The Champions League ended the year with a match that left much more than a defeat for Real Madrid at the hands of Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Rodrygo Goes‘ goal in the 28th minute was not enough to contain the English team. Nico O’Reilly equalized and Erling Haaland’s penalty gave City the victory, but also a new record that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo could achieve.
Haaland makes history in the Champions League
Erling made his 50th start in the competition and visited Real Madrid’s stadium for the fourth time in his career yesterday, but unlike previous occasions, he scored his first goal.
With this goal, the Norwegian became the player with the most goals: 55 goals in 50 starts. Neither Messi nor Cristiano have scored so many goals.
On the other hand, what caught the attention of his goal was his strange celebration. After scoring his penalty, Erling showed no emotion, but walked calmly and smiled.
However, he later revealed that he did so in reference to the mythological hero Achilles and a viral meme circulating on Instagram.
“The first thing is from Achilles, when I just walk, pretending that nothing is happening,” the Manchester City striker began, adding: “And this is also from a meme on Instagram. It was the first thing that came to mind. I don’t plan any celebrations, I shouldn’t because then I’ll probably end up with the longest scoring drought in history. I never plan anything,” Haaland confessed with a laugh, referring to the Apple TV+ series “Your Friends and Neighbors” in which Jon Hamm plays “Andrew Coop.”
Meanwhile, Haaland is preparing to compete in the FIFA World Cup. After the draw, the Norwegian team will be in Group I, along with France, Senegal, and the winner of the second playoff between Bolivia, Suriname, and Iraq.
Norway will play its opening match on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, against the playoff winner at Boston Stadium. They will then face Senegal on Monday, June 22, at New Jersey Stadium in New York.
Finally, the most anticipated match is between Erling and France’s Kylian Mbappé, which will take place on Friday, June 26, at Boston Stadium. Both stars will arrive at a key moment in their professional careers, and soccer fans are already excited about this clash of strikers, the third in the group stage.
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