40 goal contributions per annum takes the lead
Erling Haaland has undoubtedly established himself as the premier goalscorer of his generation, and he has kicked off this season in a breathtaking manner, even surpassing his own high benchmarks. The 25-year-old forward netted a duo of goals against Italy in the World Cup qualifiers, bringing his season total to 32 goals. He has scored 11 goals for Norway thus far and found the back of the net in every qualifying match, helping Norway secure their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
This incredible goal machine has tallied 19 goals in 11 matches for Manchester City, shattering numerous impressive records. Haaland became the fastest player in history to achieve 50 Champions League goals, reaching that milestone in only 49 games and is poised to break his own record for the most goals in a single Premier League season (currently at 36). The former Borussia Dortmund striker has also provided three assists, raising the question: how does his total of 35 goal contributions compare to some of the greatest players ever? Let’s take a closer look!
Top Goal Contributions at This Stage of the Season
Transfermarkt has reviewed historical data from August 1st to November 18th to compile this information. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi takes the top position with an astonishing 40 goal contributions by November 18th during the 2011/12 season. He achieved this with 25 goals and 15 assists for Barcelona and Argentina over 24 matches.
The graphic above shows that Cristiano Ronaldo ranks second, having an excellent start in the 2013/14 season, where he accumulated 36 goal contributions in 21 matches for Real Madrid and Portugal. Haaland’s performance this season places him third. Notably, Messi also recorded 35 goal contributions in 2012, although he played four more games than Haaland. Additionally, both Ronaldo and Messi, along with Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane, appear multiple times within the top 15 list.
