When Manchester City faced Everton on Saturday, the contest appeared all but settled after two quickfire goals from Erling Haaland in the second half. But as the game edged into stoppage time, a new battle emerged — not between teams, but between Haaland and the match ball.
In that closing spell, the Norwegian striker seemed possessed by a single obsession: scoring a third goal.
Three separate times in just a few minutes, he sprinted past the Everton defence in pursuit of his 12th Manchester City hat-trick. Jordan Pickford, however, refused to be beaten again.
Twice, the England goalkeeper denied him, and on another occasion, he forced Haaland wide, making a shot impossible. When the final whistle blew, City’s number nine had delivered a match-winning brace, bringing his season total to 23 goals in 13 games.
Yet Haaland walked off the pitch visibly frustrated — not with his performance, but with the one goal that eluded him. For most players, scoring twice in a Premier League match would be more than enough reason to celebrate. For Haaland, it wasn’t.
His expression told a different story — one of pure determination and hunger. Despite his extraordinary scoring form, the 25-year-old has now gone nearly 14 months without netting a hat-trick for City. On 10 separate occasions, he has scored twice in a match, but that elusive third goal continues to evade him.
This relentless desire to score is part of what defines him. Even in moments of dominance, the striker is rarely satisfied. As a result of this, Manchester City teammate Ruben Dias compared Erling Haaland to Cristiano Ronaldo.
He sees a familiar fire in his approach — one that evokes memories of the multiple Ballon d’Or winner’s insatiable quest for goals.
Dias Compared Erling Haaland to Cristiano Ronaldo
After the final whistle, Dias spoke about Haaland’s mindset, drawing parallels with one of football’s most prolific scorers.
“That’s a good reflection of his state of mind,” said Dias when asked if Haaland’s desire reminded him of Ronaldo. “Yeah, very similar. At the end of the day, everyone wants to score — but both of them have this ability to just keep on scoring.”
Ronaldo, who notched his 949th career goal on Saturday night, has built an entire legacy around his unrelenting drive to find the net.
Haaland, meanwhile, already sits at 344 career goals and looks poised to rewrite football’s record books at his current pace. The comparison, then, is not just flattering — it feels increasingly accurate.
“It’s like someone makes a very good pass,” Dias continued. “Everyone has their own special ability — and they score goals. We’re just happy that Erling is in this moment and we want him to continue. We want to keep pushing him because we want him to break records that have not been beaten before.”
That statement shows that Haaland’s teammates know that they are witnessing something rare, and they are eager to help him chase greatness.
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Ronaldo, by comparison, had scored fewer than 200 goals by the time he reached Haaland’s age. The Norwegian, however, is sprinting ahead of schedule.
Even Pep Guardiola, known for his tactical precision and emotional restraint, often remarks on Haaland’s mentality — a combination of confidence and obsession that keeps him motivated match after match.
Dias compared Erling Haaland to Cristiano Ronaldo not merely because their scoring abilities; it’s about proving to themselves that they can always do more.
Haaland’s numbers are staggering, even by Premier League standards. He has scored all of Manchester City’s last seven goals and, at his current rate, could surpass 50 league goals this season — a tally no player has ever reached in England’s top flight.
His consistency, athleticism, and eye for goal make him one of the most dangerous forwards the modern game has ever seen.
For Manchester City fans, the prospect of Haaland channeling that Ronaldo-like mentality is thrilling.
For defenders across Europe, it’s terrifying. Because if there’s one certainty about Erling Haaland, it’s that he won’t stop until he finds that next goal — and then the next one after that.
