Filling Haaland's boots spurs on prolific Zambian star Patson Daka
It is impossible to talk to Patson Daka of Red Bull Salzburg without mentioning Erling Braut Haaland, but the prolific striker from Zambia doesn't mind the comparisons, and his own record speaks for itself.
"They bring positive energy to me. It is also a great motivation and inspiration for me because it shows I am moving in the right direction," Daka, 22, tells AFP.
"He did great things in this club and he is a good friend to me.
"We helped each other to become better every time in training and in games, so for me it is a responsibility that I embrace, that I love and enjoy, and I take no offence from that comparison."
Haaland scored 28 times in 22 games last season for Salzburg before joining Borussia Dortmund.
The Norwegian scored eight in the Champions League group stage, but that was not enough to fire the Austrians into the last 16.
On Wednesday they are hoping to take that extra step, although in order to do they must beat Atletico Madrid.
Perhaps Daka, the first Zambian to score a Champions League goal, can be the man to take them there.
In many ways he was eclipsed by Haaland, who came and went from Mozart's home city in the space of a year.
Daka helped Salzburg win the UEFA Youth League in 2017, the same year he starred for his country at the Under-20 World Cup.
But last season was not just Haaland's coming of age, it was also when Daka really took off, scoring 27 goals.
He then had 12 in 11 games this season before what he calls "a bad muscle strain" slowed his progress.
- Spotted by Kanoute -
Like Haaland, Daka is the son of a footballer. He jokes that the game was such a part of his life growing up that "maybe at the hospital when I was born I had a football".
In joining Salzburg he has followed in the footsteps of other African stars like Senegal's Sadio Mane and Naby Keita of Guinea, and catching the eye of one of the greatest African players of the 21st century helped him make it to Europe.
Former Mali striker Fredi Kanoute, now an agent, spotted Daka in 2015, when he played for Zambia in the African Under-17 and Under-20 championships.
"That was when Kanoute was talking to my manager at that time, who was the owner of Kafue Celtic where I was playing," Daka says.
"That is how the sporting director contacted me and told me Kanoute had called. I was like: 'Which Kanoute?! Are we talking about the same Kanoute that I know?!'"
Through Kanoute, Daka ended up having a trial at French club Lille, coached by ex-Zambia boss Herve Renard.
It was unsuccessful, as were trials at Espanyol and in Portugal, but eventually -- while away in camp with the Zambian national team -- the chance came to go to Austria.
"It was snowing and it was the first time I had seen snow. It was really cold," he remembers.
"When I was in camp I was just with my shorts and my short-sleeved shirt and I came here and I was freezing.
"I arrived at the academy and the welcome was so overwhelming, and I just felt this was my place."
Daka is aware of the role both he and Enock Mwepu, his Zambian club colleague, have to play.
"West African players have dominated because they are a bit closer to Europe. Scouts maybe cannot come and look at the players in southern Africa if there are no players representing southern Africa, so we think of the responsibility we are carrying for the southern part of Africa at large."
Having been among the fans celebrating on the streets when Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012, Daka is desperate to play on that stage himself, but now it is all about that crunch Champions League game against Atletico.
"Everyone understands that the game we are playing on Wednesday is a different kind of ball game," he says.
"Not everyone expected us to have this game and for it to be like a final. It is a game that will change a lot of things, so we just have to make sure we die a little on the field."
