The Norwegian star is eager to forge out a career that is even better than his dad’s.
Borussia Dortmund feeling Erling Haaland is determined to do even better than his dad, Alf-Inge Haaland, who played for the likes of Leeds United and Manchester City almost two years ago.
At age 19, Haaland became only the second player to score ten or more Champions League goals as a teenager after his decisive double against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Having just made his Dortmund introduction in January, the adolescent striker has scored 11 goals from his first seven appearances for his new team.
Haaland seems poised for a bright future in the game and has always had his sights set firmly on replicating the career his father managed to forge.
“My dad has been a major role model for me. I said to myself I need to be a professional soccer player at a high level, and that is what I said my entire life,” Haaland informed Bundesliga.
“To attempt to get better than him is also a target and he’s 34 games for Norway, and I believe over 200 games in the Premier League, in England, so it is still lacking a bit.”
After viewing Haaland strike twice during the week, former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness suggested the Norway celebrity’s skills already far surpassed that of his daddy’s.
Haaland has hit the ground running in Dortmund colors and has been quick to pay tribute to his teammates for making the transition to such a smooth one.
“I have been here 1 month, but if my teammates are so great, it’s getting easy sometimes, you understand, to make changes and to play together, since they’re so great,” he said.
“The very first second I played Jadon [Sancho], Marco [Reus], Thorgan [Hazard], you know these men, it just stays direct, and that is how it is with world-class gamers ”
Dortmund have suggested that one key factor supporting Haaland’s choice to combine them rather than Manchester United was a video montage of the passionate supporters.
Having now played in front of the club’s loyal, Haaland confessed that the reception exceeded his wildest expectations.
“When I walked for the first time, on the seat of course, and I heard the Yellow Wall and the entire stadium singing, it was fantastic,” he said.
“It was just like a dream to play in front of 80,000. It was another level…”
