“I fell asleep and woke up to see him score two goals” – Tottenham

“I fell asleep and woke up to see him score two goals” – Tottenham's

According to

Sports.

Background

Erling Haaland has recently performed brilliantly for Norway in the Mundial 2026, scoring seven goals. Rafael van der Vaart's comments make it clear that Haaland's style of play and his mental strength set him apart from other strikers. His career is proof that he can deliver unique performances even while challenging the traditional logic of football.

Why it matters

Erling Haaland's unique playing style and his amazing performances have given rise to a new debate in the football world. Comments from former players such as Rafael van der Vaart show that Haaland's game challenges traditional norms, making him even more important at Mundial 2026. His performances have not only benefited the Norway team, but also shows that he is one of the best strikers globally.

Key Points

• “I fell asleep and woke up to see him score two goals” – Tottenham.
• Rafael van der Vaart expressed his confusion over Erling Haaland's style of play, while acknowledging him as one of the best strikers, especially after Haaland's impressive World Cup performances.
• “I went to sleep and woke up seeing he scored two goals” – Tottenham legend left baffled by Man City's Erling Haaland - .

Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has expressed his surprise about Manchester City's Erling Haaland, considering him one of the best strikers. Van der Vaart said that Haaland's style of play is sometimes incomprehensible, while his statistics are amazing.

Van der Vaart explained that he has played with the best players in the world and is able to reflect on them. According to him, Haaland's career reflects a player who defies the logic of conventional football and yet produces performances that are difficult to explain.

Haaland has performed brilliantly for Norway at the World Cup, scoring seven goals so far, two of which came against Brazil in the round of 16. Van der Vaart said, "When I was watching the game in the first half, he didn't touch the ball even once. I fell asleep and woke up to see he had scored two goals."

Van der Vaart also said that it is difficult for Haaland to be considered one of the best strikers, as he makes it feel like he is not playing football 8 out of 10 times. He said, "But suddenly, 'boom, boom, boom', he's there. It's a great quality to him. It's amazing mental strength."

Van der Vaart also mentioned that he personally does not consider Haaland to be the best striker in the world, as he prefers strikers who can do multiple things with the ball. Nevertheless, he said that Haaland's statistics, mental strength and power make him one of the best.

Van der Vaart shared a personal experience that when he is watching a game with his wife, he would often say, 'Look, he lost the ball again,' but his wife would say he had scored two goals. “I don’t know what to say,” he says.

He compared Haaland to Roy Makai, who also never contributed in the game but was still an amazing finisher. Van der Vaart says that Haaland has a similar characteristic, in which he is present at the right time in decisive moments.

For Manchester City and coach Enzo Maresca, Haaland's unrivaled goalscoring record highlights the contribution he makes in any given match. It will be interesting to see whether Haaland silences his critics with a winners' medal in North America at the World Cup.

What will happen next

Haaland's next aim is to lead Norway to success at the Mundial 2026, where his form and goalscoring ability will be crucial. Following Rafael van der Vaart's comments, it will be interesting to see what changes Haaland brings to his style of play and whether he will be able to further impress his critics. His role at Manchester City will also be important, especially when playing against other top clubs such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Raphael van der Vaart say about Erling Haaland?

Van der Vaart considered Haaland to be one of the best strikers of all time and described his style of play as beyond comprehension.

How many goals has Erling Haaland scored in the World Cup?

Haaland has scored seven goals so far for Norway in the World Cup, two of which he scored against Brazil.

What did Van der Vaart say about Haaland's mental strength?

Van der Vaart said that Haaland's mental strength is amazing, because during the game he makes it feel like he is not playing football, but suddenly scores a goal.

Why did Van der Vaart say it is difficult to consider Haaland one of the best strikers?

He said that

And 8 out of 10 times he looks like he is not playing football, which makes it difficult to consider him one of the best strikers.

Why did Van der Vaart not consider Haaland the best striker in the world?

He personally did not consider Haaland to be the best striker, as he prefers strikers who can do multiple things with the ball.

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