Erling Haaland may be rewriting scoring records at Manchester City, but the Norwegian striker insists he remains far behind football’s ultimate icons — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Despite Pep Guardiola’s open admiration and comparisons between his star forward and the legendary duo, Haaland remains firm that he is not yet at their level.
The 25-year-old forward has been in phenomenal form throughout the 2025/26 season, scoring at a rate that has left both teammates and opponents in awe. Yet, for all his dominance, Haaland rejects Messi and Ronaldo comparison, claims that the two players occupy a realm that no other player can touch.
When asked if he considers himself on par with the pair who have defined modern football for nearly two decades, Haaland’s response was immediate and humble.
“No, not at all,” he said. “Far off. No one can get close to them two, so no.”
It was a statement of respect — and perhaps perspective — from a player whose own numbers already place him among the elite.
After Manchester City’s emphatic win over Bournemouth, in which Haaland netted a brace, Pep Guardiola did not hold back in his praise for the striker. The City boss drew parallels between Haaland’s impact and that of football’s most celebrated names.
“It’s like playing with Messi or Cristiano; his influence is enormous,” Guardiola said. “It’s clear we need other players to score, but he takes the team to another level.”
Guardiola went on to emphasize that Haaland’s importance extends beyond the numbers. His presence, attitude, and hunger to score lift the entire team’s performance.
“The way he struck the first goal… he just knows he will score. He has that hunger. It’s incredible to work with him,” the Spaniard added.
Those comments encapsulate what makes Haaland so vital to Guardiola’s system — a combination of raw power, instinctive finishing, and an unwavering mentality that mirrors the very qualities that once made Messi and Ronaldo untouchable.
Indeed, Haaland’s statistics this season have been nothing short of staggering. The forward has scored 20 goals in 17 appearances across the Premier League, Champions League, and Club World Cup. In league play alone, he has already found the net 13 times in just 10 matches, putting him firmly at the top of the Premier League scoring chart.
Since his arrival at Manchester City, Haaland has amassed 141 goals in 159 matches, contributing 22 assists. Including his time at Molde, RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and the Norwegian national team, his career total has already surpassed 320 goals — a remarkable tally for a player still in his mid-twenties.
For most strikers, those numbers would be a source of pride and motivation. Yet Haaland rejects Messi and Ronaldo comparison even though he once broke Manchester City’s all-time single-season scoring record with 57 goals.
This season, he has already scored 26 goals for club and country combined, putting him on course to break that record again. But in he has insisted that goals and records are not the main objective.
It is this mindset that has endeared Haaland to his teammates and his manager alike. Despite the comparisons with Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of records and Messi’s effortless brilliance, Haaland appears content carving his own path — one built on consistency, teamwork, and improvement rather than personal glory.
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Also, observers have noted that while Ronaldo and Messi dazzled with moments of magic that transcended football itself, Haaland’s genius lies in his simplicity and precision. He is the modern striker distilled to his purest form — a machine built to score goals, yet human enough to acknowledge those who came before him.
Guardiola’s tactical system at Manchester City has also amplified Haaland’s effectiveness. With playmakers feeding him from all angles, Haaland has thrived as the focal point of an attacking machine that seems almost tailor-made for his strengths.
Still, even with Guardiola’s praise ringing in his ears, Haaland rejects Messi and Ronaldo comparison. The mention of those two players, in his eyes, marks a level of sustained greatness that cannot be replicated easily.
