Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland is acclaimed as the most prolific number nine in the world, thanks to his remarkable goal-scoring prowess. Already the second highest-paid player in the English Premier League, he is poised to become the first ever to earn £1 billion.
The Norwegian stands out as one of the key players for his club, currently holding the position of the league’s top scorer this season. Recently, he added another accolade to his list by receiving the Golden Man Award, all while his reaction to Simon Hooper’s decision in a recent league match went viral.
Erling Haaland wins Golden Man Award
Erling Haaland is no stranger to breaking records. In his debut season with the Citizens, the striker achieved astonishing stats, becoming the quickest player to reach the 50-goal mark in the Premier League. The 23-year-old also shattered the record for the most goals scored in all competitions by a Premier League player in a single season.
Recently, the forward achieved the milestone of becoming the youngest player to reach a 40-goal tally in the Champions League, surpassing Kylian Mbappe. Despite his phenomenal performance contributing to a historic and highly desired Treble-winning season with Manchester City, it was proven inadequate to win the Ballon d’Or in 2023.
Nevertheless, the Norwegian international was honored with the Golden Man Award for his remarkable Golden Boot-winning season in the previous year.
This prestigious accolade is granted to the best player over 21, as voted by the esteemed panel of former players and icons. Haaland received the plaque in Turin, surpassing even Lionel Messi on this special occasion.
Erling Haaland’s reaction to Simon Hooper became a meme
The English champions Manchester City hosted Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad on Sunday. Pep Guardiola’s side was twice pulled back from a single-goal advantage, as they had to settle for a 3-3 draw. In added time, a controversial call by the match referee, Simon Hooper, sparked a protest from Manchester City players after being denied an advantage play.
Haaland was among the players leading the protest as they approached Hooper. His over-the-top facial expression in response to the decision emerged as one of the notable aspects of the match.
In no time, the forward’s reaction became a viral meme sensation across social media platforms. Netizens showcased their peak creativity on the matter, generating hilarious memes.
Interestingly, the player himself reacted to one of the memes featuring his animated response, saying, ‘Wtf, that made me smile for the first time today.’ Seemingly, he has cooled down on the incident from Sunday.
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