Erling Haaland reveals admiration for ‘phenomenal’ Kylian Mbappe & declares: ‘I would like him to play for Norway!’

Erling Haaland has revealed his admiration for Kylian Mbappe, declaring that he wishes the Paris Saint-Germain star was Norwegian.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Manchester City striker was full of praise for Mbappe before his latest outing in the Champions League against RB Leipzig with Pep Guardiola’s side. The two forwards have been tipped to dominate European football for the coming decade, competing for Ballon d’Or awards and other major individual and team gongs, but Haaland has no issue with talking up the qualities of his club rival.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to French TV channel Canal Plus, the Norwegian frontman said: “There are so many good players and Kylian is one of them. He is so strong. The French are so lucky that he plays for France. I would like him to play for Norway obviously, but it’s not the case. But yes, he’s an incredible player.

“He’s so fast, so strong and he’s been doing it for so many years. What is he? Two years older than me? It’s crazy. Sometimes you have to tell yourself that he still has ten years of playing at the top level. He is phenomenal.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mbappe has inspired France to two World Cup finals, winning the trophy with his country in 2018 and finishing as a runner-up in 2022, and looks destined to win the Ballon d’Or sooner rather than later. And while Haaland hasn’t quite hit the same heights, especially at international level, the City frontman is plundering goals at an astonishing rate. Many believe Mbappe and Haaland are the natural heirs to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Getty

Getty Images

WHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND AND MBAPPE? Mbappe’s PSG face a tough Ligue 1 clash away at Marseille this weekend, while Haaland must inspire City back to winning ways at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.

source: goal.com