– He moves on the edge
OSLO/DUBLIN (VG) Erling Braut Haaland (22) is nowhere near having as good an injury history as two of the world’s best strikers. Explosive Kylian Mbappé (23) is also less vulnerable to injury than the Norwegian.
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Sindre Øgar, VG
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Camilla Vesteng, VG
Well, a professor suggests Erling Braut Haaland does not have, or has had, the same basic physics as e.g Cristiano Ronaldo.
This means that Haaland – despite his enormous physique – moves right on the edge of what the body can tolerate. The break he gets during the World Cup can therefore be football for the Norwegian striker.
Haaland has been struggling with a ligament injury in his left ankle in recent weeks. He therefore reported due to the national matches against Ireland and Finland.
With the help of Transfermarkt and the Norwegian media, VG has mapped Haaland’s injuries ever since the heavy tackle as a Molde player in October 2018.
We have also put the injury frequency of several of the world’s best strikers in the same period.
In Dortmund, he was out for longer periods with muscle injuries in the thigh, hip flexor and groin.
Injuries in large muscle groups may be signs that Haaland’s basic strength has not been good enough, believes Per Hölmich, professor of orthopedic surgery.
– I see a young, absolutely fantastic and talented footballer with a gift of physical characteristics that gives him a lot, but who is perhaps a little behind in his basic training, Hölmich tells VG.
He is head of SORC-C (Sports Orthopedic Research Center-Copenhagen) at Hvidovre Hospital.
– Despite being so strong and fast, he moves on the edge of what his physique can handle. The basic training and basic form probably need to be someone better for him to withstand such explosions.
National team player Ola Sand says that his role on the national team means that he does not want to talk about Haaland’s injury history. Dad and manager Alfie Haaland has also been given the opportunity to give a more detailed picture of his son’s injuries, but has stopped short of asking how many sons played in Dortmund.
Answer: Haaland has played 89 games over two and a half seasons.
National team coach Ståle Solbakken is not worried about Haaland.
– Erling and his team are very good at this. He is a player who has grown and he grew for a long time, so it is possible that he still has a bit to go on. The injury he has suffered has nothing to do with basic physics, says Solbakken to VG.
Well, he is in a tough PL season, lots of games. Small damage has nothing to do with basic physics.
– On a general basis, without me talking about Lewandowski or Ronaldo, explosive types are prone to some injuries that non-explosive players are not. But there is no one I know who spends more time doing the right things than Erling, says Solbakken.
Hölmich points out that he has never met Haaland, but explains whatever is the cause of the type of injuries he has sustained:
It’s about having enough strength all muscles. If individual muscles are not strong enough, others have to work extra hard – and this can cause overload.
– This means that you have to be very specific in your training. You have to train all muscles, and make sure to train them in conjunction, what we call synergies, he explains.
Here’s the injury rate for some of the world’s best strikers since August 2018:
- Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo are improving positively with few and short injury stays. The two have only missed 12 and 13 games respectively.
- At the other end of the scale, we find PSG star Neymar, who has played a total of 83 matches in the same period.
- Haaland is in midfield with players like Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema. The trio have been out for around 40 games each.
- Lightning fast Kylian Mbappé comes off much better than Haaland. He has played over 18 games.
The figures were taken from Transfermarkt before the World Cup and apply to club matches.
– To avoid the type of injuries he gets, he may have to have a better basic strength. I’m thinking of a player who looks a bit like him: Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also a player who is very strong, explosive, jumps and runs lightning fast – just like Haaland, even if Ronaldo is not as big. Ronaldo has not had the same injury history. It may be because he is in better basic shape, Hölmich believes.
Haaland acts roughly like a sprinter on the pitch. The way he uses his muscles makes him a greater risk of injury and many other types of players.
VG wrote at the end of September that Haaland’s game has exploded after the transfer to Manchester City, and Haaland has described the City apparatus – and the special physiotherapist Mario Pafundi – as absolutely fantastic.
When Jærbuen made his injury comeback against Fulham on November 5, he shared an emotional hug with Pafundi.
– I want to play every game. It’s difficult to be on the sidelines), Haaland stated.
But VG’s review shows that Haaland’s injuries tend to come a little later in the harvest. Every single year since 2018, he has had injuries in November or December. He is also suspended in October.
Hölmich thinks this trend is good with the theory that Haaland’s weakest muscles are not working well enough – and that others are being overloaded.
– Is a break during the football World Cup especially favorable for ham?
– There is no doubt that a break, such as a championship where you do not participate, is an insanely important thing. He will be given the opportunity to recover and do specific training, and come back after that.
The same thing happened to Haaland this year, even though it was a smell that is difficult to guard against.
City manager Pep Guardiola believes that things have changed for Haaland.
– Injuries are not a big problem. In Dortmund last year he was injured many, many times. Then it’s a problem. So far it has been good for us. It’s a step back, but he’ll come back, the City manager recently said.