Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has tipped Erling Haaland to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time scoring record after the Norway international became the fastest ever player to reach 50 goals in the competition.
City breezed to a comfortable 2–0 victory over 10-man Napoli in Thursday’s Champions League opener, with Haaland breaking the deadlock early in the second half. It was his 50th goal in the competition in just 49 appearances.
Haaland smashed the previous record for games needed to hit 50, which was Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 62 across spells with PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and Real Madrid, and Guardiola insisted this latest accolade proves Haaland deserves to be considered alongside the all-time great goalscorers.
“What can I say?” Guardiola began. “The numbers speak for themselves.
“We are lucky to have him. Just to congratulate him, because he’s alongside goalscorers like Van Nistelrooy, [Robert] Lewandowski, but especially the two monsters Cristiano and [Lionel] Messi for 20 years: for Erling to be there is unbelievable.”
Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring charts in the Champions League with 140, reaching that tally in 183 appearances across his time with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, and Guardiola admitted that record could be in peril if Haaland maintains his current scoring rate.
“In that rhythm, yeah,” Guardiola replied when asked if Haaland could break Ronaldo’s record. “He’s not injured, he could play for 10 or 12 more years, and if he maintains this progression, absolutely.”
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“He seems to break every record,” Foden told TNT Sports. “At his age, it’s unheard of, what he’s done.
“I don’t think anyone will break the records he’s breaking if he carries on playing the way he’s playing. Unbelievable player.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Monsters’—Pep Guardiola Compares Erling Haaland to Messi, Ronaldo After New Champions League Record.
