Haaland 'not on the same level as Ronaldo Nazario'

Troy Deeney believes that although Erling Haaland scores goals at an unprecedented rate in modern football, the Norwegian striker cannot yet be compared to the legendary Ronaldo Nazario.

Haaland has 19 goals in 15 games this season and has scored 333 goals in just 375 games in his career.

Haaland has 19 goals in 15 games this season and has scored 333 goals in just 375 games in his career. Those numbers far exceed the achievements of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age. However, according to Deeney, comparing Haaland to "The Alien" is too lame.

Speaking on talkSPORT , the former Watford striker stressed that Haaland is a fearsome goalscorer, but his style of play is still limited. “Haaland scores goals, that’s what you always get. But in games where the opposition sit deep like Arsenal, he hasn’t found a way to unlock the game himself,” Deeney said.

Current form suggests Haaland could end the Premier League season with close to 50 goals if he plays the full season. He has already scored 99 goals in 108 games in England's top flight and could easily surpass Alan Shearer's record of 260 goals if he sticks around long term.

But when asked if Haaland is equal to Ronaldo Nazario, Deeney replied firmly: “No. The number of goals does not say it all. Anyone who has played football understands that.”

Deeney insists R9 is the most complete striker. “Ronaldo can do everything. He gets the ball in midfield, beats defenders in an era when people can play with ease. He still goes through it all. He had two knee operations and still went to Old Trafford to score a hat-trick and get a standing ovation from the Man United fans,” he stressed.

According to Deeney, Haaland belongs to the group of excellent “penalty box killers”, like Michael Owen or Andy Cole. But to reach the level of Ronaldo Nazario - who many legends call the most complete striker in history - Haaland still has a long way to go.

Deeney himself insisted his comments were not meant to be a put-down. “Haaland is fantastic. But R9 is a different story. It is a standard that very few people in history have been able to reach,” he said.

Source: https://znews.vn/haaland-khong-cung-dang-cap-voi-ronaldo-nazario-post1604526.html