Erling Haaland has written yet another chapter in Champions League history, becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the competition. His header opened the scoreboard for Manchester City against 10-man Italian side Napoli
The Norwegian striker achieved the milestone in fewer games than any player before him, underscoring a remarkable scoring journey that began five years ago in Austria.
Haaland burst onto the European stage on 17 September 2019, when as a 19-year-old he scored a hat trick on his Champions League debut for Red Bull Salzburg against Genk.
He followed that with a goal off the bench at Anfield in a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, before striking three more times across back-to-back matches against Napoli. By the time his first five games in the competition were complete, Haaland had already registered eight goals.
A move to Borussia Dortmund only deepened his connection to the competition. He scored twice in his first Champions League appearance for the German side against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.
By the end of that campaign, he had netted 10 goals, joining Robert Lewandowski as the only players to reach double figures that season. In total, he scored in nine of his 13 Champions League outings for Dortmund, amassing 15 goals.
When he crossed to Manchester City, the striker’s impact in Europe continued at a relentless pace. Haaland scored 12 times in 12 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign, including a five-goal performance against RB Leipzig in the last 16.
His scoring streak powered City to their first Champions League trophy, even if he did not score beyond the quarter-final stage.
Though his strike rate has slowed slightly in more recent appearances, Haaland’s consistency has ensured he remains well ahead of his peers in cumulative pace.
Before this latest milestone, he had scored 14 times in his previous 21 matches, keeping him firmly on track for the record.
Haaland had already set the mark for fastest player to 50 goal involvements in the competition last year, reaching it in 44 games. Now he has matched that achievement in goals alone, reaffirming his status as the most prolific young striker in the history of the Champions League.
