Erling Haaland has been backed to eventually eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo as football’s greatest ever goalscorer, after another prolific start to the season under new Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca.
The Norway striker took his tally to five goals in all competitions this season with a brace against Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday, extending a run of form that has followed him from Maresca’s first months in charge at the Etihad Stadium.
City’s new boss, who succeeded Pep Guardiola in the summer after previously working as one of his assistants, has leaned heavily on his 26-year-old No.9 as the side look to adapt to life after their most successful manager.
‘One of the greatest natural goalscorers we’ve ever seen’
Haaland’s latest performance prompted talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent to suggest the striker has the raw talent to surpass Ronaldo’s remarkable career scoring numbers, even if question marks remain over his ability to sustain the pace over a long career.
Speaking on talkSPORT’s Drive show alongside Andy Goldstein, Bent said: “There’s definitely an argument to say that he could be one of the greatest natural goalscorers we’ve ever seen. His numbers are just crazy.”
The former England striker pointed to Haaland’s single-mindedness in front of goal as a key factor separating him from many of his peers.
“I know a lot of players that get so bogged down by touches, getting involved and needing to feel it. He does not care if he touches the ball in a game 10 times,” Bent explained.
Longevity seen as the only barrier to history
Despite his admiration for Haaland’s ruthless edge, Bent was clear that the biggest obstacle to the City striker rewriting the record books is not talent, but durability.
Ronaldo, now in his forties, built his goal tally over almost two decades at the top level, and Bent believes replicating that longevity is Haaland’s real challenge.
“The only thing that will stop him being the greatest goalscorer of all-time is longevity,” Bent said.
“If he gets injured or something because he has had his injury problems. I’m not quite sure he’s as durable as (Cristiano) Ronaldo. Ronaldo would just go season upon season upon season.”
Haaland has had his own fitness setbacks in England, including muscle and groin issues that have interrupted spells of his City career, but has generally returned firing whenever fit.
Asked how many goals per season the striker would need to eventually catch Ronaldo’s numbers, Bent insisted there was no reason to doubt him.
“There’s no reason why he can’t do that. There’s no reason why he can’t, he’s got everything,” Bent said. “He’s not bothered about touches. All he cares about is that (scoring) and I really respect him.”
Bent went on to praise Haaland’s composure and readiness in the penalty area, an attribute he rates as highly as the goals themselves.
“The biggest compliment I can give him, other than him being fantastic, is that he’s always ready for when that chance comes,” he said.
“The amount of times a striker will miss an opportunity and we go, ‘he wasn’t ready for that’. That never happens to Haaland. Or we go, ‘that’s come too early for him’.
“He almost prides himself on ‘it doesn’t really matter’, minute one or minute 90, whenever it may be, I might not touch the ball for 25 minutes, when that chance comes that’s what I’ve been brought in for. To finish off these chances.”
Bent concluded: “I just think he’s been phenomenal ever since he made his debut.”
