Most of it has been about Erling Haaland. Until last season. Since his transfer to Crystal Palace in 2018, Allexander Sørloth has had more downs than ups. His stay in the Turkish league was a success, at RB Leipzig the Norwegian never got any opportunities. Then Sørloth found “his” league. Since 2023, the striker has been one of the big profiles in the league that houses several of the world’s best players – and three or four of the world’s best clubs. On Saturday came the big highlight for Sørloth, who made himself historic.
Diego Simeone pointed to Alexander Sørloth last summer and said “I will have him in the squad”. This was after the Norwegian striker had scored his way into La Liga’s second highest scoring player in the Villareal shirt. Simeone got his Norwegian Viking. Before Saturday’s league match against Real Sociedad, the Norwegian had 13 La Liga goals. Thirty minutes later, it was 17. The Atletico Madrid coach pays tribute to “our man” in La Liga.
Sørloth took three minutes and 57 seconds to hammer in a hat-trick before 12 minutes had passed, the fastest hat-trick in La Liga history.
To highlight that this was no coincidence, Sørloth just as well put in his fourth of the day in the 30th minute. Four goals by the Norwegian striker, 4-0 win for Atletico Madrid.
“I’m generally very happy with the team’s first half. Apart from Alex, he had an absolutely fantastic night. What I love about him is that he is a player who helps us in every moment of a game,” Simeone began, according to Mundo.
He then explained why the Norwegian has only been given 13 starting spots in La Liga this season.
“I think if you look at the numbers, he scores more goals in the second half than he does at the start of a game, but he’s a player we really take advantage of because he’s so good as a goalscorer,” boasts one of the world’s best coaches.
