Erling Haaland scored his 54th Champions League goal on Wednesday night, reigniting comparisons with the great Cristiano Ronaldo.Â
Ronaldo, who now plays for Al-Nassr, is the all-time top scorer in Champions League history. The Portuguese superstar scored 141 goals in 187 appearances, winning the competition five times.
Erling Haaland Is the 10th Highest Scorer in Champions League History
Manchester City secured a commanding 4-1 victory in their Champions League Matchday 4 clash with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.
Phil Foden opened the scoring in the 22nd minute before Erling Haaland made it 2-0 for the hosts. Foden (57′) and Rayan Cherki (90+1′) added to City’s advantage in the second half while Waldemar Anton scored Dortmund’s consolation goal.
The goal against his former club has taken Haaland’s Champions League goal tally to 54 in only 52 games. The Norwegian scored eight goals in six games for Red Bull Salzburg, 15 in 13 for Dortmund, and has found the net 31 times in 33 games for Man City.
Top 10 Scorers in Champions League History
UCL qualification goals also included.
| Rank | Player | Last Club | Goals | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronaldo | Man Utd | 141 | 187 |
| 2 | Messi | Paris | 129 | 163 |
| 3 | Lewandowski | Barcelona | 105* | 136 |
| 4 | Benzema | Real Madrid | 90 | 152 |
| 5 | Raul Gonzalez | Schalke | 71 | 144 |
| 6 | Van Nistelrooy | Real Madrid | 60 | 81 |
| 6 | Mbappé | Real Madrid | 60* | 91 |
| 8 | Shevchenko | Dynamo Kyiv | 59 | 116 |
| 9 | Müller | Bayern Munchen | 57 | 165 |
| 10 | Haaland | Man City | 54* | 52 |
Haaland has been in scorching form in the Premier League as well. The Norwegian has scored 13 goals from 10 games, emerging as the Golden Boot frontrunner. Haaland is the highest-scoring player in Fantasy Premier League this season and is our captain pick for FPL Gameweek 11.
Can Erling Haaland Outscore Cristiano Ronaldo in Champions League?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 141 Champions League goals seems untouchable. Stats, however, suggest there is a high likelihood of Erling Haaland achieving this milestone.
Haaland is currently scoring at an unmatched rate of 1.04 goals per game. He is also only 25 years old. So, save for major injuries, the Manchester City striker has at least a decade of European football left in him. Haaland leads a disciplined life, paying special attention to his fitness. Additionally, Pep Guardiola has expertly managed his minutes to avoid injuries.
Guess I couldn’t hide it any longer… 🤖😅 pic.twitter.com/owMTQu95Nc
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) November 2, 2025
Ronaldo, meanwhile, begun his career as a winger, meaning he did not have as explosive a start as Haaland. He did not start being his team’s primary goalscorer until his switch to Real Madrid in 2009.
Before turning 26, Ronaldo had played 77 games in the Champions League, scoring 28 goals, averaging 0.36 goals per game. Haaland, who turns 26 in July 2026, has already scored almost of twice as many goals in 25 fewer matches.
Even if Haaland’s scoring rate drops to 0.8 goals per game, he will take only 11 seasons to surpass Ronaldo’s Champions League tally of 141 goals. This means, he would become the Champions League top scorer at the age of 36.
If Haaland miraculously maintains his current scoring rate, he would surpass Ronaldo in just seven years.
| Scenario | UCL games/season | Goals/game | Goals/season | Seasons to 142 | Projected age when passing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | 10 | 0.80 | 8.0 | 11 | 36 |
| Base case | 11 | 0.95 | 10.45 | 9 | 34 |
| Maintain current rate | 12 | 1.04 | 12.48 | 7 | 32 |
Haaland benefits from the new Champions League format, which guarantees eight league phase games for each participating team, up from six until the 2023/24 season. Man City also tend to go deep in the UCL, giving Haaland more opportunities to add to his tally.
The Norway international has played four Champions League games this season, scoring four goals. The Cityzens are next in action against 21st-ranked Bayer Leverkusen on 25th November.
