PFDB report: Haaland, the goalscoring machine

Erling Braut Haaland (Leeds, 2000) is a new type of striker, who seems to have been created in a test tube to become the most powerful attacker on planet football. A Marvel fan would say that the Norwegian is Captain America, a being genetically modified to become a display of muscle and ability.

But Haaland is not an herbivore, he's a goal eater. Hungry as a cannibal despite his image as a good farm boy. And with two gifts that define market value: his gift of chance and his efficiency as a sniper. ProFootballDB tells us that this season, in his entrance to the 'hall of fame' without leaving it, he has scored 40 goals, 28 at Salzburg and 12 at Dortmund . In just 2,202 minutes. He has an average of 1.63 goals for every 90 minutes played. And with a 67.67% effectiveness in his shots. In other words, he scores if he plays. And that if he has two shots on goal, two will end in a goal. An animal.

That's why he's pure present and the jewel of the market. But because he is already a reality and internationally known, the future cannot be denied. And because he is looked after inside and out, we are talking about the goal-dominant potential in the coming decade. Yes, he aims to overtake Mbappé on the right in the race to pick up the crown of Messi and Ronaldo.

His astounding averages hardly give you time to realise his qualities in the game, which are not few. To begin with, we're talking about a guy who's 1.94m and yet still manages a huge stride. His galloping around PSG after a corner is the antidote to anyone who might imagine that he is ungainly or clumsy. Power, youth and a desire to eat up the world - that's a hat-trick in the making. It's also evident in the individual battle, outmuscling him is almost impossible.

The paradox is that when Haaland learned to play football at Byrne he was a small size. He was late in his growth spurt, so he had to survive amidst teammates who were outmuscling him. So he learned to be elusive rather than vigorous, and was able to feint and distract centre-halves with ease.

Used to playing only up top so he feels more comfortable, Haaland calculates well the static movements and his height to head towards goal. He also doesn't need to get into the game much, and when he does, he resolves to one or two touches. However, if you see him driving off, close to goal, it will be almost impossible to avoid him ending up with a lethal shot.

He is equally as good with both feet. Because the left leg is his natural leg, but it doesn't purge that wooden right leg that left-handed people usually have. He is not a combative footballer or have any link-up play, but he just needs the ball to come from his team-mates. The goal is on him. He has become a species not in extinction but in creation.