Mark Hughes: ‘Haaland is the type of player you’ve never seen before’

According to former Man Utd striker Mark Hughes, talent and personality will help Erling Haaland rise to unprecedented heights.

“I have never seen a player like Haaland,” Mark Hughes – who played more than 600 games for Man Utd, Barca, Bayern and Chelsea, told the Sun on May 31. “Usually big strikers still have weaknesses. But look at Haaland. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

Hughes appreciates Haaland for his strength, speed, intelligence and ability to adapt to the style of coach Pep Guardiola. Besides, he thinks that the Norwegian striker’s greatest strength is being able to quickly find a way to hurt the opponent’s defense.

“Haaland is a combination of physicality, speed and intelligence,” Hughes added. “That makes it really difficult to play against him. You don’t often see 1.89-meter-tall strikers who panic defenders with speed.”

Hughes also believes that joining Man City also helps Haaland. Here, with passers like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish or Bernardo Silva, Haaland can learn and exercise the intelligence that has developed while playing for Dortmund.

According to Hughes, the influence of coach Pep Guardiola is also very important. The former coach of Barca and Bayern not only helps Haaland play more effectively, but also gives a clear direction. Thanks to that, instead of money and other factors, Haaland only cares about football.

“He will continue to raise himself to new heights,” Hughes predicted. “He’s a player we haven’t seen in this era, or maybe forever.”

Season 2022-2023 – the first season playing in England, Haaland scored 52 goals in 51 matches. He also has the opportunity to improve his achievements in the FA Cup final against Man Utd on June 3 and the Champions League final against Inter on June 10. Before that, Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund, 29 goals in 27 games for Salzburg and 21 goals in 23 games for Norway.

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SportsFootballEngland Premier LeagueThursday, June 1, 2023, 18:46 (GMT+7)
Mark Hughes: ‘Haaland is the type of player you’ve never seen before’
According to former Man Utd striker Mark Hughes, talent and personality will help Erling Haaland rise to unprecedented heights.

“I have never seen a player like Haaland,” Mark Hughes – who played more than 600 games for Man Utd, Barca, Bayern and Chelsea, told the Sun on May 31. “Usually big strikers still have weaknesses. But look at Haaland. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

Hughes appreciates Haaland for his strength, speed, intelligence and ability to adapt to the style of coach Pep Guardiola. Besides, he thinks that the Norwegian striker’s greatest strength is being able to quickly find a way to hurt the opponent’s defense.

“Haaland is a combination of physicality, speed and intelligence,” Hughes added. “That makes it really difficult to play against him. You don’t often see 1.89-meter-tall strikers who panic defenders with speed.”

Haaland (blue shirt) celebrates scoring against Bayern in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on April 11. Photo: Reuters

Haaland (blue shirt) celebrates scoring against Bayern in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on April 11. Photo: Reuters

Hughes also believes that joining Man City also helps Haaland. Here, with passers like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish or Bernardo Silva, Haaland can learn and exercise the intelligence that has developed while playing for Dortmund.

According to Hughes, the influence of coach Pep Guardiola is also very important. The former coach of Barca and Bayern not only helps Haaland play more effectively, but also gives a clear direction. Thanks to that, instead of money and other factors, Haaland only cares about football.

“He will continue to raise himself to new heights,” Hughes predicted. “He’s a player we haven’t seen in this era, or maybe forever.”

Season 2022-2023 – the first season playing in England, Haaland scored 52 goals in 51 matches. He also has the opportunity to improve his achievements in the FA Cup final against Man Utd on June 3 and the Champions League final against Inter on June 10. Before that, Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 games for Dortmund, 29 goals in 27 games for Salzburg and 21 goals in 23 games for Norway.

Haaland scored twice in the opening match of the Premier League against West Ham 2-0. Photo: Reuters
Haaland scored twice in the opening match of the Premier League against West Ham 2-0. Photo: Reuters

Man City won the Premier League 2022-2023. Haaland and his teammates lead the tournament with 89 points after 38 rounds, five points ahead of second-placed Arsenal. If they win the FA Cup final and the Champions League final, they will win the treble.

Haaland won the Premier League top scorer title from 2022 to 2023, with 36 goals. The 22-year-old striker won two more titles of Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season. He is also almost certain to win the European Golden Shoe, the title given to the player with the most goals at national championships.

With 12 goals, Haaland also holds the top scorer of the Champions League 2022-2023. Players still have the opportunity to compete, Inter’s Edin Dzeko has only four goals.

Hughes has scored 224 club goals, including 116 for Man Utd. Here, he has two Premier Leagues, three FA Cups, one League Cup, three English Super Cups, one C2 Cup and one European Super Cup. With Chelsea, he won another FA Cup, a League Cup and a European Super Cup. At his peak, Hughes played alongside Gary Lineker, Eric Cantona, Andy Cole, Lothar Matthaus, Gianfranco Zola and Gianluca Vialli.