Praised on Par with Messi and Ronaldo, Haaland's Reaction is Surprising

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland once again displayed his humility amidst his outstanding performances this season. The Norwegian forward refused to be compared to two football legends, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his impressive statistics.

Haaland has already scored 26 goals in 16 matches for club and country this season, bringing his career total to 327 professional goals at the age of 25. 

This record has led many to start comparing him to Messi and Ronaldo at the same age.

City manager Pep Guardiola even openly stated that Haaland has an impact as significant as those two global football icons.

“We played well again, Erling was very influential. It's like playing with Messi or Cristiano. His (Haaland's) influence is immense,” said Guardiola after Haaland scored twice in City's win over Bournemouth last weekend.

What was Haaland's response? He rejected his manager's praise.

“No, not (on that level) at all. No one can come close to (the records of) those two,” Haaland told the BBC on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

The comparison is indeed unfair considering what Messi and Ronaldo have achieved. Messi, now captain of Inter Miami, has scored 892 goals throughout his career.

The achievements of Ronaldo, still playing actively at 40, are also brilliant. CR7 is just 48 goals short of breaking the 1,000-goal barrier, a milestone no other player has reached.

For Haaland, records are not the primary goal. He stressed that his main focus is solely on helping the team win, not chasing personal milestones.

“The last thing on my mind is the records I could break. I try to help the team win. That's my main task and focus,” said Haaland.

The Leeds-born player added that he doesn't want to get caught up in the pressure of comparing himself to the two greatest players of all time.

“I know it sounds boring, I know you want me to say the opposite, but that's just not the case. I have to ignore those things,” he emphasized.

With such a mentality, it's no wonder Haaland is considered to have immense potential to become a new legend. 

He knows how to keep his head down amidst praise, and that's the attitude that distinguishes a great player from a truly big player.