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– What strikes me is that he finds it so easy to score goals. It has something to do with how quickly you perceive situations and the timing of your runs, says Arsène. Wenger in an exclusive interview with NRK.
In Wednesday’s Champions League game against Club Brugge, the 20-year-old scored two new goals. With that, it became historic. Now he is the player who has reached 15 goals in fewer Champions League games. In total, he has 16 goals in twelve games.
It came just days after he received the award for “golden boy of the year” in Europe and scored four goals in Saturday’s league game against Hertha Berlin.
And even though Haaland is barely 20, he’s already considered one of the best forwards in the world.
– Brain game can improve
Wenger is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time, and has coached and met some of the best forwards in the world for the past 30 years.
LARGE SHAPE: Erling Braut Haaland scores in order by day.
Photo: Leon Kuegeler / AFP
He says Haaland reminds him of many of the other great scorers he has seen.
– It is very direct and efficient. In addition, he has a quality that characterizes good scorers. It is that he rarely misses goals and that he is extremely determined.
But even though Wenger believes Haaland is already performing at a very high level, he sees obvious things that he can improve.
– You can be even more agile and your mental game can be better. Right now, he doesn’t score many goals with his head, and for a tall player like Haaland, there should be room for improvement there, Wenger says.
HENRY: Arsène Wenger has coached some of the best forwards in the world over the last 30 years. Here represented by perhaps the best of all, Thierry Henry.
Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS / Afp
Advises Haaland to stay
After receiving the award as “golden boy of the year”, it has become natural to compare Haaland with other great players who have received the same award in recent years.
One of them is Kylian Mbappé, who received the award in 2017.
– They are different types of players, but what they have in common is the rapid understanding of the game. Mbappé has a small advantage because he is already a world champion, and has won several titles in France. That said, it’s easier to become world champion with France than with Norway, Wenger says and laughs lightly.
The legend of the French coach was known for turning young players into big stars. Wenger believes that Haaland is smart to continue developing in Germany in the future.
– At the stage of your career where you are now, it is important to go step by step. Personally, I would give him two more years in Dortmund. He has a good coach and he plays for a good team now and he doesn’t have to stress over anything, Wenger says.
