Erling Haaland

[Shadowlight]

6'4" striker who looks like the map of Norway is setting the soccer world on fire and he is just 19 years old!!!!Possessing blinding sprinter speed he plays for Borussia Dortmund which is in the high ranking German Bundesliga League. I am not sure he has been mentioned here at CF. The soccer forum has dwindled down significantly since the World Cup of 2018.

I had Sky Sports on in the background and this gorgeous slim blond (with a big rack) presenter with a thick British accent caught my attention. Actually she sounds a bit more Scottish. Her name is Jo Wilson. Mercy. Anyway it took me a few minutes to figure out who they were raving about but it was Erling Haaland.

I believe everybody under the sun is trying to acquire him including The Premier League.

One perhaps for me to pin my hopes on. Is he the next Great White Hope? He has thrown his name in the ring that is for sure.

Oh what the hell here is presenter Jo Wilson too.

 

[Shadowlight]

Here is an article from this past week that details the otherworldly talents of Haaland. Notice the form you see in his sprinting in the opening photo. Coiled like a cheetah. Explosion personified.

https://slate.com/culture/2020/02/erling-haaland-champions-league-dortmund-kylian-mbappe.html

 

[Shadowlight]

It dawned on me that Haaland's name was brought up here at CF after his scoring barrage for Norway during the U-20s.

I made it a point to watch his Dortmund team play this morning on FS1. I had never seen him play apart from some recent clips and at 6'4" you can't miss him.

Reporting from the front after absorbing the entire game it only takes a couple of minutes to see the Halo Of Greatness surrounding Haaland. The hype is real and you can remove the next after the "next big thing." He has arrived at full force and this wunderkind I suspect is the best under 20 athlete in all of the world.

He scored a second half goal to seal the 2-0 victory. It was a nice semi tap in showing yet another dimension of his outsized talent. He also made a couple of nifty touch passes. He displayed finesse to go along with his awesome power and speed. Not a one trick pony at all.

Two things really caught my attention beyond his terrific bloodthirsty ability to score goals.

His quickness is unreal. His ability to accelerate is breathtaking. And on one occasion he was able to put the brakes on from a sprint, turn back and avoid an off sides call. Add to that his awareness of the situation. You just watch this player with your mouth wide open.

He didn't have a big chance at a full breath breakaway but I saw glimpses. He has a fascinating and unusual sprint style as he runs parallel to the ground with his arms flailing. It is an amazing site to behold and makes one wonder with the proper training if he could become a world class sprinter? The explosion is readily evident. He exudes excitement!!!!

Discovering Haaland this week has renewed my flailing faith in sports. He is a shining light there is no question about it.

Norway has an uphill battle in qualifying for this summer's Euro Cup but the hope of course is they somehow make it and then this Norway flash will get a chance to shine on a very big stage.

The caste brigade will have all sorts of problems trying to explain Haaland away.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

Thanks for the thread,Shadowlight,its indeed sad to think of what has become of this sub-forum.

I was hoping the Euros would bring back some activity but they are indefinitely postponed.

And I've been keeping an eye on Haaland and he does look like he's the real deal!

 

[Novice]

A goal in his second match for RB Salzburg. A hat trick on his Champions League debut. A hat trick on his Bundesliga debut. This kid is simply sensational and importantly, he made a wise decision to sign with Dortmund because the club will give him a comfortable environment to develop properly.

44 goals for a teenager in what is effectively his debut season in European cup-sized clubs is almost unheard of. By comparison, Lewandowksi's debut season with Dortmund at age 22 saw him score only 9 goals in 43 appearances. I don't think we have seen a proper striker who's a prodigy on the scale of Haaand in a really, really long time. You'd probably have to go back to Sergio Aguero in 2007, Fernando Torres in 2002 or Michael Owen in 1997.

This kid doesn't appear to have a flaw in his game. He's big, strong, tall, and has pace. He scores all sorts of goals. He scores with his head, on one on one situations, has a poacher's instinct. can shoot from distance. His attitude and mentality are flawless.

 

[LucasBryant]

Erling Haaland does appear to be the complete package in size, strength (although he needs to get stronger), speed and a great first touch. He does need to keep working on his first step explosion and dribbling in space. He should soon become the top striker in the world. He’s at a club which should keep solid talent around him for the next couple years and compete in the CL most years. Erling’s father has prepared him mentally for the intensity and grind of the sport. No doubt, he’s prepared for those that will try to intimidate him especially since his father dealt with Roy Keane’s thug behavior numerous times.

Haaland’s mom was a National heptathlon champion and Erling still holds the record for the world’s longest standing broad jump, 1.63 for a five year old. I believe he’ll be playing for Bayern, Real or maybe ManU before his present contract is over.

 

[Novice]

Bayern, Barca and Real are logical choices. All of them have #9 players well into their 30s now: Suarez, Benzema and Lewandowski.

 

[Novice]

Haaland scores his first international goal for Norway in only his 3rd appearance and 2nd start for his country.

https://streamja.com/WnBX5

 

[Novice]

Erling Haaland scored a brace in his country's UEFA Nations League match against Northern Ireland. 4 of Northern Ireland's players played in the English Championship last season, 3 in the Scottish Premier League, and 1 in the EPL. So, while Northern Ireland isn't the greatest opposition, it's certainly not a bunch of amateurs Haaland played against. The kid has performed now at a high level in Austria, Germany, European club cups, and now with his country

Absolutely fantastic strike from outside of the box
https://streamable.com/7bcf00

Great finish while through on goal

https://streamja.com/B4ry3

 

[Giles Daldanus]

Erling Haaland has become the fastest player to score 15 goals in the UEFA Champions League. As of December 2020, he has netted on 16 occasions in this competition. An absolutely brilliant player! Norway's future is looking quite bright, especially in the striking department, with Alexander Sørloth, another very tall forward, also in top shape.

Haaland vs. Belgian side Club Brugge, the away match for Borussia Dortmund:

He indeed possesses an amazing instinct in the box.

Haaland is unfortunately nursing a hamstring injury, but should be back in action at some point in January 2021.

 

[LucasBryant]

He’s tremendously talented and I’ve said he’ll become the best player in the world before next season. However I would not expect much out of Norway’s national team although I’m not against Norway having success.

Erling Haaland has become the fastest player to score 15 goals in the UEFA Champions League. As of December 2020, he has netted on 16 occasions in this competition. An absolutely brilliant player! Norway's future is looking quite bright, especially in the striking department, with Alexander Sørloth, another very tall forward, also in top shape.

Haaland vs. Belgian side Club Brugge, the away match for Borussia Dortmund:

He indeed possesses an amazing instinct in the box.

Haaland is unfortunately nursing a hamstring injury, but should be back in action at some point in January 2021.

 

[jacknyc]

Erling Haaland won the Golden Boy award, which goes to the best young player under the age of 21 across the European Leagues.
I don't know how prestigious this award, but he's in good company, as Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney were former winners.