The Cristiano Ronaldo record Sebastien Haller is about to break

Ajax forward, Sebastien Haller is closing in one of Cristiano Ronaldo's records in the UEFA Champions League. The Ivorian striker was at it again, scoring on Matchday 2 of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League against Besiktas, to take his tally in this season's competition to 5 so far. His first-half goal was enough to cement his team's victory at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Tuesday.

How many goals has Sebastien Haller scored in the UEFA Champions League?

The former West Ham United striker has hit the ground running in European competitions for Ajax. After suffering the misfortune of being accidentally omitted from Ajax's Europa League squad last season, the 27-year-old striker has now taken to the Champions League like a duck to water. Haller has scored 5 goals in just 2 Group C matches so far.

Sebastien Haller announced himself to the European elites when he scored 4 goals against Sporting Lisbon on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League last week. The France-born forward then added 1 goal on Matchday 2 to reach 5 goals and maintain his lead at the top of the UEFA Champions League top-scorers list for at least another night. With 4 group stage games to go, Haller would also aim for a place in history by breaking a Cristiano Ronaldo record.

Cristiano Ronaldo's UEFA Champions group stage record

5 goals in 2 UEFA Champions League group stage games and with 4 group stage games to go means that Sebastien Haller can realistically beat Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 9 group stage goals set with Real Madrid during 2013/14 season. Ronaldo's haul remains the highest that any player has scored in the 6-game group stage format of the UEFA Champions League.

Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan - 2002/03) and Filipo Inzaghi (Milan - 2002/03) are the next closest with 8 goals scored in the same season. Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ibrahimovic both scored 8 group stage goals during the 2004/05 and 2013/14 UEFA Champions League campaigns. Sebastien Haller will next play a doubleheader against Borussia Dortmund and coming up against another striking sensation, Erling Haaland.