He’s been enchanting the Bundesliga since he’s been playing in Germany. From the coming summer he probably wants to attack in the absolute world class. But does he have what it takes?
Borussia Dortmund was able to fall back on striker Erling Haaland at short notice in the top Bundesliga game last Saturday. The 21-year-old Norwegian has recovered from an ankle injury sustained in Norway’s international match against Armenia just four days earlier. But even the exceptional striker could not prevent the 1: 4 swatter against RB Leipzig. He himself remained goalless.
And while Dortmund is now slowly having to say goodbye to its last championship dreams, speculation about Haaland’s future continues. Again and again he is associated with a change in the summer and various top clubs such as Manchester City. At the same time, he currently has completely different worries. Haaland hasn’t scored in weeks. He scored his last Bundesliga goal in mid-January. Because his body puts a spoke in his wheel again and again.
This begs the question:
Does Haaland even have what it takes to be a world star?
Yes, his injury problems are completely normal
The Pro by Florian Wichert, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Haaland has not scored in the Bundesliga for ten weeks. He was first injured, then had a training deficit. Now he’s having trouble getting started. In the Haaland world, where he is used to scoring every week, you can call that a crisis. And it really comes at the worst possible time. Because it’s about what is perhaps the most important step in his career – the move to an absolute top club.
But if Manchester City, Real Madrid or FC Bayern let themselves be blinded by it, it’s their own fault.
Although Haaland has not been in the squad for 16 games this season, the doubts about his body are completely unfounded. In the early years of his career, Lionel Messi sat in the stands for 29 games, mostly due to injury, and suffered from muscle problems, like Haaland. It was then enough for him for seven Ballon d’Or…
It will be the same with Haaland. Especially since he is physically much more robust than Messi. And he’s more successful at this age anyway. In the Champions League, Haaland’s 27 goals in 26 games are better than Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé and Lewandowski at the same time.
No, there is a big obstacle
The contra of Robert Hiersemann, Head of Football and Sport
Erling Haaland is a very good striker. He finishes well, is ambitious and he benefits from his powerful body. But that’s the same with Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick. The Czech is currently a bit ahead of Haaland: he has four more Bundesliga goals to his credit this season. Both are attackers of international caliber. But what it takes to be a world star? They don’t. Because there is more to it.
Haaland’s biggest obstacle is his injury susceptibility. He is only 21 years old, but has been injured 15 times as a professional. In total, he has already missed 37 games. It will not work like that. That’s too much. For comparison, 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo has only been injured 23 times in his entire career.
At BVB you can always wait until Haaland is fit. Should he switch to a top club in the summer, things will look very different. Those responsible at clubs like Manchester City or Real Madrid don’t have that patience. You can be the best footballer in the world there, but if you can’t play regularly, you’ll quickly get dropped.
What’s more: Haaland will never win a title with the Norwegian national team. This is not an exclusion criterion for becoming a world star. But that certainly doesn’t make it any easier.
Does Haaland even have what it takes to be a world star? Who is right?
In “Duel of the Week”, Florian Wichert (Deputy Editor-in-Chief at t-online) and Robert Hiersemann (Head of Soccer and Sport) comment on current soccer topics on a weekly basis. Watch the format in the video above or from 10.30 p.m. on free TV as part of “Bundesliga Analysis” on Sport 1.