<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/erling-haaland/">Erling Haaland</a>‘s goal-scoring prowess, which was so impressive last season, has diminished this year, opening him up to sharp criticism from pundits. Following a relatively subdued performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/manchester-city/">Manchester City</a> striker has again faced heavy criticism for his performance. 



The criticism highlights the high expectations placed on the player, and also the pressure that comes with playing at the highest level in one of the world’s top clubs.



Last week, former Manchester United star and current Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane launched a scathing critique of Haaland: “He’s almost like a League One player. He’s a brilliant striker, but he’s got to improve his all-round game.” Keane’s comments are particularly noteworthy because he is a well-known and respected pundit and former player, and his comments will be seen as significant by many fans and commentators.



Haaland responded to Keane’s criticism with a goal in Manchester City’s 4-2 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League. However, his performance in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid was significantly less impressive, resulting in further criticism. The player has shown his ability to respond to criticism through his goal-scoring performances. However, he will need to continue to improve his overall game if he wants to continue his success. The high expectations associated with his transfer fee and his reputation will place considerable pressure on the player.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241230_WST_546345_Van-der-Vaart-1-1200x675_b4626be6.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-546348" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-740x416.jpg 740w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-490x275.jpg 490w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1-250x140.jpg 250w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/30105614/Van-der-Vaart-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>Rafael van der Vaart adds to the criticism</h2>



Former Ajax, Real Madrid, and Tottenham Hotspur player Rafael van der Vaart joined the chorus of critics. Van der Vaart stated: “Erling Haaland was very bad. If he doesn’t score, he’s quite useless. I find him a very average player with the ball…” The Dutch player was particularly critical of Haaland’s performance in the match and suggested that his overall contribution to the team was significantly underwhelming.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="WST#/news/its-not-haaland-or-cristiano-ronaldo-surprising-top-scorer-in-2024/"></div>


Van der Vaart went on to say: “Surely we can expect at least a little bit more than what we saw tonight. His teammates even skipped him. He was the worst player on the pitch.” These comments highlight not only the player’s own performance but also the impact that this had on the team as a whole. The high expectations placed on the player suggest that there is considerable pressure to perform.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="WST#/news/the-star-players-pep-guardiola-aims-to-sign-to-resolve-manchester-citys-crisis/"></div>


The Champions League quarter-final first leg ended in a 2-2 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. The return leg in England will be crucial in determining which team will progress to the next stage of the competition. The result leaves the tie open, and the second leg will likely be a very closely fought game. The performance of Haaland in the second leg will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the match.

Another ex-soccer player goes after Erling Haaland's skillset: 'He lacks technique'

Erling Haaland faces brutal criticism from ex-soccer player for lacking technique - World Soccer Talk

Haaland under fire: Harsh critique from former player over alleged technical shortcomings

Erling Haaland faces brutal criticism from ex-soccer player for lacking technique

destacadas

Cristiano Ronaldo has issued a terse response to former <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/real-madrid">Real Madrid</a> teammate Rafael van der Vaart’s recent comments about his dedication to fitness and training. Van der Vaart, in a talkSPORT interview, had jokingly claimed he never saw Ronaldo undressed, highlighting his intense training regime. Ronaldo’s response was succinct, and dismissive.



Van der Vaart’s comments painted a picture of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo">Ronaldo</a>‘s unwavering commitment to his physical conditioning: “He never left his house! I always say as a joke—Ronaldo is the only player that I never saw his penis. He was the first one on the training pitch and the last one who went. First of all, his body, wow! A machine. He was a little bit ahead of his time.” 



Van der Vaart also noted Ronaldo’s intense focus on scoring: “Ronaldo was unbelievably selfish; if we won 6-0 and he didn’t score, he wasn’t happy. When we lost but he scored twice, it’d be alright.”



