Erling Braut Haaland has been making waves in the football world with his impressive goal-scoring record in the Champions League. On Tuesday night, the Norwegian striker became only the third player ever to score five goals in a single Champions League match, following in the footsteps of Luiz Adriano and Lionel Messi. Haaland’s affinity with the competition is evident, as he has scored 37 goals in just 32 Champions League games, surpassing the likes of Arjen Robben and entering the top 20 goal-scorers in Champions League history.
Haaland’s record-breaking feats also extend to his speed in reaching milestones in the competition. He is the quickest and youngest player to reach 30 goals in the Champions League, achieving the feat in just 25 games, beating Messi’s previous record of 48 games. The previous record-holder was Ruud van Nistelrooy, who reached 30 goals in 34 games. Haaland accomplished this at the age of 22 years and 236 days, over half a year quicker than Messi, who did it at 23 years and 131 days.
The growing inequality in European football may also be a factor in Haaland’s record-breaking statistics. Although he has not been playing for Manchester City for long, the fact that bigger teams are often able to run up the score on other sides may have contributed to his impressive goal-scoring record.
Ronaldo leads the way in Champions League goalscoring charts
Currently, Messi is on 129 goals in the Champions League, while Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way with 141 goals. However, if Haaland can continue his form, there is a possibility that he might break these records in the future, despite previously looking as if they would hold for decades.
Erling Haaland’s remarkable performances in the Champions League have established him as one of the top goal-scorers in the competition’s history. His speed in reaching milestones and breaking records has caught the attention of football fans around the world, and if he continues his form, he may be able to surpass even the likes of Messi and Ronaldo in the future.
