Meet Erling Haaland, the teenage striker who idolizes Zlatan

Erling Braut Haaland idolises Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He models his fish-based diet on that of Cristiano Ronaldo w88 line . But by becoming the first teenager since Wayne Rooney in 2004 to score a Champions League hat trick, on his debut in the competition for FC Salzburg in September, 19-year-old Haaland has already done what his two idols failed to achieve. Even Zlatan must have been impressed by this young wannabe who appears to have the talent and hunger to match his obvious self-belief.

"I had a lot of role models and I have seen many good players, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the biggest one for me -- how he became so good, the [path] he took, the way he plays," Haaland said in an interview with redbullsalzburg.at. "Also, he is Scandinavian, so someone has to take over from him." It's big talk, but the 6-foot-3 Haaland has lived up to the hype. The son of Alfie Haaland, the former Manchester City, Leeds United and Norway midfielder, Erling has benefited from his father's knowledge of the game and determination to ensure that his son carefully plots his career path. But Alfie says that Erling's drive to reach the top comes from within rather than any parental interference.



"Erling has always been talented," Alfie told ESPN FC. "You see lots of talented young players, but not all of them have the determination.

"I have always seen hunger in Erling. From a young age, 11 or 12, he would go out on his own to an indoor hall, practice his skills and play against older boys. He always had that inner will to make himself better. Maybe that is what he inherited from me, because I never had his talent," Alfie continued. "I had to be determined to make it in the game. But Erling made all the sacrifices, leaving home at 16 to move to Molde, and he is a lot more professional than I was แทงบอล สูง ต่ํา w88 .

"He was told a story by Patrice Evra about a lunch he had with Ronaldo and Cristiano had fish, nothing else. Erling now tries to do the same things because Ronaldo is 34 and still at the top of the game, so it shows the value of doing the right things."


Haaland's former teammates have spoken in glowing terms about the youngster. JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images
For Haaland, doing the right thing extends to making the right career choices. He left local club Bryne for Molde in 2017 despite interest from European clubs, with Erling and his father putting their faith in then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"Ole had a very big impact on my life," Haaland said. "He taught me a lot. He was a great footballer, he won the Champions League, so he was a big player. He is one of the reasons why I am here today. He is a good person and a good coach."

But Haaland's development, in the space of 18 months, was a surprise to some.

"The first time he turned up at Molde, I didn't think he was all that," Molde captain Ruben Gabrielsen said. "But then he developed in a way I've never seen in my whole life. He is stronger than he looks and quicker than he looks. He is a beast."


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From Molde, Haaland once again rejected interest from bigger clubs to sign for Salzburg, a club accustomed to winning the Austrian championship but also one with a track record for developing young talent, including Liverpool's Sadio Mane and Naby Keita.

"Erling could have left Molde for Juventus," Jan Fjortoft, the former Norway forward and friend of the Haaland family, told ESPN FC. "But he and his father chose Salzburg because it was the right move at this stage of his career w88 .

"I have followed his career closely. He has always been mature, with the perfect attitude. He is a goal-getter, you can see that in his eyes," Fjortoft continued, "but he is also blessed with a terrific physique. He is quick, powerfully quick and he is like a machine once he hits his stride. The important thing about Erling is that, whichever level he moves up to, he succeeds.

"He has now scored a hat trick in the Champions League and, at some stage, he will move to a very big league and succeed there too."

"He's crazy," said Salzburg defender Max Wober. "The day before the game, our captain was walking with his dog and newborn baby and suddenly a car came around with its windows down. Erling was inside, just listening to the Champions League anthem really loud!"

"I've been watching the Champions League all of my life and listening to that damn beautiful song!" said Haaland, when asked about Wober's revelation. "It's a song I have been listening to since I was a little kid, so it is maybe my favourite song.

"I still get goosebumps when I talk about it [Genk hat trick]. I've watched the goals back about 30 times."