Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are undoubtedly the most powerful and prolific strikers in modern football. But which of the Manchester City and Bayern Munich stars is the world's unrivaled "number nine"? Former Premier League star John Arne Riise answered this question in an exclusive interview with GOAL and justified his choice. This is reported by Goal.com .
Harry Kane made his mark at Tottenham, becoming the London club's all-time top scorer (280 goals). He also set a record for the England national team with 78 goals. Since joining Bayern Munich in 2023, he has maintained his high level, scoring 143 goals for the German giants and winning three Golden Boots and a Bundesliga title. Despite turning 33 this summer, Kane shows no signs of slowing down.
While Kane is extending his prime, Erling Haaland is just approaching his. The 25-year-old striker moved to Manchester in 2022 after stellar performances for Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. Haaland's debut season ended with a treble for Manchester City (Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League), during which he managed to score 52 goals.
Haaland, who led the Norway national team to their first World Cup in over two decades, became the fastest player to score 100 Premier League goals. Former Liverpool defender Riise says of his compatriot: "Harry Kane is an incredible player; he participates in build-up play and drops deep to provide passes. But when it comes to a true number nine inside the penalty area, there is no one better than Erling Haaland."
Riise highlighted Haaland's physical strength and speed: "His pace and combativeness are amazing. He looks very strong on the pitch. Remember his duels with Arsenal defender Gabriel. He is very powerful inside the box, and his movements are perfect. For me, he is the best. Just get the ball to him and he scores," the former footballer concluded.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
