Many consider Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to be football’s next big superstar rivalry, but the Man City striker has moved to dismiss that notion.
Erling Haaland has stated that he is unconcerned about comparisons to fellow superstar Kylian Mbappe.
With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo nearing the end of their careers, the pair are considered as football’s next great rivalry. For more than a decade, Messi and Ronaldo have competed for the Ballon d’Or prize, which they have dominated.
Haaland and Mbappe appear to be the duo who will dominate football for at least the next ten years. Haaland has swiftly adjusted to life in the Premier League, scoring 18 goals in just 12 appearances.
Mbappe, meanwhile, became only the second man in World Cup history to score a hat-trick on Sunday, though France ultimately lost on penalties to Argentina. However, Haaland has recently stated that, despite the analogies, he is not paying attention to the rivalry.
“It’s difficult to say. I dislike comparing myself to others. When it comes to that, I believe you have to be your own player, so I don’t want to compare or anything,” the Manchester City star told Viaplay.
“I think the media has been doing that with Ronaldo and Messi for the last 10 years and I think they’ve been pushing each other as well. “I believe that was a good thing.” Barcelona and Real Madrid are pitted against one another. It’s been a fantastic rivalry. But, to be honest, I don’t think about it.”
Former World Cup winner Marcel Desailly believes Haaland and Mbappe will establish the sport’s next great rivalry. And the Frenchman believes they will be the generation’s leaders.
“What’s amazing about him is that he’s a different player. He plays in a different way than Ronaldo and Messi, and he belongs to a different generation. When you look at the facts, you can’t compare him to these two wild athletes,” Desailly said.
“The hat-tricks, the numbers at international and club level, it’s just crazy. He is capable of matching it. He has a distinct style. “When you see the speed, the kilometers per hour that he flashes during the matches, it’s just incredible the agility and character that he shows.” “With Haaland, they are undoubtedly the two top players of this new generation. We thought Neymar had some fantastic potential, but unfortunately for him, I believe Mbappe’s time will come.”
After failing to qualify for the World Cup with Norway, Haaland will return to action on Thursday night. The striker is expected to play in City’s Carabao Cup match against Liverpool, however manager Pep Guardiola has expressed reservations over his fitness.
“We’ll see. I believe the guys at the World Cup are in better shape than we were. “They miss a little bit, Sergio [Gomez], Erling [Haaland], Riyad [Mahrez], Cole [Palmer,” he remarked.
“In comparison to Manu [Akanji], Rodri, and Aymeric [Laporte]. While we were on vacation, the players who returned competed and trained every day. That is why tomorrow is significant. To maintain the beat and to teach the rhythm to the players who did not compete in the World Cup.”