Brightons Stefanos Tzimas Jokes About Taking Haalands Shirt, Eyes Hat-Trick Against Man City

Brighton youngster Stefanos Tzimas showed his admiration for Erling Haaland during a recent Q&A, revealing the Manchester City star as his football idol. In a lighthearted exchange, teammate Charalampos Kostoulas playfully pushed Tzimas to set high ambitions, hinting at potential moments against top opponents.

After the end of the 2024-25 season, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland remains a towering figure in world football, inspiring many youngsters, including Brighton’s 19-year-old Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas. In a recent Q&A session alongside teammate Charalampos Kostoulas, Tzimas jokingly remarked he wouldn’t celebrate if Haaland scores against Brighton, adding, “But I’ll take his shirt.”

Kostoulas encouraged him to aim higher, telling him to go for a hat-trick and imagine Haaland asking him for a shirt swap. Haaland, who has already scored over 300 goals in his career and has collected multiple Premier League Golden Boots and a Champions League title under Pep Guardiola, continues to be the gold standard for young forwards. Manchester City are currently on a summer break and will return on August 9 for a pre-season friendly against Palermo before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Wolves.

Meanwhile, Brighton’s pre-season reflects the hunger of their next generation. Tzimas and Kostoulas’s comments highlight the ambition and confidence running through the squad. While the exchange was light-hearted, it underscored how far Brighton’s young talents are dreaming, looking not just to admire legends like Haaland, but to challenge them on the pitch.