Former Newcastle United forward Nile Ranger has claimed that he could match Erling Haaland’s level if he could manage his lifestyle and diet better in his early days.
Nile Ranger, the 32-year-old English professional footballer created a sensation among football fans when he joined Newcastle United in 2009 at just 18 years of age. It was the same year, Newcastle was promoted to the Premier League but his career didn’t match the trajectory expected of him. After a below-average performance in Newcastle, Nile was loaned in the Championship with Barnsley (2011) for half a season.
Scoring no goals in five matches, Nile was again loaned at League One side Sheffield Wednesday in 2012. After scoring only two goals in eight matches, he moved to Swindon Town and had a comparatively better season there as he scored 8 goals in 23 appearances. After that Nile played for teams like Blackpool, Southend United, Boreham Wood, and others but he didn’t get any breakout season in his career.
Despite having below-average performances and stats in his career, the 32-year-old English forward still believes that he used to have some qualities similar to Haaland that could make him one of the best footballers. It is worth mentioning that Erling Haaland scored 52 goals in 2022-23, which helped Manchester City win their first Champions League and treble.
Talking about his failure, Nile Ranger admitted that his arrogant behavior and refusal to listen to advice in the early days hindered his growth and he became an unsuccessful player despite having tons of potential.
What Did Nile Ranger Say?
In an interview with The Athletic Nile said, he believes there should be a movie on his life because it is a real one. Every day he feels very frustrated as he understands that he has the potential to achieve a lot and he also has many chances to showcase his potential.
But his reckless attitude and bad habit of not listening to advice cost his career. He still regrets that if he had listened to the advice and added nutrition to his diet, he could be at that level where Erling Haaland belongs.
The English forward is currently without a club and he is eager to find a new club and show what he actually can do. According to Nile, players can play till 38-39 years of age and he still has lots to show as he is still one of the best in his opinion.
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