Before I begin, I'd just like to say that I'm very glad to be back. The resumption of the Bundesliga has meant that I once again have material to write about. I hope you're all fine and safe - this hasn't been easy for anyone, but it'll get better someday.
Now, on to the post itself.
The standout match upon the Bundesliga's resumption this past matchday was the Revierderby. Arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund and Schalke faced off in front of an eerily empty Signal Iduna Park. In the end, it wasn't even close - Dortmund were completely dominant as they swept Schalke aside in a 4-0 victory.
The first goal of the match was scored by Dortmund's budding superstar Erling Håland. It was his 10th league goal in just nine games for the Rhine club. Alongside the likes of Thorgan Hazard, Julian Brandt, and Raphaël Guerreiro, the Norwegian torched the Schalke defense and continued the run of form which has deservedly seen him become one of the most hyped youngsters in world football.
Some might say that it's in his blood. Håland's father Alf-Inge did have a 14-year career as a professional footballer. Håland senior spent nine seasons in the Premier League and finished third twice; once with Nottingham Forest in 1995 and once with Leeds United in 2000. He also earned 34 caps for Norway. However, he was never even close to the level at which his son is already playing.
Erling Håland possesses a rare blend of athleticism and skill which has enabled him to dominate opposing defenses. He will often use his remarkable speed and strength to blow by opposing defenders with ease to set up goalscoring opportunities. He has also shown an ability to read defenses like a seasoned veteran. His positional awareness and skill at drawing defenders out of position opens up the rest of the field for himself and his teammates.
Even at this early stage of his career, there are already signs that Håland is well on his way to becoming an all-time great. Håland is already one of just five players to have scored in five consecutive Champions League matches. This puts him in elite company; the only other players to have ever done so are Alessandro del Piero, Serhiy Rebrov, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Robert Lewandowski. What makes this even more impressive is that he did this at the age of 19 while playing for the unfancied Red Bull Salzburg. As if that weren't enough, some of these matches were against Liverpool and Napoli. Before the Champions League went on hiatus, he had already scored 10 goals this season. Bear in mind that the Champions League's round of 16 has not even been concluded. That puts into perspective just how great Håland has been thus far this season.
The signing of Håland from Salzburg for just €20 million has proven to be an absolute masterstroke on the part of Dortmund's front office. If he were to be transferred again today, he would easily fetch a value of at least €75 million and might even perhaps break the €100 million barrier. Håland made an immediate impact upon his arrival by scoring a hattrick in his first game for Dortmund; he has only continued to go from strength to strength since. If Die Schwarzgelbe go on to win the Bundesliga title this season, it will undoubtedly be largely thanks to their acquisition of their phenom in the #17 jersey.
While Håland's exploits at club level are already notable, it is at international level where he could truly burnish his credentials. The history of Norway's national team is a rather barren one. The Løvene have only been to three World Cups in their history and have not done so since 1998. While Norway will almost certainly not win the World Cup during Håland's career, Håland can cement himself as the greatest player to ever come out of Norway by leading them to several deep World Cup runs over the course of what should be a long and illustrious career.
Ever since the departure of Robert Lewandowski to rivals Bayern Munich in 2013, Dortmund fans have been longing for a player of such calibre to don the yellow and black. While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did come close during his stint in northwestern Germany, he never quite reached that same level. However, it seems as though the wait will soon be over - the potential of Erling Håland is through the roof. While it's much too early to say that he is already a legend in the making, early returns are promising.
No comments:
Post a Comment