3 UEFA Champions League records Erling Haaland has smashed so far this season
Manchester City's Erling Haaland is currently the hottest striker in Europe. The 22-year-old has settled into life in Manchester perfectly and is scoring goals for fun. He has 19 goals and three assists in 12 appearances for Man City so far this season.
One of the reasons why the Cityzens splashed out £51 million to sign the Norwegian from Borussia Dortmund was to fortify their attack as they go in pursuit of the UEFA Champions League.
So far, Haaland has lived up to the billing with five goals in three Champions League games. He recently bagged a brace in City's 5-0 thumping of FC Copenhagen on October 5, taking his total tally in Europe's elite competition to 28 goals in 22 games.
Haaland is inevitable.
The former Borussia Dortmund ace has also broken some records in the competition with his overwhelming goalscoring abilities.
Let's look at three records the star striker has smashed in Europe after just three matchdays.
#3 Fatest player to score 25 goals in the Champions League
Haaland has a knack for scoring goals on Champions League nights. His 28 goals in 22 Champions League games is a testament to that.
The 22-year-old scored on his Champions League debut for Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City. He is also the first-player to score six goals in his first three games in the competition.
The Manchester City striker began the 2022-23 campaign with 23 Champions League goals. A brace against Sevilla on matchday one took his tally to 25, making him the fatest player to score 25 goals in the Champions League.
The record was previously held by former Dutch international Ruud Van Nistelrooy. It took Van Nistelrooy 30 games to hit the 25-goal mark, but Haaland reached the tally with ten games fewer.
25 goals in 20 Champions League games.
#MCFC #UCL
▫️ 25 goals in 20 Champions League games.
▫️ Goal on his UCL debut with Man City, Borussia Dortmund and RB Salzburg.
▫️ A goal every 54 minutes in Man City shirt so far.
Erling Haaland. Mamma mia.
👽🇳🇴 #MCFC #UCL https://t.co/8PBf4LiC2R
Haaland is the fastest player ever to score 25 goals in the Champions League: he only needed 20 matches, beating the record of Man Utd’s former striker Van Nistelrooy who scored his 25th UCL goal in his 30th match. https://t.co/DRfVsX9Q3x
#2 Youngest player to score for and against the same side in the Champions League (Borussia Dortmund)
Another record set by the Norway star in Europe this season is becoming the youngest player to score for and against the same club.
He featured in the Champions League with the Bundesliga outfit for two and a half seasons, registering 15 goals in 13 appearances.
When both sides met on matchday two at the Etihad, he scored a spectacular winner, securing a 2-1 victory for Pep Guardiola's side and smashing Alvaro Morata's record.
Morata scored for and against Real Madrid aged 22 years and 194 days. Haaland's record stands at 22 years and 55 days.
22 - Aged 22 years and 55 days, Erling Haaland is the youngest player in Champions League history to score for and against the same side in the competition (Borussia Dortmund), surpassing Álvaro Morata for/against Real Madrid (22y 194d). Inevitable. https://t.co/6LY6oF4EQu
#1 Overtaking elite players on the Champions League all-time goalscorers chart
The Champions League all-time goalscorer list consists of a number of players who have written their names in the history books.
Haaland is progressing fast and is on his way to become one of the most prolific goal scorers in Europe's prestigious cup competition.
At the start of the current campaign, he had 23 Champions League goals and was ranked below the top 50. However, after five goals this term, only 27 players in the competition's history have scored more goals than the Norwegian.
Only 27 players in Champions League HISTORY have scored more goals than Erling Haaland.
He's only played in 22 matches 😲 https://t.co/qTQGjtwILR
Erling Haaland has overtaken elite players Luis Suarez, Rivaldo, Luis Figo, Robin Van Persie, Paul Scholes and others in the all-time Champions League goal scorers list this season.