A shocking statistic has shown why Cristiano Ronaldo can still be considered a better striker than Erling Haaland in his prime.
Erling Haaland has arguably pushed the limits and redefined the possibility for strikers in football. From back-to-back Premier League Golden Boots, comprising multiple hat-tricks, including four-goal haul, the Norwegian has established himself as one of the best forwards football has ever known.
However, while earnestly rubbing shoulders with known football-attacking greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, he is still some miles below the Portuguese legend.
Note that while this position is subject to dispute and usual football banters, it is entirely based on a key angle to the goal-scoring narrative that has caught our attention.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s time for 100 goals for a new club unbroken
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the the least time taken to reach a centurion of goals for a new club.
In November 2011, Ronaldo scored his goal 99th and 100th for Real Madrid as the Los Blancos sailed to a 2-0 UCL victory over Lyon in midweek to qualify for the knockout of the UEFA Champions League.
His first goal in the game came via a free-kick. Known for his unrivalled finesse and great technicality with set pieces, the Portuguese curled home a thunderous strike to fire the La Liga giants into the lead.
Twenty minutes before regulation time, he was brought down in the box by a Lyon defender, with Real Madrid awarded a spot-kick. He perfectly converted it to register his 100th strike for the team.
The brace saw Ronaldo become the fastest player to reach 100 goals for Real Madrid, doing so in his 105th match for the club.
Erling Haaland desperately on the heels of Cristiano Ronaldo
Erling Haaland is undoubtedly the hottest striker right now in football. The Norwegian goal machine has taken the Premier League by storm since he joined Manchester City in 2022 for £54m from Borussia Dortmund.
He ended his first season with the club as the Premier League Golden Boot winner with 36 goals in 35 games. As usual, the goals featured multiple hat-tricks, braces and lone strikes. He levelled up the tally with 12 Champions League goals in 11 matches, including a goal in the EFL Cup. The terrific goal-scoring run saw him win the Premier League Golden Boot, including the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League Golden Boot.
In the 2023-24 season, Haaland fell short of his debut goal tally for City due to injury. However, he still finished strong with a league-leading 27 Premier League goals and six UEFA Champions League goals. The 27-goal haul saw the player bag his second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot.
On September 14, 2024, Haaland singlehandedly led City’s comeback against Thomas Frank’s Brentford in the Premier League. A first-half brace by the Norwegian saw the Premier League champions overturn Yoane Wissa’s 1st-minute goal.
Meanwhile, the brace was preceded by back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich Town at Portland Road on August 14, 2024, and West Ham United at the London Stadium on August 31, 2024.
The terrific goal-scoring streak up to the Brentford match saw Haaland reach 99 goals in his 103th match for Manchester City.
Notably, he was just a goal and a game behind Cristiano Ronaldo to reach the Portuguese 100th goal mark.
Ronaldo Vs Haaland Debate Settled?
Note that after the Brentford match, Haaland still had a chance to match and possibly break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record in City’s 2024-25 Champions League opener against Inter Milan on September 18, 2024. He blanked against the strong European opponents as City settled for a 0-0 draw.
This means despite his terrific goal-scoring, Ronaldo still outscored the Norwegian in his prime. And that’s not all. The iconic footballer is continuing in his magical form but off the shores of Europe.
Despite nearing the twilights of his career, he stole the spotlight, finishing 2023 as the leading striker in the calendar year with 54 goals, four goals better than Erling Haaland.
