Comparing Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe’s records in the Champions League

Now Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have left European football, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland look set to compete with one another for the crown of the world’s best player for years to come.

But how do Mbappe and Haaland’s records compare in the world’s most prestigious cup competition, the Champions League?

Messi and Ronaldo are way out in front as the competition’s two all-time top goalscorers, but Haaland and Mbappe have made such strong starts they can have genuine ambitions of one day eclipsing their tallies.

Mbappe is yet to win the Champions League. He made it to the final in 2020 but couldn’t find a way through as PSG suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Lisbon final.

Haaland is two years younger and burst onto the scene a few years later. He’s only made half as many Champions League appearances as Mbappe but he’s quickly catching up on the Frenchman’s goal tally after making a lightning-fast start with Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund before lifting the trophy – as part of a historic treble – in his debut season with Manchester City.

“There are so many good players and Kylian is one of them. He is so strong. The French are so lucky that he plays for France,” Haaland told Canal+ last year.

“I would like him to play for Norway obviously, but it’s not the case. But yes, he’s an incredible player.

“He’s so fast, so strong and he’s been doing it for so many years. What is he? Two years older than me? It’s crazy. Sometimes you have to tell yourself that he still has ten years of playing at the top level.

“He is phenomenal.”

Here are how the two players compare in the Champions League:

Games: 67 Starts: 59 Sub appearances: 8

Goals: 44 Assists: 26

Penalties scored: 6

Minutes per goal: 120.8 Minutes