Erling Haaland gives an insight into life under Josep Guardiola and how he tried to hide his disappointment when the Manchester City manager gave him a break
Until it actually happens, it’s difficult to know exactly how the Premier League phenomenon will react. It was unclear whether Erling Haaland would throw the toy out of the pram until the moment he was told that Erling Haaland was out of the first-choice squad due to his health condition.
In an interview with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer on the Rest Is Football podcast, he insisted he would not. And Haaland has also spoken passionately about trying not to react negatively when he is replaced by Guardiola.
The chat with Lineker and Shearer is fascinating, if not overly revealing. And what it highlights is that Haaland may have superstar looks, he may have superstar numbers, he may have superstar earning power, but he’s a humble guy and seems like a down-to-earth character.
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His comments about being captivated by Pep as a team player are particularly interesting. Occasionally Haaland, who takes a break after scoring a goal, seems a little dissatisfied.
But that’s a view he wants to avoid. He explained: “To be honest, when I scored five goals against Leipzig (in 2023), of course I wanted to score six!
“But for a player who came in for me, I think it would be really disrespectful if I came out and let him down that he got a chance to come in and play. So I think that’s the last thing I would do… I think the last thing that I would do is let anyone know that I’m disappointed that they came in as a substitute.”
And Haaland also insists he does not take his position for granted, despite breaking numerous records and having a contract with Manchester City until 2034.
“Because if I’m not achieving my goals or what they need, they have to replace me. So there’s a lot of pressure on me to achieve that and do the work.
“Pressure is one thing, but the chance to score 100 goals as quickly as I have, for example, is actually much more…well, it’s not pressure. Being able to do these things is more like motivation and I’m very grateful to be able to do it and I’m living the dream that many young people do, to play football for City in the Premier League as well.”
Haaland said he joined City because Pep said the only thing he had to offer was “great football”. And in his three-and-a-half seasons at the Etihad, Haaland has impressed with his dedication to Guardiola’s cause.
“He works harder than anyone. He works the hardest at the club. He’s the first player to come and the last to leave. That’s the dedication, that’s the motivation. It’s an intense way of looking at football and working with football.”
Haaland now has his own YouTube channel and clearly enjoys giving people an insight into his daily life. He said: “I remember always paying attention to things and following these people (professional football players) and watching what they were doing and all that kind of stuff in different situations.
“And I thought, when it’s like a day in the life of a football player, it would be great to see how they live and what they do. And I thought… how many people are watching what I do, my life? Imagine you want to know what it’s like. So I thought, why not? Let’s do it and see how it goes.”
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