Statistics, profile, career… Is Erling Haaland better than Kylian Mbappé?
Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are the two most decisive players in the world today. Panoramic
With his quintuplet against Leipzig (7-0), Haaland made an impression. A performance that revives the debate between Kylian Mbappé and the Norwegian.
They are the two biggest phenomena in the world of football. Author of a quintuplet this Tuesday against RB Leipzig in the Champions League (7-0), Erling Haaland has already made history. On the other side, despite his 7 goals in the current edition, Kylian Mbappé is already eliminated from the competition, without being decisive against Bayern Munich.
A contrast that makes you wonder which of these two monsters is the best today. Between a disconcerting precocity, frightening statistics, already striking moments and ever crazier records to go for, the two attackers are on track to write history. And why not take over from the myths that are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In the comparisons between the Norwegian and the French permanently, opinions are not unanimous between two very different players. State of affairs.
A serial scorer, without being more decisive
To decide between the two, the comparison of their statistics is inevitable. With his five new goals scored on Tuesday, Haaland already has 33 goals in C1 in … 25 games. He has a ratio of one goal every 56 minutes (119 minutes for Mbappé). Simply mind-blowing. By adding his stats in clubs and in the national team, he reached a crazy figure of 195 goals in 242 games.
SEE ALSO – Kylian Mbappé’s top 5 goals at PSG
If the number of achievements of the Parisian player is also quite crazy (270 in 380 games), he stands out in terms of assists. By his profile, the Frenchman plays more for others than his competitor and has to date 137 offerings for these teammates (44 for Haaland). Finally, taking into account the decisive passes, the two players are also often decisive one than the other (a decisive action every 69 minutes). Mbappé remains more complete and altruistic.
Mbappé blaster, Haaland killer
While the Norwegian is a pure number nine, the Frenchman has a completely different role. If both are very fast (speed peaks over 36km / h), Kylian Mbappé is very often led to evolve on one side of the attack. He takes advantage of the freedom and spaces offered by moving on one side to let his speed speak and create danger. Starting on the right at AS Monaco, he gradually slipped to the other side. On the left, he has the possibility of getting into a striking position on his right foot by returning to the axis.
Precisely, the axis of the attack is the kingdom of Manchester City cyborg. He only knows the position of number 9. Logical given his physique (1.95m, 88 kg), which also allows him to weigh on the opposing defenses with his back to goal game. An asset that the PSG player does not have, preferring to bet on his speed and his dribbling. If his technical quality is sometimes lacking in the Norwegian, he symbolizes an alliance of speed and power which terrifies all defenses as soon as he approaches the opposing goals. Like his goals against Leipzigthe soul of the surface fox is in him.
The surface for one, the ground for the other
The influence in the game. It is surely in this area that the gap is the greatest and that the qualities and faults of each make the most difference. Ultra-decisive in the surface, it is much more discreet as soon as it moves away from it. As a number 9, Haaland hardly participates in his team’s game. This is what his trainer blames him for. Pep Guardiola : “When we are away from the opponent’s box, he cannot score goals. We need him to be involved in the game, to participate. We have to look for him and he has to be concerned with what we do. He has improved a bit, but on this he can do even better“.
Conversely, Kylian Mbappé is pushing more and more to take the game on his own. Often tempted to go back down the field to touch more balls, he appreciates being at the creation of the game, as evidenced by his many assists. Unlike the Norwegian who depends more on the collective, he is capable of changing the course of a match on his own, as he proved in World Cup final against Argentina (3-4). He represents danger everywhere on the field.
Goals for Haaland, History for Mbappé
With these two phenomena, we are certainly dealing with two of the most precocious players that football has known. For example, after having played 25 games, which is as many as Haaland in C1, Messi had only 12 goals while Cristiano Ronaldo had still not opened his counter. That is to say. Kylian Mbappé was already decisive in the World Cup final at only 18 years old, No need to say more. What Haaland cannot boast of, who will suffer all his career, in spite of himself, to defend the colors of Norway, a second-class nation on the world stage.
If the Norwegian’s record can be a criticism (only a German cup), it is the difference in possibilities offered by the two players that makes the difference. In short, if Haaland will certainly continue to score, his profile will dictate his limits. As Thierry Henry summed it up perfectly for CBS Sport : “ Kylian Mbappé can create and finish. Erling Haaland does not create. He finishes.” Helped by a good collective around him, Erling Haaland could well break all records in terms of goals. But Kylian Mbappé is different, like no other today. The kind of player capable, on his own, of tipping a match into another dimension and becoming a legend.
