Haaland becomes fastest player ever to hit 50 Champions League goals

Santi Romero 2 days ago 4.7k
Erling Haaland hit his 50th Champions League goal against Napoli. AFP

Erling Haaland became the tenth player in history to score 50 goals in the Champions League and also in the fewest number of matches, after the Norwegian striker netted in Manchester City's victory over Napoli.

Erling Haaland is a unique and insatiable striker who never tires of breaking records. After equalling his best scoring streak with Norway during the international break in September, the former Borussia Dortmund player continues to break records at the start of the 2025/26 season. 

The Manchester City striker put in another stellar performance in the Champions League to help the Cityzens start the 2025/26 campaign with three points against fierce rivals Napoli, who also had Sky Blues icon Kevin de Bruyne in their ranks. 

The 25-year-old striker opened the scoring in the second half against the Italian side, who were reduced to 10 men after Di Lorenzo's red card, thus achieving a historic milestone in Europe's most prestigious club competition. 

Erling Haaland became the tenth player in Champions League history to reach 50 goals against Napoli, but that's not all. As if that weren't enough, the Norway international has become the fastest player to reach that milestone, with a huge margin between the number of games he needed and those needed by two legends such as Cristiano Ronaldo (91) and Leo Messi (66).


Fastest players to reach 50 Champions League goals

Erling Haaland - 49 matches

Ruud van Nistelrooy - 62 matches

Leo Messi - 66 matches

Robert Lewandowski - 77 matches

Kylian Mbappe - 79 matches

Karim Benzema - 88 matches

Cristiano Ronaldo - 91 matches

Raul Gonzalez - 97 matches

Thierry Henry - 103 matches

Thomas Muller - 130 matches

Mentioned in the news story

Manchester City
K. Benzema
Thierry Henry
L. Messi
C. Ronaldo
Thomas Müller
R. Lewandowski
R. Van Nistelrooy
K. Mbappé
E. Haaland