Words cannot properly convey the current state of Erling Haaland. If you look at the numbers behind his goal scoring, you can clearly see his talent. Haaland has scored in 10 consecutive games for club and country since the World Cup qualifier against Israel, taking his total to 21 this season.
A truly phenomenal start to the season, pushing Norway to the brink of World Cup qualification. Haaland wasn’t born yet the last time a Scandinavian team qualified for a major tournament, but barring disaster in the final two qualifying games, Norway will head to North America next summer.
Even if qualification is not automatically guaranteed, Norway still has a strong chance of making it through the play-offs, but this will ultimately create a whole new set of problems for both Haaland and his club Manchester City. With most Premier League and Champions League players competing in international tournaments, Haaland is often given the luxury of being out of action during the summer, so it’s no wonder Haaland tends to start seasons with a bang.
This means Haaland will always be part of City’s pre-season program in the summer after international competitions and will also be available for the opening game of the season. Generally, players who advance to the knockout stages of international tournaments are given a rest period until the preseason, and their return to competition is often delayed.
Haaland and City have never had to deal with such a situation, considering it was 25 years ago that Norway last played in a major tournament. Things are likely to change for next season, as Norway are almost certain to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998. Haaland’s injury record is not the best and could be a concern as both club and country have taken steps to limit his playing time as much as possible.
It remains to be seen how much of an impact this will have on Haaland, but it certainly changes the dynamics from what he is used to. At the very least, the impact of summer tournaments will likely mean less time off between the end of this season and the start of next.
He shouldn’t have to worry about that at all, considering the formidable striker is currently in the thick of it. Haaland and City will be hoping this continues after the international break, when Everton visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. After that, games against Villarreal and Aston Villa will follow.
