Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is prioritising the team’s success over personal scoring records as he prepares to face Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.
Despite the 25-year-old Norwegian’s record-breaking pace, with 26 goals in 16 appearances this season, Haaland insists that helping the team win is his main focus.
“I am in a good way (to breaking that), but I don’t think of this. We need to focus on tomorrow, and that’s how my brain works. I need to think in the present,” he said at a press conference.
Haaland’s humility shines through in his comments, dismissing comparisons to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying “no one can get close to those two.”
He also downplayed his own achievements, stating, “I am just Erling, and this is something that will never change.”
He similarly shrugged off manager Pep Guardiola’s compliments about how humble he is.
“I am a Norwegian guy, and I shouldn’t think I am something because I am scoring goals. I am just Erling, and this is something that will never change,” he said.
As Manchester City takes on Borussia Dortmund, Haaland’s focus will be on contributing to the team’s success rather than chasing individual milestones.
His dedication to the team’s goals is evident, and he’ll be working with manager Pep Guardiola, who emphasised managing Haaland’s workload to avoid injuries.
“I always try to organise the team to allow him to run as less as possible. He is so big and cannot play 90 minutes every three days.
“I always think of (playing) every three days and manage to control the ball through the passes and can handle the game the way you want to – you survive. Less injuries also,” Guardiola said.
Haaland’s priorities extend beyond club football, as he’s also keen to take Norway to the 2026 World Cup. With Norway topping Group I of qualifying, a win against Estonia on November 13 could secure their spot in the tournament.
“There’s big, big few games for us. The main goal of my career, (is) to take Norway to World Cup and now I have a good chance to do it. So, it’s about taking the chances,” he said of the international fixtures.
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