Erling Haaland’s meteoric rise to stardom has drawn comparisons to footballing legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Norwegian striker has matched Ronaldo’s record of scoring 100 goals for a European club in just 105 matches, a feat that took Ronaldo the same number of games during his time at Real Madrid.
However, former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes that Ronaldo would outscore Haaland if he were playing for the current Manchester City side. Speaking at the Oslo Business Forum, Solskjaer, who was Ronaldo’s teammate at United, said, “He’d probably score more than Erling Haaland is doing at the moment [for Manchester City].”
Solskjaer’s comments stem from his belief that Ronaldo’s presence in the dressing room can have a negative impact on team dynamics. He explained that Ronaldo’s status as a global superstar can make other players feel less important, which can disrupt the team’s chemistry.
Ronaldo’s second stint at United was marked by controversy and ultimately ended with his departure from the club. Solskjaer was sacked as manager just 10 weeks after Ronaldo’s arrival, and he believes that the Portuguese forward’s presence may have contributed to his dismissal.
In 2022, Ronaldo admitted that he was close to joining Manchester City before ultimately deciding to return to United. He revealed that City had made a strong push to sign him, but his heart and history with United ultimately swayed his decision.
Despite the comparisons to Ronaldo and Messi, Haaland has carved out his own unique path in football. His exceptional goalscoring ability, combined with his physical prowess and tactical intelligence, has made him one of the most sought-after players in the world.
