Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca says Erling Haaland has become a more mature and complete person since becoming a father.
The Norway international has started the season strongly, scoring three goals in his opening three Premier League appearances.
Maresca was speaking before Manchester City’s Champions League opener against FC Porto on Tuesday, when he discussed the impact of Haaland’s first child on the striker’s life away from football.
According to Maresca, fatherhood has changed Haaland’s priorities and helped him develop beyond his performances on the pitch. The Manchester City manager said Haaland had already been an outstanding player and person, but believed the forward had reached another stage in his life.
“He’s a man now, he’s a dad,” he said.
“When he arrived here, he was not a dad.
“Now life has changed, the priority has completely changed because he is a dad.
“I am happy for him- he was already top as a player and top as a boy.
“But now you can see that he is complete.
“A family man and still scoring goals. I am very happy for him.”
Haaland’s three goals in his first three Premier League appearances have provided an early indication that his performances remain unaffected by the changes in his personal life.
Maresca’s comments focused on the balance between Haaland’s family responsibilities and his continued effectiveness as a striker. He described the 24-year-old as someone who was already highly regarded before the birth of his child, while suggesting that becoming a father had added a further dimension to his character.
The Manchester City boss also emphasised that Haaland’s development should not be judged only through his goals. In Maresca’s view, the striker’s progress as a person is equally significant, with fatherhood having brought a change in priorities and a greater sense of completeness.
That personal development comes as Haaland prepares for another important fixture at the start of the campaign. Manchester City’s Champions League campaign begins against FC Porto on Tuesday, with Haaland arriving at the match after scoring in the opening phase of the Premier League season.
For Maresca, the forward’s ability to combine family life with his scoring form is evidence of the change he has undergone. The manager said he was pleased for Haaland, who he believes was already “top” both as a footballer and as a boy before becoming a father.
Haaland will therefore begin the Champions League opener with his manager’s public backing, both for his football and for the person he has become away from the game.