Erling Haaland is living a moment where even records seem too small for the routine he’s built. In Manchester City’s 2–0 win over Villarreal in the third round of the Champions League league phase, the Norwegian found the net again, extending his streak to 12 straight games with a goal. That number puts him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved the same feat twice with Real Madrid. But the context is different.
The pace no one can match
Cristiano Ronaldo’s mark, set between 2014 and 2018, once looked untouchable. The Portuguese forward scored 22 goals in 12 matches, a standard that became the benchmark for every striker of this century. Now, Haaland has equaled that number and somehow still looks like he hasn’t hit his ceiling. On Sunday, against Aston Villa, he could leave CR7 behind and become the player with the longest scoring streak of the modern era. The difference is, while Cristiano reached his peaks at the height of his career, Haaland is only halfway there.
With 15 goals in 11 games for Manchester City this season and nine more in three matches for Norway, Haaland has 24 goals in 14 official appearances. Those numbers explain part of City’s current form, unbeaten in nine straight games, with seven wins and two draws, and the team has played just once without him. Guardiola rested him for back pain, and City still won. When Haaland plays, the result almost never slips away.
Goals without decoration
Haaland isn’t the most technical forward in the world, and maybe he doesn’t want to be. His game is direct, almost unpolished, sometimes even awkward, but it works. Against Arsenal, he secured the draw. Against Manchester United, he decided the derby with two goals. Against Napoli and Burnley, he showed up at the right time without needing to dominate. With Norway, he crushed weaker opponents like Moldova and Israel, scoring five and three goals respectively. Different matches, same outcome: he always finds the back of the net.