Pep Guardiola Compares Haaland to Messi, Ronaldo After 91 Goal Heroics

• Pep Guardiola reckons that Erling Haaland's goal-scoring heroics put him on the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
• The Norwegian hitman reached a landmark feat in only his first game of the 2024/25 Premier League season
• The 24-year-old is deemed as one of the heir-apparent to the Messi-Ronaldo GOAT throne alongside Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

Pep Guardiola has elevated Erling Haaland to the same echelon as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi following the Norwegian striker's stellar start to the 2024/25 Premier League season.

Haaland's 18th-minute goal set the stage for Manchester City's 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, marking yet another milestone in his already remarkable career.

The 24-year-old's goal not only spurred City to a 10th straight win over the Blues but also brought his tally to an astonishing 91 goals in just 100 appearances for the reigning Premier League champions, per the BBC.

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His clinical finishing and remarkable consistency in front of goal have drawn comparisons to the legendary exploits of Messi and Ronaldo, two players who have dominated football for the past 15 years.

Haaland likened to Messi and Ronaldo

Guardiola, speaking to the media, acknowledged Haaland's extraordinary achievements, saying, as quoted by Goal,

"He has the numbers that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had, who controlled the last decade, 15 years, absolutely everything.

"In terms of numbers, he is at that level. Scoring 91 goals in 100 Premier League games is unbelievable in this country."

The City manager also noted that Haaland seems to be in even better form this season than in the previous campaign.

"I get the sense that he's feeling better than he did at this stage last season," Guardiola remarked.

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"After travelling last season, he felt a bit off or tired. This time, with Norway not qualifying for the Euros, he had more rest, and it shows—he feels good."

Guardiola further praised Haaland's overall contribution to the team, beyond just his goal-scoring prowess.

"The goal was magnificent, but his impact goes beyond that. He had two or three other chances, and I always believe there is room for him to grow as a footballer."

Why Guardiola turned down the chance to sign Ronaldo

In a related report, Briefly News revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly offered himself to Manchester City before moving to the Middle East, but Pep Guardiola opted not to sign him.

An excerpt from a new book on Guardiola’s Manchester City era shows that while Pep acknowledged Ronaldo's talent and physical prowess, he declined the offer, feeling that the superstar wouldn’t fit into the carefully designed system he had built at the club.

Source: YEN.com.gh