Daijiworld Media Network - Manchester
Manchester, Sep 19: Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has etched his name into Champions League history, becoming the fastest player to score 50 goals in the competition. The Norwegian achieved the milestone in his 49th appearance during City’s 2-0 victory over Napoli on Thursday, breaking the previous record set by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who needed 62 games to reach the mark.
At just 25, Haaland’s phenomenal scoring rate has put him on course to chase down Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 141 Champions League goals.
“He seems to break every record going. At his age, it’s unheard of what he’s doing,” City midfielder Phil Foden said after the match.
City boss Pep Guardiola also hailed his talisman: “The numbers speak for itself. If he plays 10, 12 years and maintains this progression, absolutely he can reach the top.”
Haaland, who had earlier shattered Van Nistelrooy’s record as the fastest to 30 goals in 2023, has also been prolific in the Premier League, becoming the quickest to 50 league goals that same year.
Since joining City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, he has netted 130 goals in 151 matches. Guardiola described him as “among the game’s greats like Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski.”
The towering striker’s latest goal — a looping header early in the second half at the Etihad — added to his blistering start this season, where he has already scored 12 goals in seven matches for club and country. This tally includes five against Moldova in Norway’s record 11-1 win and a brace in City’s derby triumph over Manchester United.
With this feat, Haaland has now surpassed legends like Alfredo Di Stefano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the Champions League scoring charts. He is level with Filippo Inzaghi and just one behind Thierry Henry, who sits 11th on UEFA’s all-time list.
While Lionel Messi remains the youngest to reach 50 Champions League goals — aged 24 years and 284 days — Haaland has eclipsed Kylian Mbappé’s 79-game effort, underlining his efficiency.
His next target could be Robert Lewandowski’s mark of 80 goals in 100 games, while the ultimate race remains Ronaldo (141), Messi (129), and Lewandowski (105).