Haaland encroaches on Ronaldo's 'territory'

Haaland is a reliable mainstay of Man City.

The Norwegian striker not only opened the scoring in Manchester City's 2-0 win over Napoli but also reached a historic milestone: becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in Champions League history.

Destructive scoring machine

Haaland scored his 50th goal in just 49 games, an astonishing rate of more than one goal per game. This is a number that makes him a rare “goal machine” in modern football, far surpassing the speed of the legends who once stormed the European arena.

Previously, this record belonged to Ruud van Nistelrooy with 50 goals in 50 matches. Lionel Messi needed 66 matches, Robert Lewandowski needed 77 matches, and Kylian Mbappe - who just reached 57 goals - needed 79 matches to reach 50.

It is worth mentioning that Haaland is only 25 years old. The road ahead is still very long and it is almost only a matter of time before he enters, or even surpasses, the top group in the all-time scoring list in the Champions League.

Haaland shone in Man City's victory over Napoli in League Phase, Champions League.

Now, with 50 goals, Haaland is in the top 10 greatest scorers, surpassing Alfredo Di Stefano (49 goals) and equaling Thierry Henry's record. However, the difference is in speed: Henry needed 112 games to get 50 goals, while Haaland took less than half that number.

Haaland’s goal distribution also shows his consistency throughout his career. He scored 8 goals for RB Salzburg, exploded with 15 goals for Borussia Dortmund and now has 27 goals for Manchester City. The peak was the 2022/23 season, when he scored 12 goals, contributing greatly to the Citizens’ first Champions League title.

Haaland has not only scored goals, but also brought a sense of solidity to Man City in big matches. Just a few days before scoring against Napoli, he scored twice in the Manchester derby.

The ability to consistently maintain top form makes Haaland a nightmare for any defense, while also affirming the stature of a superstar who lives not only on flashy form, but also on incredible consistency.

Haaland's value

Compared to Messi and Mbappe – two names often placed in the same group of superstars – Haaland shows his own path. Messi is a creative genius, Mbappe is the embodiment of speed and technique, and Haaland is the pure “penalty box killer”, turning every opportunity into a goal with rare coolness.

Haaland is writing his own new chapter.

His 50 goals in 49 games is a clear testament to that. Haaland doesn’t need magical dribbles or spectacular solo runs, he just needs absolute precision in the decisive moment.

The goal against Napoli was also symbolic. On the day De Bruyne – the “prince of the Etihad” – returned, Haaland proved that the new generation truly rose to the occasion. Man City may miss De Bruyne for his vision and class in organizing the game, but in Haaland they have someone who can guarantee goals in any competition, at any time.

At 25, Haaland is on par with legends like Henry or Di Stefano in the Champions League's all-time scoring list. But at this rate, reaching 100 goals - a territory usually reserved for legends like Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi - may come sooner than many people think.

And then, the Champions League era will have to write a new chapter, where Haaland plays the main character.

Source: https://znews.vn/haaland-xam-lan-vao-lanh-dia-cua-ronaldo-post1586495.html