Look, we don't need to tell you that Erling Haaland is a stupidly good footballer for a 22-year-old.
The Norwegian has been a sensation for Manchester City this season. Having joined after making a mockery of the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, Haaland has proceeded to achieve similarly incredible numbers in front of goal at the Etihad.
Ahead of City's Champions League last 16 tie against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, Haaland stood on 34 goals from 35 games this season, after a lightning start to the season.
He already had four hat tricks so far this season ahead of Tuesday night's game - before he added another five to his tally in a 6-0 rout against Leipzig, as City marched through to the quarter finals 7-1 on aggregate.
Erling Haaland defies belief with five-goal showing v RB Leipzig
Erling Haaland's form thus far in 2022-23 has produced extraordinary numbers, and his Champions League exploits played no small part in that. He had scored five from five games across the group stage and the first leg of the knockout rounds - before going on to double his tally in a frankly silly performance against RB Leipzig on Tuesday.
Haaland had a hat-trick by half-time though it was, admittedly, not the most spectacular we've ever seen. The awarding of the penalty with which he scored his first was contentious, while his second came from some wild Leipzig play immediately after the restart.
Straight from kick-off! 🤯
Haaland doubles City's lead vs Leipzig in dramatic fashion 🔵 pic.twitter.com/27PXgVZFpl— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) March 14, 2023
He would complete his hat-trick in first-half injury time with a rebound from inside the six-yard box, before powering on in the second half.
Haaland had completed his five goal haul before the hour mark, and left commentators Guy Mowbray and Andy Townsend - as well as the general footballing public - in disbelief.
"NO WAY, NO WAY!!!" 🤯
FIVE goals for Erling Haaland tonight 🤩🔵 pic.twitter.com/LDjUpstCdu— LiveScore (@livescore) March 14, 2023
When Pep Guardiola subbed Haaland off after 63 minutes, the Norwegian did not seem happy, and there was a sense that Haaland would have scored six or seven if he had been offered the opportunity.
It was a remarkable performance from City's machine up front, especially against one of the most sought after centre-backs in Europe in Josko Gvardiol.
Erling Haaland joined an exclusive club with his five-goal spree on Tuesday, with only two players having previously scored five goals in a single European Cup game since it became the Champions League in 1992. Luiz Adriano was the most recent player to achieve the feat, scoring five in a 7-0 demolition of BATE Borisov by Shakhtar in 2014.
The first to ever achieve the feat was the legendary Lionel Messi, almost exactly 11 years ago. Messi scored a sensational quintet (citation needed) of goals against Bayer Leverkusen in the last 16 in 2012, making him and Haaland the only players ever to score five goals in a single knockout Champions League game.
Five hat tricks and 39 goals in 35 games for Erling Haaland in 2022-23. And we're not even midway through March yet. And he's only 22. Who knows what he can go on to accomplish this season.
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