Erling Haaland has broken two Lionel Messi records after becoming the fastest and youngest player to reach 60 Champions League goals.
Erling Haaland Breaks Lionel Messi Records to Make Champions League History
Erling Haaland has officially made Champions League history after breaking two Lionel Messi records during Manchester City’s 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Norway striker scored twice in the second half and reached another incredible European milestone.
His first goal of the night was his 60th in the Champions League.
That goal made Haaland both the fastest and youngest player ever to reach 60 goals in the competition.
Haaland reaches 60 goals faster than Messi
Haaland entered the match with 59 Champions League goals from 59 appearances.
When he scored against PSG, he reached 60 goals in only his 60th match.
Lionel Messi previously held the record for reaching the milestone fastest.
Messi needed 80 Champions League appearances to score his first 60 goals.
That means Haaland reached the same total 20 matches quicker.
Haaland also becomes youngest player to reach 60
The Manchester City striker did not only beat Messi for speed.
He also broke the Argentine legend’s age record.
Messi reached 60 Champions League goals at 26 years and 86 days.
Haaland reached the milestone at 26 years and 85 days, breaking Messi’s record by just one day.
That tiny difference was enough to put the Norwegian into the history books.
Haaland scores again to reach 61
Haaland was not finished after his record-breaking first goal.
He scored again later in the second half to complete a brace.
His Champions League record now stands at:
60 appearances
61 goals
That means Haaland has now scored more goals than matches played in Europe’s biggest club competition.
Another Manchester City record falls
The PSG game also gave Haaland another important club record.
Before the match, he had 36 Champions League goals for Manchester City, level with Sergio Aguero.
His two goals took him to 38 for the club.
Haaland is now Manchester City’s all-time leading Champions League goalscorer.
He reached that total in far fewer appearances than Aguero.
Haaland continues to dominate Champions League records
This is not the first time Haaland has broken a major scoring record in the competition.
He has already been the fastest player to reach several Champions League milestones.
Those include:
20 goals
25 goals
30 goals
40 goals
50 goals
60 goals
His scoring speed has been almost unmatched since his Champions League debut.
Messi’s 70-goal record could be next
Haaland is now moving towards another record held by Messi.
The former Barcelona star reached 70 Champions League goals in 90 appearances.
Haaland currently has 61 goals after only 60 matches.
That gives him plenty of time to score the nine goals needed to challenge Messi’s record.
If his current scoring rate continues, another historic milestone could fall soon.
Haaland keeps climbing all-time scoring list
The Norway captain is also moving higher among the greatest scorers in Champions League history.
With 61 goals, he is already among the competition’s leading goalscorers.
He still has work to do to catch Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who remain far ahead at the top.
But Haaland’s scoring rate gives him a realistic chance of challenging more major records in the future.
Man City lose despite Haaland brace
Haaland’s historic night did not end with a victory.
Manchester City struggled badly against PSG and fell three goals behind.
Haaland scored twice after the break to give City hope.
However, PSG eventually secured a 4-2 victory.
It was a frustrating team result, but another unforgettable individual night for Haaland.
Haaland joins Messi in Champions League history
For years, Messi’s Champions League scoring records looked extremely difficult to break.
Haaland has now started taking some of those records for himself.
Reaching 60 goals faster than anyone before him is already remarkable.
Doing it at a younger age than Messi makes the achievement even more impressive.
And at only 26, Haaland still has plenty of time to chase even bigger Champions League records.
A historic night despite defeat
Manchester City may have left the pitch disappointed, but Haaland still created another piece of football history.
He broke Messi’s record for the fastest player to 60 Champions League goals, became the youngest player to reach the milestone and moved clear as City’s leading scorer in the competition.
Even on a difficult night for Manchester City, Erling Haaland once again proved why he is one of the most dangerous goalscorers the Champions League has ever seen.
