The 2026 Ballon d'Or should be awarded directly to Erling Haaland

To stop Erling Haaland, aside from banning him from playing, there might be no other option. The Norwegian star is in top form, consistent, and incredibly durable. Compared to many stars right now, Haaland clearly stands out. He’s performing so well that fans suggest giving him the 2026 Ballon d'Or immediately.

Man City has just climbed to second place in the league standings Premier League with 6 points behind Arsenal. It’s a good leap for Man City, but few in England are talking about this achievement by Pep Guardiola’s team. The focus is solely on one figure in Man City’s 3-1 victory over visiting Bournemouth. That is, no surprise, still Erling Haaland. Simply because Haaland is playing exceptionally well and truly outstanding. He is currently the most exciting player to watch in the Premier League, not the so-called "big signings" like Gyokeres, Isak, or Ekitike...

At the Etihad Stadium, the Norwegian striker had a brilliant day on the pitch. He made his mark by scoring twice in Man City’s win. The opening goal came after Haaland sprinted from near the center circle and shot into the near corner, leaving Bournemouth’s goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic helpless as the ball hit the net. After the match, Bournemouth admitted they were "helpless" against Haaland — meaning they couldn’t stop the star. Midfielder Brooks from Bournemouth confessed with frustration that Haaland is tall, fast, strong, and skillful, making him impossible to keep up with.

Erling Haaland’s current form commands respect from everyone. According to statistics, since the start of the 2025/26 season, Pep Guardiola’s favorite has scored a total of 26 goals across all competitions for club and country. In the Premier League alone, Haaland leads with 13 goals. One remarkable detail is that out of those 13 goals, 5 were braces. Another special fact is that none of these 13 goals came from penalty kicks. This means Haaland is very strong in "open play".

Since joining Man City in 2022, Erling Haaland has always been the top scorer at the Etihad. He won the "Golden Boot" twice consecutively before having to watch Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah claim it last season. However, in the 2025/26 season, it’s unlikely any star can challenge Haaland for this award because he currently has twice as many goals as the player in second place.

According to stats up to the match against Bournemouth, Erling Haaland has scored a total of 98 Premier League goals. This means he only needs 2 more goals to reach 100 in England’s top league after 107 appearances. With his outstanding form, it’s possible that in the next few rounds, the Norwegian star will become the fastest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goals.

In a quick interview after the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, Guardiola praised his prized player highly by comparing him to Messi and Ronaldo: "We played well and Haaland decided the match. Like Ronaldo and Messi, he has a huge impact on his team. Just look at the stats Haaland has produced. He clearly reaches the level of Ronaldo and Messi.

The difference is Ronaldo and Messi maintained top form for 15 years. Messi is still shining in MLS, Ronaldo keeps scoring regularly in the Saudi League. Certainly, Man City would struggle without Haaland. The way he finishes shows great determination. I’ve said many times, Haaland is extremely easy to coach, and sometimes I have to be strict with him."

That’s why recently, Guardiola hasn’t allowed his star to play the full 90 minutes. Man City needs Haaland. He’s like the "breath" of the club. Therefore, they must take good care of him. Haaland himself has said he follows the coach’s instructions even though he knows he could score more. He personally understands what he must do to play better, maintain his hunger, scoring ability, and fighting spirit.

If Haaland continues scoring for Man City at this pace, he will likely break many records soon. And if he keeps up this form, the 2026 Ballon d'Or is definitely within reach for the 25-year-old Norwegian striker. Fans even demand the 2026 Ballon d'Or be awarded to Haaland immediately if possible. Of course, that can’t be done recklessly, but clearly, Haaland is on the right track. The remaining question is how far Man City can go in various competitions. That factor often determines who wins the Ballon d'Or.

And here’s a dilemma for Guardiola that everyone knows: the better Erling Haaland plays, the easier it is to predict Man City’s tactics. Pep Guardiola’s squad depends on Haaland so much that the second highest scorer in the Premier League for Man City is Esteve of Burnley (with 2 own goals). The rest—Cherki, Nunes, Foden, Reijnders, and O'Reilly—each have just one goal.

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