Manchester City kicked off their Champions League campaign in style with a 2-0 victory over Napoli, thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku. Haaland’s strike not only helped secure the win but also set a new record, reaching 50 goals in the competition in the fewest matches, prompting comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Haaland reached the milestone in just 49 games. By contrast, Messi required 66 matches with Barcelona, while Ronaldo needed 91 appearances across Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The Norwegian continues to cement his status as one of soccer’s brightest talents in the post-Messi-Ronaldo era. His goal against Napoli also broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s previous record, who reached 50 Champions League goals in 62 matches.

Other players on the list

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