Kiwior on striker: “Facing him is like rugby, he's so strong” | OneFootball

Jakub Kiwior, a defender, highlighted Erling Haaland’s physical presence and quality in an interview with the Polish channel Sportowy, after FC Porto faced Manchester City on matchday one of the Champions League league phase. The Norway international scored both goals in the English side’s 2-0 win, in a performance the Pole also saw as a learning opportunity, and he insisted: “He is a world-class striker.”

Looking back on this season’s FC Porto-Manchester City match, Jakub Kiwior painted the picture of a powerful forward, dominant in the air and especially difficult to contain inside the box. More than the two goals, it was the combination of strength, movement and ability to appear near the ball that shaped his analysis.

In describing his duel with Haaland, Kiwior used a vivid image to convey the physical demands of facing the striker. The praise then extended to the way the Norwegian occupies space and imposes himself in the penalty area.

“Facing Haaland feels like being in a rugby match. He is extremely strong physically, very strong in the air, and moves very well in the box. The ball always seems to find him in the area,” he said. “He is a world-class striker and, although he scored two goals, facing players of this level is a great learning opportunity.”

The portrait makes the difficulty of the challenge clear, but it does not stop at acknowledging his physical superiority. Kiwior turned the experience into a learning point against a player he placed among the world elite.

Asked to compare Haaland with Mbappé, the defender refused to reduce two benchmark footballers to the same scale. For Kiwior, their quality brings them close, but their styles make any direct comparison far from straightforward.

“Mbappé and Haaland? They are two footballers with completely different styles and great quality, so it is difficult to compare them directly,” said Jakub Kiwior.

The answer avoided choosing one name and focused on the difference between their profiles. Kiwior acknowledged the great quality of both, while preserving what sets them apart on the pitch.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.