Haaland Finds a Home at City, Leads Without the Badge
28 December 2025
Haaland Finds a Home at City, Leading Without the Armband
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has said he loves living in England and feels like a captain for Manchester City even without wearing the armband.
He currently leads the Premier League with 19 goals this season, and City sit second in the table, two points behind Arsenal.
In statements relayed by City’s official site, Haaland said, “When I joined Manchester City, I felt like I was at home; I feel at home in the United Kingdom now.”
He added that it was natural to return here because his family has had wonderful times in England, and his mother loves England’s traditions. His parents enjoyed their time here before he was born, and he himself is enjoying his time now.
He noted he had visited Manchester twice before joining City and always loved England, partly because he sees similarities between Norwegians and the English, which eased his affinity for the country.
Haaland said he feels great comfort in England and described the reasons as hard to articulate, adding that the situation resembles what he knows in Norway.
He also spoke about the pressure that comes with a long-term stay at City, saying he embraces it. “When people expect a lot from you, that is their right, and when you expect a lot from others, it is mutual,” he explained, underscoring his duty to help restore the club to its natural place.
Whether as captain, vice-captain, fourth, or fifth in line, he insists his leadership is his own and that he aims to lead the club to develop, not just as a team but as a club itself.
PUNCHLINES: If leadership wore a badge, Haaland would have misplaced it somewhere between a goal and a coffee break. And if the armband ever returns, it might need a map—because Haaland leads where the compass points, not where a sleeve passes by.
