Erling Haaland smashed a Kylian Mbappe record few knew about, their rivalry is getting even spicier

Erling Haaland broke a record previously set by Kylian Mbappe with his incredible five-goal haul for Manchester City against RB Leipzig.

The scoreline was 1-1 after the first leg but Haaland completely killed the tie with a stunning first half hat-trick.

Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne both got in on the act in the second half but Haaland helped himself to a further two to make City history.

The Norway international now has 39 goals in all competitions this term - the most a City player has ever scored in a single season. Tommy Johnson notched 38 in the 1928/29 campaign.

It was a 94-year record that Haaland smashed but he also knocked Mbappe off his perch in reaching another impressive milestone.

He has become the youngest player to reach 30 Champions League goals, doing it aged 22 years and 236 days.

Haaland is 116 days younger than PSG and France star Mbappe, who managed the feat at 22 years and 352 days old.

The former Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund man is also the fastest player to reach such a tally, having done it in 25 appearances.

Haaland and Mbappe are the two most exciting players in world football and look destined to be the natural successors to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The rivalry really kicked off in 2021 when Haaland admitted Mbappe's hat-trick against Barcelona motivated him to score twice against Sevilla.

And only recently, Haaland waxed lyrical about Mbappe, describing him as "phenomenal" and wishing he played alongside him.

"French people are so lucky to have him play for France, I wish he played for Norway of course!" Haaland told Canal Plus.

"He's an amazing player, so quick and so good, and he's been doing it for so many years now already. What is he, two years older than me? It's crazy.

"Sometimes you have to think that he still has 10 years left at the high level. He's phenomenal."

Haaland scored five goals with just 30 touches against Leipzig but he missed out on the chance to break a Lionel Messi record.

No player has ever scored a double hat-trick in the Champions League and though Haaland was close, he was replaced by Julian Alvarez in the 64th minute and admitted he told Guardiola about his frustrations after he went off.

Featured Image Credit: UEFA & PA

Topics: Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Champions League, Kylian Mbappe

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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