Pep Guardiola Backs Erling Haaland as Future Manchester City Captain After 5 Goals in Four Games
Erling Haaland’s explosive start to the season has impressed Pep Guardiola, who believes the striker’s growing influence in the dressing room makes him a natural candidate for the Manchester City captaincy.
Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland has all the qualities to become a future Manchester City captain, praising the striker’s growing leadership both on and off the pitch.
Haaland has started the new campaign in red-hot form, scoring five goals in his first four Premier League matches, once again proving why he is regarded as one of the most dangerous forwards in world football. But while his goals have already put City in a strong position, Guardiola has been equally impressed by the 24-year-old’s influence inside the dressing room.
The Norwegian striker has now been named as one of City’s co-captains, a sign of how quickly he has earned the respect of his teammates since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. Speaking ahead of City’s Champions League clash with Napoli, Guardiola admitted it was only a matter of time before Haaland grew into a leadership role.
“It is a question of time as normal,” Guardiola said, as quoted by Manchester Evening.
“In the first season he came into a team that was winning a lot – except in the Champions League – and he helped to bring that incredible trophy for us.
Last season we finished the last 15 to 20 games as the best team in the Premier League and were able to qualify, but as always it is tough. Of course it is a question of maturity over time, he is a little bit older even though he is still young.
He signed a contract for many years to be here and he is a figure in the locker room so it happened in the natural way.”
Haaland’s rapid rise at City
Since his arrival, Haaland has become a central figure in Guardiola’s side, breaking records in his debut season with a stunning 52 goals across all competitions. His goals helped City lift the Champions League for the first time in their history, completing a remarkable Treble alongside the Premier League and FA Cup.
Now in his third season at the Etihad, Haaland continues to show why he is not just a world-class striker but also a player capable of inspiring those around him. His inclusion in the leadership group alongside the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, and Ruben Dias reflects his growing importance beyond just scoring goals.
Future captain material?
At just 24, Haaland still has years of development ahead of him, but Guardiola’s comments suggest that a full-time captaincy role could be in his future. The forward signed a long-term deal when he joined City, and his combination of world-class talent, work ethic, and presence in the dressing room makes him a natural candidate to lead the team in the coming years.
With City already chasing more silverware this season, Haaland’s goals and leadership could once again be the difference in the Premier League and Europe. If he continues on his current path, it seems only a matter of time before the Norwegian star swaps his ruthless finishing for the captain’s armband.