A Portuguese Instagram account shared Van der Vaart’s quotes, prompting a direct response from Ronaldo: “Who is this guy?” The curt reply underscores Ronaldo’s dismissiveness towards Van der Vaart’s comments.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="WST#/news/lionel-messi-and-inter-miami-draw-accessible-group-in-fifa-club-world-cup-while-seattle-sounders-land-in-the-group-of-death/"></div>


<h2>Ronaldo’s Real Madrid legacy and potential retirement</h2>



Despite Van der Vaart’s criticism, Ronaldo’s dedication undoubtedly contributed significantly to Real Madrid’s success. He remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer (450 goals), winning two La Liga titles and four Champions League titles. He left Real Madrid in 2018, joining Juventus before returning to Manchester United and ultimately moving to Al Nassr.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="WST#/news/la-liga-president-accuses-vinicius-of-illegal-acts-and-the-real-madrid-player-demands-a-retract/"></div>


Recently, Ronaldo hinted at a potential retirement in the next one to two years, stating: “I just want to enjoy. Plan for retirement… if it has to happen, in one or two years… I don’t know. I’m turning 40 soon… I really want to enjoy, as long as I feel motivated I keep going. The day I don’t feel motivated, I will retire.”

Cristiano Ronaldo hits back at former Real Madrid star: 'Who is this guy?'

Cristiano Ronaldo hits back at former Real Madrid star: 'Who is this guy?' - World Soccer Talk

Former <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/real-madrid">Real Madrid</a> midfielder Rafael van der Vaart recently shared humorous and insightful anecdotes about his former teammate, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>, during an interview with talkSPORT. The Dutchman’s recollections highlight Ronaldo’s exceptional dedication and single-minded focus on scoring.



Van der Vaart praised Ronaldo’s remarkable discipline, describing him as a “machine” ahead of his time: “First of all, his body — wow! A machine. He was a little bit ahead of his time. Players now are the same. But his training in the gym, food, sleep… for him, that was more important than training extra hard.” 



He further joked about Ronaldo’s dedication: “He never left his house! I always say as a joke, Ronaldo is the only player I never saw his willy! He was the first on the training pitch and the last to leave.”



However, Van der Vaart also revealed a more unexpected side to Ronaldo’s personality, highlighting his intense focus on scoring goals: “Ronaldo was so unbelievably selfish. If we won 6-0 and he didn’t score, he wasn’t happy. When we lost but he scored twice, it was alright!” Van der Vaart emphasized that this self-obsession was a key driver of Ronaldo’s success.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241204_WST_542542_Van-der-Vaart-1200x675_8649892c.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-542552" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-740x416.jpg 740w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-490x275.jpg 490w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart-250x140.jpg 250w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/12/Van-der-Vaart.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



<h2>The “I need my goals” mentality</h2>



Van der Vaart recounted numerous conversations with Ronaldo: “I had so many chats with him, and it was so interesting because he was always like, ‘I need my goals! I need my goals!‘” This unwavering determination, while potentially perceived as selfish, undoubtedly propelled Ronaldo to achieve incredible goal-scoring feats.



At 39 years old, Ronaldo continues to demonstrate his prolific goal-scoring ability with Al Nassr, proving his enduring status as a soccer machine.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" id="WST#/news/erik-ten-hag-could-join-jurgen-klopp-in-leipzig-what-needs-to-happen-for-the-former-manchester-united-manager/"></div>


Van der Vaart’s anecdotes provide a unique and multifaceted perspective on Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at Real Madrid. His exceptional dedication, bordering on obsession, is viewed as a key ingredient in his remarkable career, even if this approach sometimes overshadowed other team aspects. His continued success highlights the effectiveness of his single-minded focus.

