Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been challenged to a race by Alica Schmidt, the German sprinter dubbed ‘the sexiest athlete alive’.
Haaland was clocked at 22.5 miles per hour in the 2022-23 campaign – in which he helped City win a historic treble – and is renowned for his speed and power in footballing circles. He scored 52 goals last season and has an acceleration that would challenge any defense.
Schmidt competed in the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, with the 400m as her favorite event, as she averages 17 miles per hour over that distance. The 24-year-old, who is also a model and has 4.3 million Instagram followers, thinks she could beat Haaland in a lap race, although she admits she would find it ” more difficult” over 200m.
Schmidt told Dagbladet that she could compete with the Haaland machine: ” Hmm, I don’t know – maybe. I think over 400m, yes. On 200m, it would be more difficult. But I would be happy for the race to take place. I don’t know, I have to ask him. But I’m always ready. So, Haaland, if you’re ready to race, I’d be happy to. Let’s see who is the fastest!
In 2021, Schmidt had already issued a similar challenge to Mats Hummels, the World Cup-winning Borussia Dortmund defender. Hummels was, however, 32 at the time, while Haaland is only 23.
