Manchester City striker Erling Haaland just scored the 300th goal of his professional career – and he’s reached the milestone in considerably faster time than both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Haaland scored goal number 300 in Man City’s statement-making 5-2 victory over Juventus in the Club World Cup.
The Norwegian notched City’s third early in the second half. It was a scruffy finish, but they all count.
“I only ask Erling to make the first action and no intensity beyond but he has to be a machine but we have to support him,” Pep Guardiola told reporters following Man City’s big win over Juventus.
“Sometimes he goes and we don’t go but today we went there, no matter what. All I can say is congratulations.
“He has scored 300 goals at 24 years old. I admire a lot the strikers. I am so happy for Erling, his goal and being involved in short spaces. So, so good.”
Haaland has notched 123 goals for Manchester City, 86 for Borussia Dortmund, 20 for Molde and 29 for Red Bull Salzburg, as well as 42 goals in just 43 outings on the international stage for Norway.
It’s frightening to think that he might not have even reached his peak yet, having reached the 300-goal mark at the age of just 24.
Messi was 25 when he scored his 300th goal for club and country and Ronaldo was 27. The two era-defining rivals’ goalscoring numbers didn’t go truly stratospheric until later in their careers, and in the case of Ronaldo his goalscoring return reached its zenith in his thirties.
Haaland has taken 48 fewer matches than Messi to get to 300 goals and a whopping 184 fewer matches than Ronaldo.
It is worth considering that Haaland is more of a pure No.9 than Messi has ever been, though, while Ronaldo wouldn’t morph into a classic centre-forward into much later in his career.
That different profile is evidenced by the Norwegian’s considerably lower assist numbers – fewer than half Messi notched when he reached the same milestone and lagging some way behind Ronaldo too.
Here’s how long it took Haaland to reach 300 career goals compared to Messi and Ronaldo:
Erling Haaland
Games: 370 ⭐Age: 24 years, 11 months, 5 days ⭐
Time Since Professional Debut: 9 years, 1 month, 14 days
Goals: 300
Penalties: 47Free-Kicks: 0
Assists: 61
Minutes per goal: 90 ⭐
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 107 ⭐
Minutes per goal or assist: 75 ⭐
Lionel Messi
Games: 418Age: 25 years, 4 months, 3 days
Time Since Professional Debut: 8 years, 11 days ⭐
Goals: 301
Penalties: 36Free-Kicks: 11
Assists: 127 ⭐
Minutes per goal: 108
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 123
Minutes per goal or assist: 76
Cristiano Ronaldo
Games: 554Age: 27 years, 3 months
Time Since Professional Debut: 9 years, 8 months, 21 days
Goals: 300
Penalties: 47Free-Kicks: 33 ⭐
Assists: 113
Minutes per goal: 142
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 168
Minutes per goal or assist: 103
Comparing how long it took Erling Haaland to score 300 career goals with Messi & Ronaldo
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