“They're going to reign like Messi and Cristiano did” – Former Premier League cult hero backs Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to emulate the two icons

Former Premier League forward Michu has made the bold claim that Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe will take over from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the future. Despite already being in the twilight of their respective careers, the duo continue to be the point of reference for greatness in football.

Erling Haaland took Europe by storm with his incredible goalscoring exploits during his time with Borussia Dortmund.

The Norwegian bagged 86 goals and 23 assists for the Bundesliga giants in all competitions, notably finishing as the Champions League top scorer during the 2020-21 campaign. The striker earned a massive transfer to Manchester City this summer, where he's maintained his impressive form in front of goal.

In an interview with Cadena Ser, Michu revealed that he met with the forward prior to his Premier League switch before tipping Haaland and Mbappe to dominate European football. He said:

"I gave him a Burgos shirt and he gave me a Borussia shirt. I'm glad he's having that impact in England, he's going to be a star at the European level with Mbappé. They're going to reign like Messi and Cristiano did."

It is worth noting that Michu is an idol to Haaland, with the Norwegian even copying the Spaniard's celebration when he scores. The former Swansea forward stated that it is an honor to be an inspiration for a footballer of such quality. Michu said:

"For me, it is an honor that a footballer of this level had me as a reference when I was younger. If he doesn't have any serious injuries, he could be playing 13 or 15 more seasons at the highest level."

Messi and Ronaldo's numbers so far this season

The striker scored a hat-trick against Ronaldo's Manchester United yesterday.

The new campaign continues to be a bright one for Messi. The Argentine scored a free-kick for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) during their Ligue 1 clash with Nice at the weekend. This has taken his overall tally for the season to seven goals and eight assists in 12 games across all competitions.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, has endured a difficult start to the campaign, scoring just once for Manchester United in eight matches across all fronts. The Portuguese was an unused substitute during the Red Devils' clash with Manchester City on Sunday (October 2).