Since his rise to prominence, defenders around the world have quaked in their boots at the thought of playing Erling Haaland. And soon, their worst nightmares could come to fruition as the Norwegian nightmare has a cousin who’s looking just as ferocious as the man who’s made the premier League his own.
Since his arrival at Manchester City, the 6 ft 5 giant has cemented himself as one of the best players on the planet. With an outrageous IQ and the footballing skills to match, Haaland has utilised his formidable dribbling ability and sensational eye for goal to bag an astounding 20 goals in just 13 games.
At just 22, fans are already questioning just how far the towering midfielder can go. He’s already bagging hattricks with ease, including one against Manchester United and breaking records on a regular basis. On September 5, Haaland solidified his potential after becoming the first player to score 25 goals in their first 20 Champions League games.
In comparison, at this stage, Lionel Messi had only bagged eight, and Cristiano Ronaldo was yet to hit the back of the net. The player’s early success has left City fans excited to see how he’ll perform for the rest of the season. But with his future clearly so bright, the experts have started wondering whether his cousin will have the same impact.
Read: Erling Haaland has no release clause for Madrid, as per Pep Guardiola (sporf.com)
Erling Haaland has a cousin who looks every bit as dangerous as he does
Albert Braut Tjaland looks nothing short of absolutely sensational. After scoring a stunning 69 goals in 48 games for Bryne’s youth side, he caught the attention of Molde, where he’s made a massive impression, scoring on his professional debut.
At 5 ft 10, he doesn’t have the same physical attributes as his cousin. But he makes up for it in other areas. The forward can move remarkably and possesses superb finishing ability. In addition, he carries an incredible amount of power in his right foot, which has often left opposition goalkeepers completely dumbfounded.
In an interview with Eurosport, his manager said : “He has a great future ahead of him if he does the everyday things 100% and correctly. But I think that Erling is still a few steps ahead. He [Tjaaland] is an exciting boy with many good qualities.”
But despite the comparisons to Haaland, the 18-year-old isn’t getting too far ahead of himself.
The prospect told local Norwegian outlet Jaerbladet, via Goal : “It’s cool what he does. But I hear about it often, and it can be nice to let it go from time to time. In the short term, I really want to get into the age-specific national team. In the long run, I hope to be able to make a living from playing football.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty