Erling Haaland continued his remarkable form with a hat-trick for Norway on Saturday, taking him to 50 international goals. The Manchester City forward achieved the feat in just 46 appearances, surpassing Brazil legend Pelé, who reached the same mark in 49 games.
The striker’s performance against Israel was part of a 5–0 win, with Haaland contributing three of the goals. This milestone places him among the fastest male footballers to reach 50 international goals, and he is the first to do so in more than five decades.
At the club level, Haaland’s current season has been equally impressive. He has netted 12 goals in only nine matches, highlighting a level of consistency that has drawn worldwide attention.
Comparison with football greats
Haaland’s international record outpaces some of the game’s biggest names. At the same stage in their careers, Cristiano Ronaldo had 17 goals after 46 matches for Portugal, while Lionel Messi had scored 13 for Argentina.
Norway’s assistant coach Kent Bergersen praised the striker’s scoring ability. “There are no words to describe him,” he said. “He finds the net in every way imaginable.”
Teammate Alexander Sørloth also emphasized Haaland’s constant improvement. “You think you’ve seen it all, but he keeps getting better. His stats are incredible,” Sørloth added.
Haaland could have increased his tally even further during the Israel match. He had a first-half penalty saved, and when a retake was ordered, he missed again. Despite this, manager Ståle Solbakken joked about the forward’s exceptional talent: “I discovered that he’s from the same planet as the rest of us.”
Fastest players to 50 international goals
| Player | Country | Games Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Poul Nielsen | Denmark | 36 |
| Gerd Müller | West Germany | 41 |
| Ferenc Puskás | Hungary | 41 |
| Sándor Kocsis | Hungary | 42 |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | 46 |
| Pelé | Brazil | 49 |
Haaland’s achievement cements his status as one of football’s most prolific forwards, setting a new benchmark for efficiency at the international level.