Erling Haaland has snagged the Premier League Golden Boot for the second-straight season since he joined Manchester City.
He broke the Premier League season scoring record in his first season to claim the award, but injuries in his second season prevented him from matching – or even surpassing – that tally.
However, he managed to finish with 27 goals in the 2023/24 season, nine goals off his total from his debut 2022/23 season. Those goals also helped Manchester City to their fourth straight Premier League title, which is an unprecedented achievement in the history of the English football league system.
City are a free-scoring and uber-creative side which also gives Haaland a big boost up front. However, the Norwegian striker, who has played in his home country, Austria and Germany before landing in England, has claimed that both Golden Boots were very difficult to obtain.
“[The Premier League has] been harder than expected,” he said to City’s media team during their celebrations. “Every game, the way every game is not far away from a final. You come away somewhere and even at home you have to be 90 minutes. You can’t relax after 45 minutes.
“Every game is so intense and tough. It’s fantastic, beautiful and I’m enjoying it.”
Haaland failed to score on the last day of the season as they ran out 3 – 1 winners over West Ham United, thanks to a brace from Phil Foden and a strike from Rodri. The former Borussia Dortmund man was then quizzed on his side’s mentality going into the final game of the season.
“I think after we won at Spurs, we kind of knew we were going to do it. We come at home with the pressure and everything, I was confident.,” he said “We had done a little extra [after the Club World Cup] because that’s when it really matters. I’m happy.”
City will now turn their attention to preparing for the FA Cup final next weekend at Wembley against Manchester United.
It is a city rivalry that could go either way and with the Red Devils having failed to qualify for European competition next season, the game could take on more than a rivalry setting.
Guardiola, meanwhile, seems to have made a decision on his future in the dugout of Manchester City.
“The reality is I’m closer to leaving than to staying,” the City manager told Sky Sports. “It’s eight years, will be nine. Right now my feeling is I want to stay next season. We talked with the club, we have time to talk next season because I have to see the players as well, if they follow me, they follow us.
“I want to stay next season. During the season, we will talk. But after eight, nine years…”
Congratulations to Manchester City on winning the 2023/24 Premier League title.
