'It's impossible' - Erling Haaland can never be considered the greatest footballer of all time ahead
Erling Haaland has been told he will never go down in history as the greatest player of all time as he won't win the World Cup with Norway.
The Manchester City star along with Kylian Mbappe have been touted to be the successors to the GOAT throne when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo eventually retire.
Messi finally won football's Holy Grail on Sunday when Argentina beat France in the final - where he scored twice - to cement his place as the best ever.
The World Cup has eluded Ronaldo during his illustrious career, while Mbappe won the trophy in his first tournament in 2018.
But Haaland knows he has a struggle to even get to the group stages with Norway yet to qualify for the World Cup finals since 1998.
And despite the 22-year-old's devastating goal record and his ability in front of goal, talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino believes club form can only account to so much.
Speaking on the Sports Breakfast, Cascarino said: "Erling Haaland is probably not going to win the World Cup with Norway. He's not.
"Unless he gets 70 goals a season every season, even then I don't know if he'll be classed as the greatest player of all time.
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"I just don't see it without being a world champion.
"Because put it this way, we've had to question Lionel Messi 'is he the greatest ever?'
"And think of what he's done as a club player with Barcelona.
"If he can't be deemed as No1, and some people make the argument 'no he's not, [Diego] Maradona's is in front of him', or 'Pele was in front of him'.
"What has Erling Haaland... he cannot do it just at club level!
"It's impossible for me in my mind, for you to be the GOAT, the best player ever, just on your club form."
After five weeks with no competitive football, Haaland will be chomping at the bit when City face Liverpool in Thursday night's Carabao Cup last-16 tie.
Haaland has already scored 23 goals from just 18 games in all competitions, though he has drawn a blank in both of his meetings against the Reds this term.
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