Former Real Madrid star destroys Cristiano Ronaldo: 'He was unbelievably selfish'

Former Real Madrid star destroys Cristiano Ronaldo: 'He was unbelievably selfish' - World Soccer Talk

Louis van Gaal presents an interesting choice to take over the calamitous situation at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/ajax-tv-schedule/">Ajax</a>. The club’s head coach, Maurice Steijn, is under serious pressure after Ajax suffered an embarrassing moment both on and off the pitch. Eredivisie officials abandoned Ajax’s game against Feyenoord after 56 minutes. Home Ajax supporters launched flares onto the pitch when the team was trailing 3-0. The drubbing at the hands of the club’s biggest rival sent fans over the edge as the Dutch giants sit 14th in the 18-team table.



Former Ajax midfielder Rafael van der Vaart called on Louis van Gaal to return to Ajax as manager. The Dutch boss was the manager when Ajax had its most recent European successes. Ajax won the 1994/95 UEFA Champions League with van Gaal at the helm. Now, van der Vaart said van Gaal can at least provide some advice to turn this dismal Ajax side around.



“In my opinion, he is the ideal man at the moment to help save Ajax,” van der Vaart told Dutch outlet <a href="https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/sport/voetbal/artikel/5409495/van-der-vaart-van-gaal-ideale-man-om-ajax-te-redden" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RTL Nieuws</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">AJAX VS FEYENOORD GAME ABANDONED 🇳🇱 Ajax, losing 0-3 to Feyenoord, sees their game abandoned after ultras throw fireworks on the pitch. Outside the stadium, riot police charge at fans. <a href="https://t.co/vBlN3xrPES">pic.twitter.com/vBlN3xrPES</a>— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1705973679329292737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



However, van der Vaart conceded that van Gaal’s current health does not allow him to take a full-time job. At the age of 72, van Gaal has been fighting prostate cancer. The iconic Dutch manager picked up that diagnosis in 2022. It forced the manager to step away from the Dutch squad <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/dutch-captain-van-dijk-defends-messi-after-van-gaal-controversy-20230906-WST-454446.html">following the 2022 World Cup</a>. Fortunately, van Gaal said his treatment to fight prostate cancer was successful. However, he is yet to return to management.



<h2>Louis van Gaal has history of success with Ajax</h2>



Therefore, if van Gaal is unable to serve as a full-time manager, van der Vaart at least hopes the boss can work in a technical role. 



His heart is crying, as he said this afternoon,” Van der Vaart said. “But his health does not allow him to have a full-time job. So, in principle, that is a no. But he can certainly give advice. He understands football.”



Ajax <a href="https://twitter.com/AFCAjax/status/1706039795565162642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sacked Sven Mislintat</a>, the director of football at the club, following the suspension of the Feyenoord contest. That leaves an opening for van Gaal.



Louis van Gaal has more experience than almost any manager in the modern game. With Ajax, he not only won the Champions League Final in 1995. He won the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/eredivisie-tv-schedule/">Eredivisie</a> three times. Moreover, he reached the Champions League Final in 1996, only losing to Borussia Dortmund. He helped the Netherlands to a third-place finish at the 2014 World Cup, and he also picked up trophies with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/barcelona-tv-schedule/">Barcelona</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/bayern-munich-tv-schedule/">Bayern Munich</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a> as a manager. 



Ajax is a mess, and it looks likely to miss out on the Champions League for the second season in a row given its current form. 



PHOTO: IMAGO / ANP

Louis van Gaal would be ideal man to coach Ajax: Van der Vaart

Louis van Gaal presents an interesting choice to take over the calamitous situation at Ajax having already spent time with the club.

Latest news from Rafael Van Der Vaart. Find out about all the news related to Rafael Van Der Vaart on worldsoccertalk.com

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Rafael Van Der Vaart"

News

Haaland under fire: Harsh critique from former player over alleged technical shortcomings

News

Cristiano Ronaldo hits back at former Real Madrid star: 'Who is this guy?'

News

Former Real Madrid star destroys Cristiano Ronaldo: 'He was unbelievably selfish'

Ajax

Louis van Gaal would be ideal man to coach Ajax: Van der Vaart