The world really is Erling Braut Haaland's oyster right now.

Seldom has the beautiful game seen a young player take the sport by storm with not only raw talent, but the world-class statistics to back it up.

The Norweigan sensation has proven that his lucrative 2019/20 wasn't simply lightning in a bottle with an astonishing start to his first full season with Borussia Dortmund.

Haaland going from strength to strength

In fact, Haaland has only gotten better, which is no small statement when his first six months in the Bundesliga produced a debut hat-trick off the bench and 13 league goals from 15 appearances.

We say that because Haaland has scored more goals than he's played games throughout the 2020/21 campaign, boasting a mind-boggling record of 17 strikes from just 13 matches.

And even if you're a pessimist dismissing the quality of German's top flight, you only have to look at Haaland's Champions League stats to appreciate that his record isn't a matter of circumstance.

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Haaland thriving in Europe

Haaland is currently the top scorer in Europe's premier competition having bagged four goals home and away against Club Brugge, while also finding the net in Lazio and Zenit St. Petersburg clashes.

The visit of Brugge to Signal Iduna Park was the most recent of those goal-scoring efforts with the former Red Bull Salzburg man defying Simon Mignolet either side of a Jadon Sancho free-kick.

It moved Haaland to a total of 16 Champions League goals, which might not sound Earth-shattering at first glance, but is truly remarkable when you consider he's achieved it in merely 12 games. 

That's not to mention the fact he only entered his twenties during the summer, so his latest achievement is well worth commending and puts him amongst some revered company.

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Haaland outscoring legends

In fact, BT Sport pointed out during Dortmund's win that Haaland now boasts more Champions League goals than some of the world's finest strikers and greatest players of all time.

Yeh, seriously and we've decided to take that even further by name 15 world-class footballers, both past and present, that Haaland has outscored in the competition while barely breaking a sweat:

15. Dennis Bergkamp - 7 goals

14. Christian Vieri - 10 goals

=12. Michael Owen - 11 goals

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=12. Diego Costa - 11 goals

=10. Olivier Giroud - 13 goals

=10. Carlos Tevez - 13 goals

=5. Adriano - 14 goals

=5. Miroslav Klose - 14 goals

=5. David Villa - 14 goals

=5. Ronaldo Nazario - 14 goals

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=5. Zinedine Zidane - 14 goals

=2. Paulo Dybala - 15 goals

=2. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 15 goals

=2. Roberto Firmino - 15 goals

1. Erling Braut Haaland - 16 goals

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Haaland on course for history

Wow, wow, wow. Haaland finds himself above everything from Ballon d'Or winners to the World Cup's record goalscorer and a member of the Premier League 100-club with his scoring spree.

Sure, you can sprinkle a pinch of salt on players like Zidane because of his playing position and Ronaldo due to his injuries, but any list where you're above those superstars is impressive going.

Besides, we're not talking about a striker entering his prime or nearing retirement, but a 20-year-old who, at this rate, could sweep all records before him.

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It's fair to say Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will be quaking in their statistical boots if Haaland can maintain a trajectory that will set him up for Ballon d'Or glory and Champions League history.