On 8/9 at the Dragao Stadium, Haaland became the visitor's hero in their opening Champions League qualifying round match. He headed in the opening goal in the 47th minute, then struck a low shot into the far corner to seal a 2-0 victory in the 90+1 minute.

This brace against FC Porto not only secured three points for Man City but also helped Haaland equal Aguero's record of 36 Champions League goals for the club. In terms of speed, the Norwegian striker's achievement is more impressive. He reached the record in just 40 matches, 24 fewer than the Argentine legend.

Haaland dribbles during Man City's victory over FC Porto in the Champions League qualifying round on 8/9/2026, in Porto, Portugal. Photo: AP

Including his time at RB Salzburg and Dortmund, Haaland has scored 59 goals in 59 Champions League matches. The 26-year-old striker is now on track to challenge Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 140 goals in 183 appearances.

Haaland joined Man City in the 2022-2023 season, immediately impressing with 52 goals in 53 matches. In the subsequent three seasons, he scored 38 goals (45 matches), 34 goals (48 matches), and 38 goals (52 matches), respectively. Now in his fifth season at the Etihad Stadium, the Norwegian striker has made a perfect start with 5 goals in 5 games.

Haaland is also nearing the position of Man City's all-time leading scorer. With 167 goals in 203 matches, he ranks third behind Aguero (260 goals in 390 matches) and Eric Brook (179 goals in 499 matches).

“Haaland is a beast,” said Enzo Fernandez, who assisted Haaland's opening goal in yesterday's match. “Whenever I play, I look for him. I hope to provide him with many more assists.”

Man City has also started well under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola this summer. Before their Champions League victory over FC Porto, the Etihad Stadium team defeated Bournemouth 2-1, Crystal Palace 4-1, and Coventry City 1-0 in the first three Premier League rounds. Haaland contributed 5 of the team's 12 goals across all competitions.

“I hope the coach is satisfied,” Haaland said. “We won on the opponent's pitch in a tough match. We have to win because at Man City, you must win titles. The coach demands a lot from us, and we must also demand a lot from each other.”

In the 2026-2027 Champions League qualifying round, Man City will face seven more opponents: PSG, AEK Athens, RB Leipzig, Napoli, Barca, Lens, and Sporting. After eight matches, the eight leading teams will advance directly to the round of 16. The 16 teams ranked from 9th to 24th will be paired to compete for the remaining eight spots, while the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated.

Man City ranked 22nd in the 2024-2025 qualifying round, when UEFA first organized it. Afterwards, Haaland and his teammates lost to Real 3-6 on aggregate in the play-off round. They had a better start, ranking eighth in the 2025-2026 qualifying round, but then lost to Real 1-5 in the round of 16.

Thanh Quy (Source: ESPN)