Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo rarely share a sentence without history being invoked, yet in the opening stretch of the 2025–26 campaign, the Norwegian has forced their names back into the same conversation. Manchester City stands as the backdrop to a start so ferocious that Haaland has already shattered a major goalscoring record that the GOAT duo, as well as Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane, had previously held. It is enough to say that the numbers are extraordinary, the frequency supernatural, and the comparisons unavoidable. And as the autumn months close, the question begins to shift from form to legacy.
Haaland’s league dominance is no secret. 14 Premier League goals in the 2025-26 campaign have come almost casually, accompanied by 19 goals in all competitions for City by late November. He has scored in all but two league matches — Aston Villa and Spurs the lone survivors — a reminder that even his “quiet” days are outliers.
Yet there is another landmark within reach. The Norwegian star is one goal away from breaking Alan Shearer’s long-standing record as the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals. Shearer’s century arrived in 124 games; He sits on 108 matches and steps into his 109th at St. James’ Park — Shearer’s cathedral. The symbolism writes itself.
Haaland’s form is not confined to club action. He has torn through the World Cup Qualifiers with 16 goals in eight matches, scoring in every single game, and becoming the top scorer across all continents for the 2026 cycle. Norway’s 4-1 win over Italy — featuring a brace from the 25-year-old striker — secured their place at the tournament, ending a generational drought.
His international scoring record now reads 55 goals in 48 matches, making him the sixth player ever, and the first in 53 years, to score 50 goals before reaching 50 caps. Norway’s previous record of 33 goals, held by Jørgen Juve for ninety years, has been obliterated.
The record revealed: All-time best goalscoring start
Only here does the statistical bomb drop. After the first three months of the season, Haaland stands as the top goalscorer in the history of the sport for this period, surpassing Messi, Ronaldo, Kane, and Lewandowski.
| Rank | Player | Season | Goals | Games Played | Goals per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Erling Haaland | 2025–26 | 32 | 20 | 1.60 |
| 2. | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2013–14 | 32 | 22 | 1.45 |
| 3. | Lionel Messi | 2012–13 | 29 | 25 | 1.16 |
| 4. | Harry Kane | 2025–26 | 28 | 22 | 1.27 |
| 5. | Robert Lewandowski | 2021–22 | 28 | 24 | 1.17 |
What’s more, he has done it at an unprecedented rate of 1.6 goals per game — the highest scoring frequency ever recorded in this period, as per Transfermarkt, via PlanetFootball. All without a club hat trick. Instead, he settled for five goals against Moldova for Norway.
