Rio Ferdinand picks Real Madrid star over Man City’s Erling Haaland in ultimate forward debate

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has shared his thoughts on the ongoing debate over who is the better forward: Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, Soccernet.football reports.

As the football world transitions from the dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the next generation of stars has emerged, with Mbappe and Haaland leading the charge.

Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles during his illustrious career at Manchester United, used his experience as both a player and a pundit to weigh in on this debate.

While acknowledging that both players are exceptional talents, Ferdinand ultimately sided with Mbappe for his ability to not only score but also create opportunities out of nothing.

Speaking on TNT Sports as per DailyMail, Ferdinand said: “They’re two obviously great players. But Haaland needs a team to create his goals. Mbappe does as well, but he can also go and create goals on his own and take the game by the scruff of the neck. I’m taking Mbappe.”

Mbappe, who has already scored 293 goals in 380 club appearances and 48 goals in 86 games for France, has proven himself as one of the most decisive players in world football.

Haaland, on the other hand, set a Premier League record with 36 goals in a single season but relies more on service from teammates.

As both players continue to dominate at Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively, Ferdinand’s comments have only added to the growing debate over which of these two stars will define the next era of football.