Haaland can break Ronaldo’s record — Guardiola praises star striker after Champions League heroics

Erling Haaland etched his name into Champions League history once again with a milestone goal against Napoli.

Pep Guardiola believes the Norwegian could one day surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record if he maintains his prolific rhythm.

Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Napoli was highlighted by Haaland’s clever header in the 56th minute, which brought his tally to 50 goals in just 49 Champions League appearances.

That achievement shattered the previous benchmark held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who required 62 matches to reach the same milestone, while leaving Lionel Messi (66 matches) and Cristiano Ronaldo (91) even further back.

Guardiola hailed his striker’s extraordinary numbers, noting that he is already standing alongside the greatest names in the competition’s history, including Robert Lewandowski, Messi, and Ronaldo himself.

With the Portuguese legend holding the all-time record of 140 goals, Guardiola insisted Haaland has both the age and consistency to chase it down over the next decade if he maintains his current trajectory.

While Haaland grabbed the headlines, Guardiola also praised Phil Foden, who has returned to form after a difficult spell last season.

Foden, the 2023–24 PFA Player of the Season, followed up his goal against Manchester United with another lively display, creating Haaland’s opener with a clever flick.

Guardiola described him as “the Phil that we know,” and having natural attacking instincts which thrive when embraced by teammates and the club.

The manager emphasised that Foden’s happiness off the pitch directly fuels his performances on it, and with the young star firing again, Manchester City look even more dangerous heading into the rest of their European campaign.