Erling Haaland, after exceeding expectations at Borussia Dortmund, has become a leading figure in soccerâs new era, alongside Kylian Mbappe. While neither has secured a Ballon dâOr, Manchester City star has already broken a notable record in the UEFA Champions League. He has surpassed both the young French star and Cristiano Ronaldo. Still, in this pursuit of greatness, Lionel Messi holds a substantial lead, a testament to his enduring dominance.
In an official Instagram post, the UEFA Champions League celebrated Erling Haalandâs remarkable milestone of scoring 50 goals in the competition. At just 25 years and 59 days old, he surpasses Kylian Mbappe, who reached the mark at 25 years and 356 days, and eclipses Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved it at 28 years and 78 days. This astounding feat solidifies Haalandâs status as the second fastest player in history to reach this landmark.
Although Erling Haalandâs scoring prowess has certainly made headlines, Lionel Messi still holds a remarkable distinction in Champions League history. At just 24 years and 284 days old, the Argentine star became the fastest player to score 50 goals in the competition. This incredible achievement set a milestone that remains unmatched in the annals of Europeâs premier club tournament.
Erling Haaland overcomes Messi and Ronaldoâs scoring record
Upon joining Manchester City, expectations for Erling Haaland were unexpectedly modest. Despite his reputation as a prolific scorer, skeptics questioned his fit with Pep Guardiolaâs preferred modern striker profile. However, Haaland and the team swiftly adapted, displaying a dominant scoring prowess. The Norwegian star has already even surpassed Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in a significant scoring milestone.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City smiles prior to the Premier League match.
As reported by the IFFHS, Erling Haaland has reached an impressive milestone by scoring 300 career goals in just 370 games, at the age of 24 years and 340 days. With this, he overcomes Lionel Messi, who hit the 300-goal mark at 25 years and 125 days, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who did so at 27 years and 79 days. However, Kylian Mbappe retains the record as the youngest player in the 21st century to reach 300 goals, achieving it at 24 years and 333 days.
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Guardiola believes Haaland could surpass Messi and Ronaldoâs Champions League records
Despite a challenging 2024-25 season both individually and collectively, Erling Haaland remains one of the worldâs most prolific scorers. If he maintains his scoring pace, the Norwegian could match or surpass Cristiano Ronaldoâs legendary goal rate. Ronaldo, nearing 1,000 career goals, hit his peak scoring form after turning 30. With such scoring pace, Haalandâs career is already carving out a historic legacy.
