Erling Haaland has secured the prestigious honor of being named the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year for the 2022/23 season. This achievement comes after a highly competitive nomination process that included fellow standout Kevin De Bruyne and legendary player Lionel Messi.
The announcement of this accolade took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, marking a pinnacle moment for Haaland. The recognition comes in the midst of an incredible week for the forward, as he was also granted the title of PFA Players’ Player of the Year earlier.
Haaland’s exceptional performance throughout the 2022/23 season led to his triumphant claim of the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League Treble. His impact was particularly remarkable in the Premier League, where he surpassed the goal record set by Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole by netting an impressive 36 goals.
Across all competitions, Haaland recorded a total of 52 goals, the highest goal tally in all competitions for a player in a Premier League club. His dominance extended to the Champions League as well, where he scored 12 goals, cementing his position as the leading goal scorer in the tournament during the campaign.
Notably, this achievement also marked Haaland as the player with the most goals for an English club in a single Champions League season, a feat shared with former Man Utd striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. Moreover, the 23-year-old secured the distinction of being both the youngest and the fastest player to reach 35 Champions League goals. His remarkable five-goal performance in the Round of 16 against RB Leipzig earned him the exclusive status of being only the third player in history to achieve such a feat in a single Champions League match.
Upon receiving the award, Haaland expressed his gratitude, stating, “I am honored to have been named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year. There are so many top talents across Europe who could have won this award, so I am really grateful to everyone who voted for me.”
Director of Football Txiki Begiristain lauded Haaland’s extraordinary accomplishments, mentioning standout moments like his outstanding goal against Borussia Dortmund and his historic five-goal triumph against RB Leipzig.
Haaland concluded, “Lifting my first Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League was an incredible feeling and it’s a feeling we all want to share again this season.”
Indeed, Haaland’s remarkable achievements in his debut season with Manchester City have solidified his status as a football icon. Congratulations to Erling Haaland on this outstanding achievement!
