Manchester City falls short, but Haaland outdoes himself and is close to breaking a Messi record

Erling Haaland’s Champions League career has been nothing short of extraordinary. He reached ten goals in just seven matches, and twenty goals in fourteen, both record-breaking feats, though Sébastien Haller has since surpassed his record for reaching ten goals (in six matches).

No player has come close to Haaland’s achievement of scoring 20 goals in only 14 matches. Harry Kane, the closest competitor, took ten more matches to reach the same milestone. Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Kylian Mbappé all took significantly longer, while Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t score his first Champions League goal until his 27th appearance, eventually reaching 20 goals in 56 games. Haaland’s early pace is remarkable and unprecedented.

Haaland’s five-goal haul against Leipzig took his tally to 30 goals in 25 matches, another Champions League record. He previously surpassed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record (34 matches) to become the fastest player to 35 Champions League goals (in 27 matches), setting a new record for youngest to reach this milestone at 22 years, 272 days, surpassing Kylian Mbappé’s previous record. He also achieved 40 goals in 35 matches, becoming the youngest player at 23 years, 130 days, to achieve this feat. His unprecedented speed and efficiency are remarkable.

Records within reach

Haaland is now within striking distance of several other significant Champions League records:

• Youngest to score 50 goals – Lionel Messi (24 years, 284 days)
• Fastest to score 50 goals – Ruud van Nistelrooy (62 matches)

Haaland’s current Champions League records

Haaland currently holds numerous Champions League records:

• Youngest to score 15 goals – 20 years, 126 days
• Fastest to score 15 goals – 12 matches
• Youngest to score 20 goals – 20 years, 231 days
• Fastest to score 20 goals – 14 matches
• Youngest to score 25 goals – 22 years, 47 days
• Fastest to score 25 goals – 20 matches
• Youngest to score 30 goals – 22 years, 236 days
• Fastest to score 30 goals – 25 matches
• Youngest to score 35 goals – 22 years, 272 days
• Fastest to score 35 goals – 27 matches
• Youngest to score 40 goals – 23 years, 130 days
• Fastest to score 40 goals – 35 matches
• Youngest to score 45 goals – 24 years, 128 days
• Fastest to score 45 goals – 44 matches
• Only player to score a first-half hat-trick on his Champions League debut
• Only player to score multiple goals in four consecutive Champions League matches
• Only player to score multiple goals on his debut in the Champions League with three different clubs

Haaland has scored two hat-tricks in the Champions League, the first in the first half of his debut against Genk in 2019. He has scored two or more goals in nine matches and was the first player to score in four consecutive Champions League matches while at Dortmund.

He became only the third player to score five goals in a Champions League match when he scored five against Leipzig in the 2023/24 Round of 16. He has scored against 17 of the 24 different teams he has faced in the Champions League; only Ajax and Manchester City (while at Dortmund), Real Madrid, Inter, Crvena Zvezda, Sporting CP and Juventus have been able to stop him.