Erling Haaland has written his name into another piece of Premier League history. The Manchester City striker's second-half goal in City's 5-3 victory over Sunderland means he has now scored against every single top-flight opponent he has faced — all 25 of them — making him just the second player ever to hold that distinction.
The only other man to have managed the same feat is England captain Harry Kane, who during his time in the Premier League netted against all 32 clubs he came up against. Both players achieved the record with a minimum of two opponents faced, so the benchmark is a genuine one. Haaland could yet extend his tally to 26 should he find the net against Hull City, who are among the newly promoted sides he is still to face this season.
Lampard Still Leads the All-Time List
For all the attention Haaland's achievement rightly attracts, neither he nor Kane feature in the top ten when ranked by the sheer number of different opponents scored against — and that puts the record in proper context. The all-time leader in that particular table is Frank Lampard, now manager at Coventry City, whose 178 Premier League goals between 1997 and 2015 were spread across 39 different clubs. That is a staggering breadth of destruction across nearly two full decades in the top flight.
Andrew Cole sits second on 38, while Alan Shearer and Jermain Defoe both registered against 37 different sides. Wayne Rooney and Teddy Sheringham complete the top six on 36 and 35 respectively.
Completing an eleven-strong group who each scored against 34 different Premier League opponents are Thierry Henry, Michael Owen, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Ryan Giggs. Five players, one number — a remarkable coincidence that underlines just how fiercely competitive careers at the top were across that era.
The Full Top-11 Breakdown
- Frank Lampard – 39 different opponents
- Andrew Cole – 38
- Alan Shearer – 37
- Jermain Defoe – 37
- Wayne Rooney – 36
- Teddy Sheringham – 35
- Thierry Henry – 34
- Michael Owen – 34
- Paul Scholes – 34
- Steven Gerrard – 34
- Ryan Giggs – 34
What It Means for Haaland's Legacy
The Norwegian's achievement speaks to a ruthlessness that sets him apart even within an elite group. Whereas the players dominating the all-time list accumulated their totals across lengthy careers and dozens of clubs encountered, Haaland has done it at pace, with an efficiency that is almost unsettling. His goals-per-game rate in the Premier League remains among the highest the division has ever seen, and the record he now shares with Kane adds yet another line to what is rapidly becoming a historic CV.
Whether he can eventually challenge the raw numbers produced by Lampard and Cole will depend on longevity, fitness and, crucially, whether he continues to face opponents he has not yet scored against. For now, though, the noises out of the Etihad point to a player who shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.
Frequently asked
- Who has scored against the most Premier League teams ever?
- Frank Lampard holds the record, having scored against 39 different Premier League opponents during his career between 1997 and 2015. Andrew Cole is second with 38.
- Has Erling Haaland scored against every Premier League team?
- Haaland has scored against every Premier League side he has faced so far — 25 different clubs. He is one of only two players in Premier League history to have scored against every opponent they have played against, the other being Harry Kane.
- How many Premier League teams did Harry Kane score against?
- Harry Kane scored against all 32 Premier League clubs he faced during his time in the top flight, making him — alongside Haaland — one of only two players to have scored against every opponent they played.