Erling Haaland vs Kylian Mbappe is panning out to be the next big rivalry in world football.
The Manchester City and Real Madrid forwards are evenly matched in terms of goals and assists. However, stats show Haaland has much higher positional intelligence than Mbappe.
Mbappe Has Been Offside 93 Times More Than Haaland
Erling Haaland has taken his game to a new level since moving to Manchester City at the start of the 2022/23 season. The Norwegian forward has won two Premier League Golden Boots in three seasons, and is in a good position to win his third this season.
Haaland has scored 14 goals in 11 Premier League games this season, six more than Igor Thiago (Brentford) in second. More than half of his on-target efforts have hit the back of the net.
Last week, he scored his 54th Champions League goal in his 52nd game. His unmatched conversion rate has fans wondering if he could break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record in the Champions League.
The first player to hit triple digits this season 💯
Erling Haaland, FPL machine 🤖 pic.twitter.com/tiH8E6Fkqh
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) November 9, 2025
Haaland’s genius is not limited to his exceptional conversion rate. He is also remarkable at getting the end of the ball, rarely allowing the defending to catch him offside.
Since joining Man City, Haaland has played 108 matches in the Premier League. He has scored 99 goals, provided 17 assists, and has only been caught offside 18 times.
Mbappe, meanwhile, has scored 100 league goals in 109 games for Paris Saint-Germain (56) and Real Madrid (44) since 2022/23. His tally is on par with Haaland, but the Frenchman has been susceptible to the offside trap. In his last 109 league outings, Mbappe has been offside 111 times, averaging 1.02 offside per match.
| Player | Matches Played | Offsides | Offsides per 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erling Haaland | 108 | 18 | 0.17 |
| Serhou Guirassy | 91 | 45 | 0.49 |
| Lautaro Martinez | 113 | 50 | 0.44 |
| Harry Kane | 111 | 54 | 0.49 |
| Robert Lewandowski | 112 | 67 | 0.60 |
| Kylian Mbappe | 109 | 111 | 1.02 |
| Victor Osimhen | 95 | 117 | 1.23 |
Harry Kane, who has been smashing scoring records at Bayern Munich, has also done well to avoid the flag. In 111 games, he has been caught offside 54 times. Serhou Guirassy (45 times in 91 games), Lautaro Martinez (50 times in 113 games), and Robert Lewandowski (67 times in 112 games) are the other three names in the top five.
Erling Haaland vs Kylian Mbappe in Numbers (Clubs Only)
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are arguably the top two attacking players in world football. In the table below, we take a look at their goals, assists, and trophies.
| Erling Haaland | Kylian Mbappe | |
|---|---|---|
| Club Appearances | 343 | 443 |
| Club Goals | 278 | 345 |
| Golden Boots | UCL Top Scorer (2), Premier League Golden Boot (2), European Golden Shoe (2022/23) | LaLiga Top Scorer (1), Ligue 1 Top Scorer (6), European Golden Shoe (2024/25) |
| Best Single-Season Tally | 52 goals in all competitions (2022/23 with Man City) | 44 goals in all competitions (2023/24 with PSG) |
| Major Trophies Won | Premier League (2), FA Cup, Champions League (treble 2022/23) | Ligue 1 titles (7), Coupe de France (4), Intercontinental Cup |
This season, Mbappe has played more centrally for Real Madrid, making it a fairer competition with Man City striker Haaland. The radar shows the differences and similarities between the two superstars.
Haaland and Mbappe almost identical in Non Penalty Goals (NPG), npxG, and touches inside the opposition box. The Man City man is ahead in conversion rate and aerial ability. The Real Madrid No. 10, meanwhile, has won more offensive duels and registered much higher xA.
