‘I’m Simply Erling’: Haaland Makes Historical past With Newest Champions League Feat

Erling Haaland set a new Champions League record with a goal against former side Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. Haaland added to an extensive fine haul in Manchester City’s welcome of the German giants as he netted his fifth Champions League goal of the season on the half-hour mark. And the first-half strike saw the Norwegian goal machine make history.

Haaland’s flying form for club and country

Haaland has made a rampant start to the season for both club and country. The Norway international went into Wednesday’s game having scored 17 times in 13 matches in the 2025-26 campaign, failing only to net in league defeats to Tottenham and Aston Villa.

The 25-year-old was hand on rifle past Gregor Kobel after being picked out by Jeremy Doku on the half-hour mark as Manchester City eased to a 2-0 first-half lead over Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium. Phil Foden opened the scoring for the Cityzens midway through the first half as City looked to claim a third successive win in all competitions.

Pep Guardiola’s side have made an unbeaten start to their Champions League campaign as a 2-2 draw at Monaco was sandwiched between a 2-0 home triumph over Napoli and a 2-0 win at Spanish side Villarreal. Haaland has scored in all four European games for City this season, and combined with his brace against Real Madrid on home turf last season, saw the striker write his name into the history books.

Norwegian makes more history

Haaland’s first-half goal for City against Dortmund saw the striker become the first player to score in five consecutive Champions League games for three different clubs. He missed the second leg Champions League play-off defeat to Real Madrid back in February due to injury.

The powerhouse forward had previously achieved the feat with former sides Dortmund and Red Bull Salzburg. Haaland only made six Champions League appearances for Salzburg but scored in five of those in the 2019-20 European campaign, which included a goal in a 4-3 loss at Liverpool in October 2019.

Haaland then scored in five consecutive matches for Dortmund in the 2020-21 Champions League season as he netted against Lazio, Zenit St. Petersburg, Club Brugge and Sevilla before he moved to Manchester City in 2022.

‘His influence is so big’

Haaland’s record-breaking night comes shortly after City head coach Pep Guardiola compared the striker to football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The duo dominated world football in their heyday, while Guardiola, who managed Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, was instrumental in Messi’s rise to superstardom.

After Haaland bagged a brace against Bournemouth at the weekend, the City boss played down the idea that they are too reliant on the striker. Guardiola insisted that a team is naturally going to see an individual as dominant as Haaland lead the scoring charts.

“This is what it’s like if you play with Messi or Ronaldo, his influence is so big,” Guardiola said. “You see the numbers of that guy? Of course, he’s at that level. Messi and Ronaldo have done it for 15 years, but this is the level. The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, it’s like ‘I am going to score’. He has that hunger. It’s top. I said how incredibly coachable and manageable he is.

“I am tough sometimes with Haaland, but he is open-minded. He lives for the goals and sometimes the pressure cannot sustain 90 minutes, but that’s normal. Without him, it would be tough to be honest, but we are lucky that Omar is back, and we have fit players. That’s good.”

‘I’m Just Erling’

Haaland, though, played down the comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo as the City star chose to bat away the idea that he is matching either, or both, icons.

“No, not at all!” Haaland insisted when told of Guardiola’s words about the striker and the duo. “No one can get close to them two, so no… I am just Erling, a Norwegian guy scoring goals. That won’t change.”

Haaland leads the Golden Boot race in the Premier League this season having scored 13 times, a return he’ll look to add to when City take on Liverpool this weekend.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!