Patriots legend makes the perfect comparison with another former player to a guy who’s setting the world on fire right now
The New England Patriots may have a World Cup comparison in the form of Erling Haaland and Rob Gronkowski.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are underway, and the New England Patriots have an unexpected connection to one of the remaining teams. Norway, led by Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, is set to face England in the round of 8.
Former Patriots WR Julian Edelman recently compared Haaland to former Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski. And the comparison holds up remarkably well. Haaland is the best goalscorer in the world right now. That puts him firmly in the conversation for the best player in the sport.
He turns 26 later this month, and his resume already reads like a career retrospective. Gronkowski was known as one of the most physically dominant players in football history. Haaland occupies that same space in soccer.
He’s listed at 6’3 (though some have noted he may be closer to 6’5), weighs around 200 pounds, and is nothing but muscle. He runs faster than everyone around him. The parallel is simple: he’s bigger, stronger, and faster than his competition, just like Gronkowski was in his prime.
Haaland’s numbers are staggering
The stats back it up. In 218 domestic starts, Haaland has 205 goals and 49 assists, for a total of 254 combined goal contributions. That’s more than one per game across his entire career. When you factor in international play, World Cup matches, and every competition he’s participated in, the numbers climb to 287 goals and 346 combined goal contributions in 301 starts.
His trophy case is already overflowing. Haaland has won the UEFA Champions League, three Premier League titles, the 2022-23 Premier League Player of the Year award, and the 2022-23 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award. He also earned the 2019 Austrian Football Player of the Year, the 2022 PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and the 2022 FWA Footballer of the Year. All of that before his 26th birthday.
Gronkowski’s dominance drew from the same mold
On the football side, Gronkowski’s career tells a similar story of condensed greatness. In 11 seasons, he racked up 92 receiving touchdowns and 9,236 receiving yards. Those numbers represent a level of production that few tight ends have matched. Travis Kelce has since passed some of those marks, but he needed more games to do it.
Gronkowski’s peak was defined by an overwhelming physical advantage that made him nearly impossible to defend, and that’s exactly what Haaland brings to the pitch every time he steps on it.
Haaland’s future with Manchester City
Haaland is under contract with Manchester City through 2034. The club is one of the best in the world, having won the treble once (a feat only a handful of teams have accomplished) and capturing its first-ever Champions League title a few years ago with Haaland playing a central role. Manchester City is well positioned to compete for the Premier League title again next season, and Haaland will be at the center of that push.
Edelman’s comparison is spot on. Two athletes who dominated their respective sports through sheer physical superiority, and both with the production to back it up. Haaland still has years of prime football ahead of him. If his trajectory holds, the Gronkowski comparison may end up underselling what he becomes.