Pep Guardiola Says Erling Haaland’s Impact Reaches the Level of Messi and Ronaldo
The manager of Manchester City praises the Norwegian striker's incredible impact and likens his goal-scoring prowess to that of the game's greatest legends.
Guardiola’s comments underline Haaland’s meteoric rise to football superstardom — and place him firmly in the conversation with the game’s greatest names, Messi and Ronaldo.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has, once again, heaped praise on his star striker Erling Haaland, claiming the Norwegian’s influence on the pitch is now comparable to two of the greatest footballers of all time: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking after Haaland’s brace in City’s 3–1 win over Bournemouth, Guardiola said, “It’s a little like when you play with Messi or Cristiano, you know? The influence is so big. You see the numbers of that guy — of course he’s at their level.”
The City manager emphasized that Haaland’s goal-scoring record and the impact he makes on his team are similar to what Messi and Ronaldo did during the prime years of their careers. However, Guardiola admitted that the two legends managed to extend their dominance to more than 15 years, consistency yet to be achieved by Haaland.
“The difference is that Messi and Ronaldo have done it for 15 years,” explained Guardiola. “But Haaland is at that level in terms of influence and numbers. He’s a machine — he lives to score goals.”
Guardiola, who had famously coached Messi during his tenure in Barcelona, underlined that Haaland’s style more resembles Cristiano Ronaldo’s, with both being relentless finishers and physical powerhouses, while Messi remains “the more complete player” with creativity across the field.
The City boss further praised Haaland’s professionalism and hunger to improve, noting that his mentality sets him apart from others. “He has that hunger every time he shoots – he believes he’s going to score. That’s something special,” said Guardiola.
Ever since he joined Manchester City, Haaland has broken records, none more so than the single-season Premier League goal record in his first season in England. His combination of power, precision, and poise in front of goal have made him one of the most feared forwards in world football.
Guardiola finished off by adding that as much as comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo might be flattering, Haaland’s story is yet to be written. “He’s young, he’s learning, and if he keeps this mentality, he can achieve something very, very special,” he added.
