Haaland Sets New Nations League Scoring Record, Leaves Ronaldo and Mitrović Behind

Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland has asserted his dominance in the UEFA Nations League, now standing alone as the competition's highest-ever goalscorer. The prolific Manchester City striker recently netted a brace against Denmark, marking the onset of the 2026/27 Nations League season. This impressive performance elevated his total to 21 goals across just 16 appearances. UEFA confirmed on Saturday that Haaland's closest rivals are Serbia's Aleksandar Mitrović and Portugal's iconic captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom have accumulated 15 goals in the tournament.

Following closely behind are Kosovo's Vedat Muriqi with 14 goals, and Belgian powerhouse Romelu Lukaku, who has found the net 13 times. Haaland's remarkable achievement in the Nations League adds to his growing list of accolades, notably becoming Norway's all-time leading scorer in 2024. During that year, he netted two goals against Slovenia, successfully eclipsing Jørgen Juve's long-standing national record, which had been unbroken since 1934.

Launched in 2018, the UEFA Nations League has consistently showcased some of Europe's most effective goal-getters. Cristiano Ronaldo, a prominent figure in the competition's history, famously notched a hat-trick against Switzerland during the semi-final of its very first edition. Further down the all-time scoring chart, Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres, fresh off a stellar 2024/25 season, holds the sixth position with 11 goals, while France's dynamic Kylian Mbappé has tallied 10.

Other notable scorers who have reached the nine-goal mark include Edin Džeko of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark's Christian Eriksen, and Danel Sinani from Luxembourg. Players with eight goals to their name feature Memphis Depay (Netherlands), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze (both from Georgia), Stefan Mugoša (Montenegro), Teemu Pukki (Finland), and Benjamin Šeško (Slovenia).

The comprehensive list of the UEFA Nations League's all-time leading scorers is as follows:

1. Erling Haaland (Norway) — 21 goals

2. Aleksandar Mitrović (Serbia) — 15

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) — 15

4. Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo) — 14

5. Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) — 13

6. Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden) — 11

7. Kylian Mbappé (France) — 10

8. Edin Džeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina) — 9

9. Christian Eriksen (Denmark) — 9

10. Danel Sinani (Luxembourg) — 9

11. Memphis Depay (Netherlands) — 8

12. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia) — 8

13. Georges Mikautadze (Georgia) — 8

14. Stefan Mugoša (Montenegro) — 8

15. Teemu Pukki (Finland) — 8

16. Benjamin Šeško (Slovenia) — 8

Despite Haaland's current lead, the 2026/27 Nations League campaign is still in its early stages, and the scoring hierarchy remains fluid. Matchday 2 is set to commence on Sunday, promising more goal-scoring action. A highly anticipated fixture will see Haaland's Norway go head-to-head with Ronaldo's Portugal on Sunday. Many other players featured on UEFA's all-time list are also expected to participate in Matchday 2. With 26 matches slated between September 27 and 29, there are ample chances for top scorers to boost their goal counts. Given that numerous players on the all-time list are actively competing in the current season, significant shifts in the standings are highly probable as the league phase unfolds. PUNCH Online previously reported that these ongoing Nations League matches are being played within a 16-day FIFA international break, spanning from September 24 to October 6. This window facilitates national teams in fulfilling their scheduled fixtures alongside other global international commitments. Looking ahead, Matchday 3 of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League is penciled in for September 30 to October 3, 2026, with the majority of games scheduled between October 1 and 3.