Colin Hendry on How to Defend Erling Haaland: 'F*ck Knows!'

Former Manchester City defender Colin Hendry has shared his thoughts on how to handle the extraordinary threat posed by Erling Haaland. In an exclusive chat with GOAL, Hendry admitted the task feels nearly impossible. The Norwegian striker is among the elite worldwide, with very few defenders able to contain his power and scoring ability.

Haaland's Goal-Scoring Record for Manchester City

• English top-flight goals: 112
• Total goals for City: 162 in 198 appearances
• Golden Boots won: 3
• Part of: Historic Treble-winning team in 2022-23

Even Arsenal's centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, who has faced Haaland multiple times in the Premier League, admits he has sometimes been humbled by the striker’s brilliance.

Haaland's Long-Term Commitment to Manchester City

Manchester City have secured their No. 9 on an impressive 10-year contract that runs until 2034. This means Haaland will likely keep challenging Premier League defences for years. Despite interest from clubs like Real Madrid, he remains focused on adding more trophies at the Etihad Stadium and pushing for Ballon d’Or honours.

Is There a Way to Stop Haaland?

With no sign of slowing down after representing Norway at the World Cup, the question is how to contain Haaland. Does he have any weaknesses? Hendry’s reply was candid: "F*ck knows!"

He explained, "You see how Arsenal’s Gabriel handles him — he’s a class act. If it were me, I’d try to wind him up a bit. I’ve talked before about facing Ronaldo back in 1998. I didn’t really try to rile him but wanted to test myself, and it wouldn’t be different against someone like Haaland.

I’m not saying Haaland is a modern-day Ronaldo (R9), but defenders must think similarly when marking these players. Imagine Haaland charging at you full speed — like a juggernaut. It reminded me of playing against Ronaldo in ‘98. Haaland stands alone right now; he’s truly unique.

There have been great strikers like Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero, and Romario over the years, but no one quite like Haaland to strike fear into defenders as he does.

My approach would be to try and get under his skin, though that might be old-fashioned. I’m not sure if current players are as physically fit or aggressive. Ideally, defenders would meet him head-on, matching his strength, then maybe attempt to provoke a reaction.

Looking Ahead to the 2026-27 Season

Haaland has returned to training with Manchester City ahead of the new campaign. With Enzo Maresca now managing the team following Pep Guardiola’s departure, Haaland aims to kick off a fresh chapter in style.

He could feature in the Community Shield clash against Arsenal in Cardiff on August 16, before City begin their Premier League title defence against Bournemouth at home on August 23.

• Community Shield fixture: Arsenal vs Manchester City
• Date: August 16, 2026
• Kick-off time: 16:00
• Premier League opener: Manchester City vs Bournemouth
• Date: August 23, 2026