(责任编辑:关于我们)
- PS5 Pro: It looks like a sketch of the design just leaked
- 诺基亚5630xm评测(比较诺基亚5611xm和5700)
- 如何在BBK k201安装暴风影音等软件
- 为什么信用卡提额了没有额度(信用卡提不了额度是怎么回事)
- Game Plan
- DOJ accuses TikTok of collecting and sharing users' personal views, as the app fights a ban
- 你我贷放款一般要多久(你我贷一直显示放款中能放款吗)
- 信用卡最低还款后剩下的钱怎么还(信用卡最低还款后剩下的钱怎么算利息)
- 股票交易未成功资金被冻结是怎么回事(股票交易未成功资金被冻结怎么办)
- The Future of Tech: The Desktop PC
- 诺基亚x6和摩托罗拉哪个更好(是买诺基亚X6好还是摩托罗拉me511好给个建议我是女生)
- 诺基亚5611XM(诺基亚5611xm什么时间上市啊)
- 诺基亚x6和摩托罗拉哪个更好(是买诺基亚X6好还是摩托罗拉me511好给个建议我是女生)
-
18 Places for Epic Outdoor Adventure Across Colorado
The Centennial State is an outdoorsy dream, with hiking, mountain-biking, skiing, kayaking, birding ...[详细] -
什么是结构性存款视频什么是结构性存款)2022-05-21 08:18:04孟厚谦导读大家好,小谷解答以上问题。什么是结构性存款视频,什么是结构性存款这个很多人还不知道,现在让我们一起来看看吧!解答: ...[详细]
-
信用卡刷完立马还款信用卡刷完立马还款可以吗)2022-05-19 17:06:04古伟娴导读大家好,小谷解答以上问题。信用卡刷完立马还款,信用卡刷完立马还款可以吗这个很多人还不知道,现在让我们一起来看 ...[详细]
-
微粒贷逾期具体怎么协商微粒贷逾期会到户籍地吗)2022-05-21 10:30:14房言恒导读大家好,小谷解答以上问题。微粒贷逾期具体怎么协商,微粒贷逾期会到户籍地吗这个很多人还不知道,现在让我们一起 ...[详细]
-
Korea's economy to stop growing without drastic labor change: FKI
A port in South Korea's southeastern city of Busan. (Yonhap)South Korea’s economy is expected to sto ...[详细] -
诺基亚5611xm怎么看小说诺基亚5611xm怎么样)2022-05-19 23:01:10满荔玲。诺基亚5611xm怎么看小说,诺基亚5611xm怎么样这个很多人还不知道,现在让我们一起来看看吧!解 ...[详细]
-
三星i9003港版和行货有什么区别(三星i9003 Galaxy SL(港行版))
三星i9003港版和行货有什么区别三星i9003 Galaxy SL(港行版))2022-05-19 13:37:06单坚莉导读 大家好,小极解答以上问题。三星i9003港版和行货有什么区别,三星i9 ...[详细] -
2009年买的BBK k201手机经常死机最近每5秒重启一次根本做不到
2009年买的BBK k201手机经常死机最近每5秒重启一次根本做不到2022-05-21 08:55:12尹丹瑾导读 大家好,小极解答以上问题。2009年买的BBK k201手机经常死机最近每5秒重 ...[详细] -
采购商+48,英德红茶在泉城济南蹭蹭涨粉_南方+_南方plus8月26日,2024山东济南国际秋季茶产业博览会在舜耕国际会展中心落下帷幕。四天11家来自广东清远的茶企参与现场展销推介,展区内总人流量超 ...[详细]
-
步步高x20电池多少钱(有谁知道步步高手机K201的电池板多少钱一块吗)
步步高x20电池多少钱有谁知道步步高手机K201的电池板多少钱一块吗)2022-05-21 09:42:06耿秋腾。步步高x20电池多少钱,有谁知道步步高手机K201的电池板多少钱一块吗这个很多人还不 ...[详细]
- I Deleted All My Social Accounts: Three Weeks Without Social Media
- 诺基亚5611XM(诺基亚5611xm什么时间上市啊)
- 步步高k201实用吗(步步高音乐手机K201怎么样)
- 步步高x20电池多少钱(有谁知道步步高手机K201的电池板多少钱一块吗)
- Who is the Dark Wizard in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2?
- 诺基亚5630xm评测(比较诺基亚5611xm和5700)
- 建行信用卡临时额度可以分期(建行信用卡临时额度可以分期还款吗)