How Haaland set Premier League’s 100-goal record

Erling Haaland has eclipsed Alan Shearer’s record by becoming the fastest player to score 100 goals in Premier League history, achieving this milestone during Manchester City’s victory over Fulham on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old Norwegian, who had the opportunity to play for England internationally, is having a remarkable season, netting 20 goals in 19 matches across all competitions.

Prior to the Fulham match, Haaland had faced a rare spell without scoring, having gone three games without a goal in losses to Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen and the recent win against Leeds.

He returned to scoring form with a fine finish, converting Jeremy Doku’s cross in the first half of a thrilling game that concluded with a 5-4 victory for Manchester City.

«A proud moment,» Haaland expressed to BBC Match of the Day post-match.

«Joining the 100 club is a significant achievement. Accomplishing it this quickly is remarkable. I feel proud and happy.

«I’ve repeated it many times – it’s essential for a City striker to score frequently. That’s my role, and I’m quite good at it!»

On Tuesday, Haaland reached his 100th goal, but opportunities for goals 101 and 102 were also present.

He struck the post twice during a strong performance, also providing two assists.

Haaland tops the league’s scoring list, currently having scored 15 times this season, with Brentford’s Igor Thiago the closest competitor at 11 goals.

Since his transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland has achieved numerous milestones, including surpassing Shearer’s long-held record by reaching 100 goals in only 111 games, a remarkable feat.

Shearer needed 124 matches to achieve the same, but Haaland has a considerable challenge ahead if he aims to match the former England captain’s total of 260 goals since the competition’s inception in 1992-93 after splitting from the English Football League.

Earlier this season, Haaland celebrated with a ‘robot’ dance, and the team’s reliance on their goal-scoring machine is evident as he has contributed to 15 of City’s 32 league goals this season.

«Congratulations, it’s extraordinary,» said Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola regarding Haaland’s milestone.

«What more can I add? He was exceptional today. He was phenomenal and scored a brilliant goal.

«I hope he enjoys this and stays eager to continue scoring for this club.»

Matthew Hobbs, BBC Sport journalist

Erling Haaland’s rise to become the quickest player to net 100 goals in Premier League history appeared all but certain since his inaugural campaign in England.

That took place in 2022-23, where he scored 36 goals – a record for the competition in a single season – in a mere 33 starts.

Haaland has since reached his century of Premier League goals in just 111 matches, surpassing Shearer’s previous record by 13 games.

Haaland joined Manchester City for £51m in the summer of 2022 after spending two and a half seasons at Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, where he netted 62 goals in 67 league games.

The 25-year-old’s goal-scoring rate since moving to the Premier League significantly surpasses that of any top scorer who has played in the competition thus far.

He is also the player who has reached double-digit goals in a Premier League season in the fewest matches, achieving this milestone faster than any other forward in three distinct seasons.

Achieving 100 Premier League goals marks a significant moment in Haaland’s career—just over a year ago, some suggested he was losing his form.

The 2-0 Premier League loss to Liverpool on 1 December 2024, where Haaland seemed isolated, initiated a period where he managed just one goal in seven games across all competitions—his leanest spell in a single season so far.

The Norwegian international would go on to see his lowest goal tally since joining England from the Bundesliga – but it’s noteworthy that Haaland’s «lowest» season still saw him score 34 times for his club across all competitions, including 22 in 31 Premier League matches.

This season, in 2025-26, Haaland has scored 15 goals in 14 Premier League appearances and 20 overall in just 19 matches.

With the former Molde and Salzburg striker’s contract with City extending until 2034, it might just be a matter of time before he surpasses Shearer’s Premier League record of 260 goals.