Historic numbers: Haaland signs off a double feat not reached by Messi or Ronaldo

The Norwegian star Erling Haaland has put himself in a "statistical" position not reached by the greats of the game, even those who dominated the throne of football for many years.

Fans have grown used to measuring record figures against those set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Yet the Norwegian has now pulled off a double feat neither of them can claim, reclaiming a historic mark that had carried the name of German legend Gerd Müller for more than half a century.

It happened on Saturday evening at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, as Norway hosted Wales in the fifth round of Group Four in League A of the UEFA Nations League. Haaland drove the hosts to a 3-1 win, slotting home a penalty in the 88th minute to cap an outstanding night both individually and collectively.

Haaland also claimed the assist for Andreas Schjelderup's goal, feeding the forward to strike from inside the area. In his 79 minutes on the pitch, the Manchester City star touched the ball just 19 times, completed 9 passes and converted both of his two shots on target. He created one big chance and wasted another. He made no defensive interventions and won 3 duels, according to ESPN data.

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A dangerous duo with teammate Antonio Nusa produced the second goal, with Haaland receiving the pass and laying it off to Schjelderup, before calmly settling the result from the spot after a video review. His build-up involvement was limited compared to his teammates, but his presence in the box proved decisive. He turned a low-touch display into a goal and an assist, steering Norway back towards victory after a first-half stumble.

That penalty took Erling Haaland's Norway tally to 66 goals in 60 internationals, a scoring rate that places him in unprecedented historic company.

Next matches

DEN

UEFA Nations League A

17 Nov 2026

14:45

NOR

WAL

UEFA Nations League A

17 Nov 2026

14:45

POR

According to a statistic shared by the "Stats Foot" account, the Manchester City striker became the first European player to reach 66 goals in his first 60 internationals since Gerd Müller, who hit the same mark in a Germany shirt in 1974. It is a striking parallel between two strikers separated by more than five decades.

The international goals are only half of it. The same statistic revealed a rarer distinction: Haaland is the only player in football history to average more than a goal per game both for his senior national team and in the UEFA Champions League, among those who have scored at least 20 goals in each.

Norway moved to 6 points, keeping alive their hopes of chasing second place in the group. They travel to Denmark for the final round on Tuesday evening.

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journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!

Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?

(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?

Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years