Erling Haaland: Pep Guardiola best coach in the world after Man City win Champions League

Norwegian caps record-breaking debut season with victory over Inter Milan in the European Cup final

Erling Haaland lifts the Champions League trophy after Manchester City's win over Inter Milan at Ataturk Olympic Stadium. Getty

Erling Haaland said Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world after Manchester City won their first Champions League title on Saturday night.

A 1-0 victory over Inter Milan inside the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, courtesy of Rodri's 68th-minute strike, crowned City the kings of Europe and ensured Guardiola's team became just the second English club to win the treble after rivals Manchester United in 1999.

Haaland has played a central role in City's remarkable success this season. The Norwegian striker, signed from Borussia Dortmund last summer, has enjoyed a record-breaking campaign to fire City to a third straight Premier League title and the FA Cup. Of his 52 goals, 12 came in the Champions League to finish well clear as the tournament's top scorer. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was second with eight goals.

"It's such a big game, the pressure is unbelievable, you all know that," Haaland, 22, said.

"To work with Pep is really special. We have a good relationship and he's helped me a lot. I look forward to developing even more.

“I'm still young, I have a lot of years left. To be getting trained by him every day, the best coach in the world, it's a good place to be.”

Haaland has been happy to admit throughout the season that the primary reason City signed him was to win the Champions League, and the club have done exactly that in his first year.

"Unbelievable. In my wildest dreams I would never think of this as a 22-year-old me to be honest," Haaland said. “But it shows that it's possible for a guy from a small town in Norway.

“This also gives, I think, motivation to other young people in my same kind of situation playing football in the indoor hall in my hometown."

Champions League final player ratings

The City celebrations are expected to last several days, with an open-top bus parade in Manchester scheduled for Monday. However, Haaland said it will soon be time to get back to work and focus on defending City's three trophies.

"We have to defend what we achieved this season. That's how it works," he said. “In a month, two months everything is forgotten and we have to attack it again."

Grealish hails 'genius' Guardiola

Jack Grealish also paid a special tribute to Guardiola. The midfielder became the most expensive English player in history when he joined City in 2021, and after an inconsistent debut season, Grealish has been exceptional this campaign.

“He is a genius," Grealish said. "I said to him ‘I want to thank you because you’ve made this happen for me’.

“He signed me for a lot of money and even when I was playing bad, he stayed there with me. This year he has given me the platform to play and perform and I just said ‘thank you’ to him.”

Before the Champions League final, Grealish had said it was a "dream" to play in this City team, and the 27-year-old England international again praised his teammates for their historic season.

“This is just what you work your whole life for. I’m so happy," he said. “To win a treble with these players is so special.

“Everyone who knows me knows how much I’m a family person and how much I love football. Thanks to all the people who have helped me along the way. I just saw my family in the crowd and it makes me emotional.”