Erling Haaland’s audacious backheel volley in the Champions League has reignited the debate over the potential Ballon d’Or winner. The Norwegian striker’s acrobatic effort in Manchester City’s 5-0 victory against Sparta Prague has served as a timely reminder of his exceptional scoring prowess.
Haaland’s goal, which came in the 58th minute at the Etihad Stadium, was a moment of pure brilliance. With his back to goal and from a distance of six meters, he leaped into the air and flicked the back of his foot to meet Savinho’s cross from the right. The ball shot down into the turf and bounced high into the top corner, leaving Prague goalkeeper Peter Vindahl helpless.
Haaland’s City teammate Phil Foden was left in awe of the goal, saying, “If I tried to do that I’d pull my groin. I don’t know how he did it, I just think it’s just his long legs. He’s a freak isn’t he?”
City manager Pep Guardiola echoed Foden’s sentiments, describing the goal as “not normal for a human” and comparing Haaland to Swedish great Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “It’s unbelievable this talent that this guy has,” he said.
Haaland’s second goal in the 68th minute took his season’s tally to 13 goals in 12 games in all competitions. His record in the Champions League now stands at 44 goals in 42 games, putting him 17th on the all-time scoring list.
While Vinicius Junior is currently the favorite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, Haaland’s continued goal-scoring exploits are likely to make him a contender for years to come. The Norwegian striker is part of a new generation of players, along with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, who are poised to dominate the award after the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
