To overthrow Lionel Messi in the Golden Ball race, Erling Haaland needs championships with Man City, including the FA Cup title on June 3.

Goal identifies Messi and Haaland as two competitors for the 2023 Golden Ball title. Despite the unsuccessful season at PSG, the biggest advantage in the hands of M10 is the 2022 World Cup championship.

Along with winning the title Awarded the Best Player award in Qatar, the former Barcelona star is leading this year’s Golden Ball race.

Meanwhile, Haaland impressed when crowned in the Premier League and conquered a series of scoring records. However, the treble with Man City is an important factor for the Norwegian star to compete for the Golden Ball with Messi.

Winning the FA Cup final on the night of June 3 will be a stepping stone in Haaland’s historic journey.

Right in the first year of playing in the Premier League, Haaland turned defenders here into small when constantly smashing scoring records.

In all competitions, the Norwegian striker reached the milestone of 52 goals, an achievement unmatched in the top 5 European leagues.

In the context of Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema or Robert Lewandowski all falling, Haaland took advantage of the opportunity to reach out.

In a season where Man City’s squad was run almost perfectly, Haaland was the beneficiary. After Man City’s 3-1 victory over Leicester on April 15, Goal said that the only person who could stop Haaland from scoring was Pep Guardiola, because the Spanish teacher often let his students leave early.

Marca commented that “Haaland’s chance to win the first Ballon d’Or in his career will depend on the performance of Man City”. The treble is the destination of the Etihad Stadium team this season.

If you want to win Messi in the Golden Ball race, Haaland must leave a clear influence. He did this in the Premier League (36 goals). With 2 finals remaining within 8 days (FA Cup and Champions League), the Norwegian striker also had to make an explosive performance.

Five years after Salzburg’s first club title, Haaland stands before a historic season that will change its place in the world. Success came too quickly for the Norwegian striker. In just a year, Haaland went from a young striker at Dortmund to a world-class striker at Man City.

Pep Guardiola’s teachings and playing with top-class teammates were important factors in Haaland’s promotion.

More frightening, Haaland is convinced that he can still improve in every aspect, from finishing with his left foot to perfecting his ability to create. That is also Pep’s desire in his efforts to turn Haaland into a full-fledged striker.