On Tuesday night he saw that two of the most important names of world football shared a launch when Erling's Manchester City de Haaland faced Real Madrid by Kylian Mbappe.
Haaland scored two goals, one more than Mbappe, but it was Madrid who came out with a 3-2 victory in a first dramatic section in the playoffs round of the Champions League.
Before the beginning at the Etihad Stadium, Haaland and Mbappe were the focus of attention on the CBS Sports Studio, where France's legend, Thierry Henry, joined the former Liverpool Jamie Carragher captain and former Man City Micah Richards star.
As the only former striker on the panel, Henry was asked which of the two attacker superstars on display that he believed was superior.
He responded decisively, as he detailed why he thought that one was much better than the other.
“Kylian, for me, has more than one pass,” Henry began. 'I will explain. This is a guy who is trying to play about nine for a year and a half. They tried to do it in Paris Saint-Germain And it didn't work too much. Now you are doing it in real MadridThe biggest club in Europe. You have to adapt to that.
Kylian Mbappe (left) and Erling Haaland (right) shared a throw in Manchester on Tuesday night
Both star strikers used NO 9 on the back in Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Manchester City
The icon of France Thierry Henry (in the photo) was asked who preferred outside Mbappe and Haaland
By changing his attention to Haaland, Henry continued: 'This guy has been playing as nine since the beginning of his career.
'We thought they were going to be the two types that were coming after (Lionel) Messi and (Christian) Ronaldo. But now, instead of having a confirmation of what they are, people still question the way they play. But not statistics, because statistics are magnificent in terms of objectives.
Carragher then intervened to ask Henry: “So you don't see them as two of the best players in the world at this time?”
Henry replied: 'They are. Maybe not the two best, but they are the best. People will argue. People will say MBAPPE. Some people will say vinicius. Some people will say Lamine Yamal comes. Whatever. I just say it's not sure. We thought it was going to be something safe.
Asked by Carragher whom I would prefer to have on her team if she were the manager, Henry declared without hesitation: 'Mbappe, all day.
'Because he, or offers, different options. For a coach, you can play right, you can play on the left and you can play in the middle. Can Haland play any position other than nine?
'For example, let me ask you a question … Who would you prefer to mark?'
Former defender Richards was the first to answer that question. “I would prefer Haaland,” he said. Because you always know what you want to run behind. Mbappe can go both ways.
Henry chose Mbappe, who scored for Real Madrid on Tuesday with an unconventional volley
Haaland scored two goals for Manchester City on Tuesday, including one from the penalty spot
Henry joined CBS Sports Studio on Tuesday by presenter Kate Scott (left), former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher (second right) and former city star Micah Richards (right)
Carragher agreed. “I am the same as Big Meeks,” he added. 'But I also want to ask you, if you had to train, and in an ideal world, you want a striker to do everything, but if you are the coach and have Haaland, and he does not do this things, but he is scoring more than 30 goals per season Are you not happy with that? Don't you think: “Well, it's fine, I'm going to get someone else to do these other things, because I can't take that away from my team?”
Henry replied: “The perfectionist side of my brain would be like:” You are scoring goals, you will always do that, but can it be better? Can you be better for the team? Can you do something when the team can't help you? “
I keep repeating that, and I don't care. Marking goals does not mean you play well. That does not mean that he helps his team in the way he should have helped him.
'Sometimes your teammates rescue you, most of the time. Then, I would show you clips to make sure that sometimes it can be better. I think you have to improve a player, not just take what he can bring you.