Pep Guardiola (Manchester City coach, after the 4-1 win against Southampton): “If you look at the number of matches Erling Haaland has played in his professional career, and you compare the goals he has scored in the same number of matches, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are tied at the highest level, in terms of goals scored. He scored as much as Cristiano, but I think Messi is a more complete player.
But Erling knows that these two guys dominated for two decades. Not just a year or two. Two decades of world football. They scored goals, won titles and did absolutely everything they could. I think football has improved, mainly thanks to Cristiano and Messi, for what they have done for our sport. Erling is only 22 years old and arrives in the most difficult championship in the world. I can talk because I’ve been to other championships, and doing what he’s done is quite remarkable. »
