FWA Footballer of the Year 2022/23 award won by Haaland

Erling Haaland has received the FWA Footballer of the Year 2022/23 award. He received that award a few weeks ago, but now it has actually been awarded to him. In an accompanying interview, the Norwegian discusses his own achievements, Manchester City’s supremacy and ‘the best manager in the world’.

Haaland receives FWA award: “Didn’t expect me to be so good”

The FWA award is a prize awarded by an association of more than seven hundred journalists. “This is obviously a special moment,” says Haaland. “I didn’t expect to be this good either. AndI joined a team that scored so many times and had become champions many times. I expected to do good things, but not this. It’s been a fantastic season so far so I’m happy.’

Haaland grabbed the league title with Manchester City two weeks ago, but still has a chance of winning the treble. City will play both the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Internazionale in the coming weeks. That would be a big dream. I will do everything I can to make that possible. We still have two finals to go, so we’ll see.”

City reached the Champions League final by thrashing Real Madrid 4-1 in the return of the semi-final. According to Haaland, that first half was close to perfection. He said, “It’s one of the few games I’ve watched. I think this is the best first half I’ve ever seen in my life from a football team. Sometimes when things don’t work out for a while, I look around and see all those good players. Then you immediately regain confidence.”

The Norwegian striker, like the whole of Manchester City, is hard to stop this season. According to Haaland, this has largely to do with trainer Pep Guardiola. “He is definitely the best coach in the world. Five Premier League titles in six years is unbelievable. He makes everything look so easy. It’s bizarre what he makes us do. It’s an honor to work with him,” he concluded.

FWA Footballer of the Year winners