BERLIN, Jan. 19 -- Erling Haaland has triggered an uNPRecedented euphoria in German football, scoring three goals in his first game for Borussia Dortmund.
Media and fans praise the 19-year-old's hat trick and his coolness after he joined the side in the winter break for 20 million euros from the Austrian club RB Salzburg. Dortmund won the bidder battle against several prominent clubs from the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga.
ODD FACTS
The Norwegian striker is the Bundesliga's fastest hat trick scorer (23 minutes).
He is only the seventh striker scoring three goals in his first game and the second youngest. In 1965, 18-year-old Walter Bechtold scored three goals when Eintracht Frankfurt crushed Borussia Neunkirchen by 6-2.
Like Haaland, Dortmund strikers like Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Paco Alcacer scored three goals against FC Augsburg.
The Leeds born striker and son of the former Norwegian international and Leeds United midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland chose the same shirt number (17) as Aubameyang. "That is my favorite number," he commented.
Curious habit: The former RB Salzburg striker takes the balls to bed he scored three goals with and is calling them "his girlfriend."
Haaland is only the seventh Bundesliga performer scoring a hat trick in his first game.
MEDIA HEADLINES
A smile that frightens all opponents (Sueddeutsche Zeitung)
A fairy-tale in black and yellow (Focus)
Hammer Haaland - Dortmund in love with a blond Norwegian (Bild)
Heiland Haaland (Saviour Haaland/Bild)
The great show of Erling Haaland (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)
Natural power Haaland revitalizes Dortmund (sports-magazine Kicker)
Haaland Mania in Dortmund (Laola/Austria)
COMMENTS
"To be honest, I only dreamed about two goals in the night before the game." Erling Haaland.
"He is a bright and enlightening character pushing all others standing for positive craziness. We need guys like him showing emotions on the pitch dying for success." Dortmund managing director Michael Zorc.
"The last one doing things like him was Aubameyang. I wouldn't mind being in a news story like that." BVB captain Marco Reus. Aubameyang scored 98 goals in 144 games.
"Erling Haaland came on in the 56th minute for his Black-Yellow debut. They were 3-1 down. 23 minutes later, he scored his 3rd goal, and it's now 5-3. Extraordinary." England legend Garry Lineker.
TITLE CHANCE
Haaland might increase Dortmund's chances to score goals, but does the forward increase the Blacks and Yellows chances to win the 2019/2020 national title?
Justifiable doubts remain as the 2017 German champions revealed their ongoing weakness in defense. "Acting like that you don't meet your goals," Zorc said, referring to the club's aim to this season winning the title.
Dortmund have conceded 27 goals, the highest in the top seven.
"He has enormous potential moving gently between the lines and is increasing our options, but he can't solve all of our tasks on his own," BVB coach Lucien Favre said after Haaland was substituted in after minute 56 with his side behind by 3-1.