New Delhi: Erling Haaland has once again etched his name into footballing history by scoring his 100th goal for Manchester City. This landmark achievement came in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Arsenal as the Norwegian striker took only 105 appearances, starting in 100 of them to reach this incredible milestone.
His goal was a clinical finish after latching onto Savinho’s through ball, exemplified the lethal efficiency that has become synonymous with his game. The 24-year-old’s rise has been nothing short of extraordinary, and his goalscoring record continues to defy logic.
Erling Haaland’s Manchester City journey has only been two years long since his £51 million move from Borussia Dortmund but the way in which he has made an impact is phenomenal. This season the Norwegian seems more prolific than ever. He has already netted 10 goals in the first five games of a top-flight season which is the best start since Aston Villa’s Pongo Waring in 1930.
With this latest achievement, fans, pundits, and even his competitors are left wondering just how far this goal-scoring machine can go as he has broken every bench mark set for him.
The road to 100 goals
When Haaland arrived at Manchester City in 2022 expectations were already sky-high. He had built a stellar reputation in Germany at Borussia Dortmund where he netted 86 goals in 89 appearances. City fans anticipated big things but Erling Haaland has exceeded those expectations by scoring at a rate most strikers could only dream of. The fact that he reached 100 goals for the club so quickly speaks volumes about his ability to consistently deliver on the big stage.
Haaland’s goals have come in a variety of ways- left foot, right foot, headers, and even a comical goal that went in off his backside against Chelsea. In total he has scored 73 of his Manchester City goals with his left-foot, 14 with his right, 12 are header, and one from outside the box.
Wolves, a team he particularly enjoys facing have been on the receiving end of eight of his goals in just four games. Other notable victims include West Ham, Manchester United, and RB Leipzig.
In addition to his club heroics, Haaland’s consistency is even more impressive when considering his efficiency. He averages a goal every 85 minutes in all competitions for City, an absurd ratio that few strikers from past or even in present can match.
So far, Haaland has scored 73 goals in 71 Premier League appearances, 18 goals in 21 Champions League matches, 8 goals in 7 FA Cup games, and one goal in the Carabao Cup for City.
🧘♂️ @ErlingHaaland nets his 100th City goal! 💯 pic.twitter.com/p8OyyzQXU1
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 22, 2024
Top goalscorers across top five European leagues (since 2022-23)
Player
Appearances
Goals
Erling Haaland
105
100
Kylian Mbappe
99
91
Harry Kane
100
86
Robert Lewandowski
103
65
Mohamed Salah
100
57
Jonathan David
97
56
Lautaro Martinez
105
55
Alexandre Lacazette
77
53
Lois Openda
92
52
Vinicius Junior
102
50
Haaland vs Ronaldo and Messi
When comparing Haaland to modern footballing icons, the numbers tell an astonishing story. At just 24 years of age, Haaland has netted 235 goals in 271 appearances across all clubs including Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City. By comparison, at the same age, Cristiano Ronaldo had scored 117 goals in 313 games while Lionel Messi had 184 goals in 274 appearances for Barcelona.
Haaland is outpacing these legends of the game by a considerable margin positioning himself as the next footballing giant. One of the key elements in Haaland’s remarkable career trajectory is his ability to break records at a staggering pace.
In his debut Premier League season, he scored 36 goals shattering the previous record for most goals in a single season. His current haul of 73 Premier League goals came in just two seasons with his minutes-per-goal ratio of 79 minutes further reinforcing his efficiency.
Breaking records and setting new milestones
Erling Haaland’s name is already associated with several significant records but his appetite for more seems unsatisfied. His 36-goal haul in his debut Premier League season remains the highest ever achieved in a single campaign. Along the way he has also set new milestones for the fastest player to reach various goal benchmarks including being the quickest to achieve 50 goals in the Premier League. The feat he accomplished in just 48 games which is 17 fewer games than the previous record holder, Andy Cole.
The Norwegian’s impressive record in the Champions League is another area where he shines. He became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in Europe’s premier competition doing so in just 35 games which is 10 games less than the previous record-holder, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Haaland’s current tally in the competition sits at 41 goals, and considering that Cristiano Ronaldo holds the all-time record with 140 Haaland appears well on his way to becoming a serious contender for that title too.
The Road ahead
With Haaland already amassing 100 goals for Manchester City the next big milestone seems inevitable. Manchester City’s all-time top scorer, Sergio Aguero, holds the club’s record with 260 goals. If Haaland maintains his current scoring rate he would surpass Aguero in about four more seasons. Similarly, the Premier League’s all-time record is held by Alan Shearer with 260 goals which could also be within Haaland’s reach by 2029 if he continues on his current trajectory.
Internationally, Haaland is close to becoming Norway’s top scorer. With 32 goals for his national side he is just one goal behind Jorgen Juve’s long-standing record of 33, a feat he is likely to achieve in the near future.
Although Haaland’s relentless goalscoring may one day propel him to the top of numerous leaderboards there are some records that may remain out of his reach. The most notable of these is Dixie Dean’s 60 goals in a single top-flight season set in 1927-28. While Haaland’s current form is impressive, maintaining such a rate over a full season remains a herculean challenge.
Erling Haaland’s journey at Manchester City has been nothing short of extraordinary. In just over two years, he has established himself as one of the most prolific goal scorers in the club’s history, reaching 100 goals in record time. With his eyes set on breaking more records both domestically and in Europe the sky seems to be the limit for this Norwegian and next generation sensation.
Whether it’s setting new Premier League benchmarks or chasing down all-time greats in the Champions League Haaland is on a path that promises to reshape the footballing landscape for years to come.
Erling Haaland continues to dominate at Manchester City, shattering records and redefining what it means to be a world-class striker in modern football. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
