awarded the 2018 Eliteserien Breakthrough of the Year after having scored 16 goals in 30 matches. He made a move to FC Salzburg in the beginning of 2019. Haaland’s move to Dortmund in the last transfer window left the likes of Juventus and Manchester United feeling distressed. The Germans got through to Mini Raiola and an agreement was made for the fee of £17 million.
In the age of false nines and shadow strikers, Erling Haaland is a player of the rarest kind, keeping the role of the traditional number nine alive and well. Standing tall at 6 feet 4 inches, Haaland’s towering stature proves to be an asset when it comes to winning aerial duels. His height makes it easier for him to get at the receiving end of crosses and long balls. He commands great control over the ball at close quarters and has an exceptional ability to read the game, allowing him to move most efficiently on and off the ball alike. For a raw 19-year-old his ability to drop deep to help build attacks, poach goals, as well as belt screamers from distance, is absolutely stunning. His spatial awareness is one of the biggest weapons in his arsenal and the ability to stay onside is something that even the most experienced strikers are not able to execute with efficiency. His long limbs allow him to keep defenders at bay and make runs at a staggering pace. His physicality is a great asset when it comes to shielding the ball against opponents.
A man of very few words, Haaland is not very comfortable in front of the camera but it does not matter for his numbers speak for him, but a pair of boots at his feet and he transforms into a completely different person. Haaland possesses the ability to dictate games on his terms and is a highly reliable striker who has on many occasions brought his team back from the dead to win the game for them.
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