Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have been two of the most prolific forwards in world soccer in recent years, consistently finding the back of the net and battling for Golden Boots. However, a former Mbappé teammate at Paris Saint-Germain has weighed in on the ongoing debate between the two superstars, and chose the Manchester City striker over the current Real Madrid ace.
Few players have had the chance to share the pitch with both Mbappé and Haaland, but Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of them. After several seasons at PSG, the Italian goalkeeper completed a move to Manchester City ahead of the 2025–26 season, giving him the opportunity to work alongside the Norwegian phenom.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Donnarumma was asked which player currently has the most powerful shot in world soccer — and he didn’t hesitate to compare the two: “I think Erling has the most powerful shot in world football. He’s left footed, so he’s different from Kylian.”
The Italian goalkeeper then doubled down when asked which one he’d rather have on his team. “They’re both very difficult to face, but I’d rather have Erling on my team,” Donnarumma admitted, leaving Mbappé off his ideal lineup.
Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain.
So far in the 2025–26 campaign, both Mbappé and Haaland remain among Europe’s most lethal finishers. The Frenchman has 16 goals in 13 appearances, while the Norwegian has 15 in 12 matches across all competitions. Both trail Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane in the Golden Boot race, but the battle between the two stars remains one of the most compelling storylines of the season.
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Donnarumma prepares to face Haaland again
Despite now being teammates at Manchester City, Donnarumma will have to deal with Haaland’s threat once again this season. During the November international break, Italy will face Norway in a crucial six-point clash at the top of UEFA World Cup Qualifying Group I.
The goalkeeper also discussed his relationship with Haaland and the challenge of facing him for their national teams: “I’d say we just got on well immediately. We have always respected each other, even before we met. We make a lot of banter about playing against each other in the national teams. It will be difficult to face each other, as it will be difficult to play against him. I know how strong he is and what chances he can create. It will be hard to face him both as a player and as a friend.”
Throughout his career, Donnarumma has faced Haaland twice — once in the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League group stage, when PSG defeated Manchester City 4–2 (with Haaland on the scoresheet), and more recently in the 2026 UEFA World Cup qualifiers, when Haaland scored again in Norway’s 3–0 win over Italy.
