Some strikers love to caress the ball, take another three touches, dance past the defender, and then finish with elegance. And then there’s Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian striker has developed a philosophy all of his own, best summed up like this: don’t waste any time. At the ongoing 2026 World Cup, Manchester City’s goal machine is taking this minimalism to historic levels.
According to the data experts at ‘Opta’, Haaland is the absolute definition of efficiency: every single one of his 10 shots at this World Cup so far has been a first-time effort!Â
You heard that right. Ten shots, ten taken first time and on the move — no annoying first touch, no long hesitation. According to Opta, that is the highest rate of any player at the tournament with at least six attempts to their name.
Just how far ahead he is becomes clear when you look at the rest of the World Cup scorers’ stats.
From a German perspective, there’s an interesting detail: Kai Havertz is tied for seventh in this ranking. Of his 8 total shots, he has taken 6 first time — an impressive rate of 75 percent!
But when it comes to the Norwegian’s ruthless efficiency, no one at this tournament can match him. Not even CR7.Â
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
