Updated March 23rd, 2020 at 18:00 IST

Erling Haaland called 'cow' by ex-team RB Salzburg for his huge frame

Teenage sensation Erling Haaland, who was snapped by Borussia Dortmund in January was referred to as a 'cow' at RB Salzburg for his huge frame and first touch.

Reported by: Sreehari Menon
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Erling Haaland has had a stellar goal-scoring season so far and the Norweigan striker has quickly established himself as one of the best young strikers in world football. So much so, the Dortmund star is already being termed as the next big thing and fans across the globe believe that he and Kylian Mbappe could be the successors to the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate. Despite being only 19 years old, Erling Haaland has a towering presence and his huge frame once led to an RB Salzburg jokingly referring him as a 'cow'.

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Erling Haaland transfer: Haaland referred to as cow by Salzburg teammate

Erling Haaland made giant strides at Salzburg after his move from Norwegian side Molde. Haaland arrived at the Austrian Bundesliga side aged 18 and was jokingly referred to as a 'cow' by a Salzburg teammate for his huge frame and a less than assured first touch. However, the 6'4" striker proved his doubters wrong and quickly grabbed eyeballs for his pace of 35 km/h. According to The Athletic, Erling Haaland stayed behind after practice sessions to practise shooting with his weaker foot and on the turn and is also known to use blue light filter glasses when using his phone in the evenings. 

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Erling Haaland transfer: Norweigan striker's rise to prominence and Champions League debut

Erling Haaland rose to prominence after a stellar season with RB Salzburg, where the Norweigan forward scored 28 goals in just 22 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga. Haaland replicated his goal-scoring antics in the Champions League as well, scoring eight times in just six games. The former Salzburg striker became the first player to score six goals in his first three Champions League games and joined an elite list of Alessandro Del Piero, Serhiy Rebrov, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski for scoring in five consecutive games. Salzburg were eventually knocked out of the Champions League after finishing third behind Liverpool and Napoli, but Erling Haaland's performances caught the eye of Europe's elite and a January transfer was on the cards. 

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Erling Haaland transfer: Salzburg star snubs Manchester United to sign for Borussia Dortmund

Manchester United and Dortmund were both keen for an Erling Haaland transfer, and despite United being managed former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Haaland chose Bundesliga giants Dortmund. Haaland was snapped up for a reported €20 million fee and the striker hit the ground running scoring a hattrick as a substitute on his debut. He became the second striker after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score a hat-trick on Dortmund debut. Haaland followed it up with a brace against FC Koln in the Bundesliga before scoring another brace against Paris Saint-Germain. In his short Dortmund career so far, Erling Haaland has scored 12 goals in just 11 appearances. 

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Published March 23rd, 2020 at 18:00 IST