O novo contratado do CSKA Moscou, Sekou Koita, falou recentemente sobre suas experiências jogando ao lado de Erling Haaland durante seu tempo juntos no FC Salzburg. Koita, que se juntou ao clube russo neste verão, refletiu com carinho sobre a oportunidade de jogar na mesma escalação que a sensação norueguesa de gols. “Erling e eu tínhamos uma ótima conexão em campo”, lembrou Koita. “Nós realmente complementávamos os estilos de jogo um do outro e acho que é por isso que conseguimos ter tanto sucesso juntos no Salzburg.” Haaland, que desde então se tornou um dos jogadores jovens mais procurados do futebol mundial após sua transferência para o Manchester City, formou uma parceria formidável com Koita durante seu tempo na Áustria.
“Jogar com um talento como Erling foi um verdadeiro privilégio”, continuou o novato do CSKA. “Ele é um jogador incrível, é claro, mas o que mais me impressionou foi sua ética de trabalho e dedicação para melhorar a cada dia. Essa mentalidade realmente contagiou o resto do time.” Agora, Koita espera replicar essa fórmula vencedora em seu novo clube em Moscou, enquanto tenta deixar sua marca na Premier League Russa.
— Back in 2019, you had the chance to play and train alongside Erling Haaland during your time at Salzburg. What was he like as a person and teammate back then, and what do you think has been the key to his incredible success? “Erling was, first and foremost, a really good person – very polite and kind. We used to joke around a lot together, and he’d always sit next to me on the bus. He even tried to help me improve my English, teaching me new words and phrases. As a player, he was the ultimate professional, completely focused and committed to his craft. Erling would give 110% in every training session and match. If he scored one goal, he’d immediately want a second, and then a third – he just never stopped pushing himself.” “I was really impressed by his physical preparation and recovery routines. After training, he’d always make sure to do cold water therapy, taking the time to properly take care of his body. That dedication and attention to detail is clearly a big part of what’s made him so successful.”
— Have you tried to incorporate any of Erling’s habits or methods into your own approach to the game and your own preparation?
“Definitely. The main thing I learned from Erling is that you can never be satisfied, you always have to keep hungry for more. While other players might be more focused on the overall flow of the game, he’s laser-focused on scoring goals – that’s his primary mission every time he steps on the pitch. I’m really hoping that I can develop that same relentless mentality and eye for goal as I continue to grow as a player.”
“But it’s not just about the on-field stuff. Erling’s commitment to his physical conditioning and recovery is something I’ve really tried to emulate as well. I make sure I’m doing all the little things – the stretching, the ice baths, the nutrition – to make sure my body is in the best possible shape. I know that kind of dedication is what separates the good players from the great ones.” — Do you two still keep in touch now that you’ve gone your separate ways?
“Yes, we do stay in touch. I’ll sometimes send him a message to congratulate him on a big goal or performance. But I wouldn’t say we’re super close friends – we’re still a bit different in our approaches. We each took our own paths, but we have that connection from our time together at Salzburg.” “I think that’s the thing with elite-level players like Erling – you can really admire and respect them, but there’s also an element of healthy competition. We’re both hungry to be the best, and I’m sure there’s a part of him that wants to stay ahead of the curve. But that drive is part of what makes him so special, and it’s something I want to emulate in my own career.” “At the end of the day, I’m just grateful I had the chance to learn from him, even if it was just for a short time. Watching how he approached the game, both physically and mentally, was an invaluable experience. I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work for me to reach that level, but I’m determined to get there. And if I can even come close to replicating his success, I’ll be a very happy man.”
