It’s hard to contextualize the greatness on display at the 2026 FIFA World Cup if you’re not a year-round fan of the sport. To aid with that, our analysts have been making NFL comparisons for the World Cup’s superstars all summer.
Alexi Lalas was the latest to do so on Saturday, comparing Erling Haaland and Harry Kane to two all-time great NFL quarterbacks.
“When you’re talking about Erling Haaland, he’s more of a Tom Brady,” Lalas said. “He’s standing tall. He’s money in that pocket. Deadly precision. If you only got one shot, you are definitely going to him.”
Brady’s NFL career is untouchable. In 23 seasons, Brady notched seven Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl MVP awards, five regular season MVP awards, 15-time NFL Pro Bowl appearances and a spot in the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Haaland, at age 25, recorded 62 goals and seven assists in his 54 matches with the Norway national team, which also includes his seven goals in the 2026 World Cup. For Manchester City this past season, he’s netted 27 goals with eight assists in his 35 appearances.
Kane is a differnet player than Haaland, despite also being an all-time great goalscorer at the club an international level.
“If you’re talking about Harry Kane, he’s much more of a Patrick Mahomes,” Lalas said. “He’s mobile. He’s unpredictable. He smells and sneaks an opportunity, and then he exploits it.”
Mahomes’ talent does not go unnoticed based on his achievements in nine seasons. Mahomes has helped the Chiefs become a powerhouse team with his three Super Bowl rings, three Super Bowl MVP awards, a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time regular season MVP. If any NFL quarterback has cemented his ongoing legacy, it’s Mahomes.
For Kane, his 2026 World Cup campaign saw his new title of England’s all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 13 goals and six goals in this tournament. With Bayern Munich, Kane has recorded 146 goals and 33 assists in 147 appearances.
Goalscoring machines and leaders on the pitch, Lalas noted that their playing styles are still very different, but that does not change the fact that they’re two of the most talented strikers in the world.
“They’re very different in the way that they play. They both score a ton of goals, but they’re both successful. They’re both valuable,” Lalas said. “And, at the end of the day, they’re both legendary, and you would love to have either of them playing on your team.”
