Erling Haaland has become the fastest player in Premier League history to net 100 goals; who are the great strikers he has overtaken?
The Premier League has seen many outstanding forwards such as Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, and Sergio Aguero. However, perhaps no one has made as immediate and powerful an impact as Erling Haaland since joining Manchester City.
The Norwegian striker adapted to English football as naturally as a fish to water, to the point where going a match without scoring was seen as a minor crisis. After scoring his 100th Premier League goal against Fulham, Haaland officially became the fastest player to reach this milestone in the league's history.
Below is the list of players who reached 100 goals the fastest in the Premier League with Haaland standing alone at the summit.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 180
Andy Cole and Michael Owen share the 10th spot, both reaching 100 goals after 185 appearances.
Andy Cole was a true "penalty box assassin," scoring many goals for Newcastle, Manchester United, and Blackburn. He once held the Premier League top scorer record with 34 goals before Erling Haaland broke it in the 2022/23 season.
Meanwhile, Owen was England's prodigy. The former Liverpool legend won the Golden Boot twice in his twenties. Had he not moved to Real Madrid, Owen’s Premier League legacy would likely have been even greater.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 178
After a highly successful spell at QPR, Les Ferdinand proved he could perform at the highest level by continuing to shine at Newcastle United, a team competing for the Premier League title.
His best season in the top flight came in his debut year at St James’ Park, scoring 25 goals in just 37 matches in the Premier League. The following season, Ferdinand added another 16 goals.
Although he couldn’t maintain that form in subsequent seasons and was eventually released by Newcastle, Ferdinand unexpectedly revived his career at Leicester, netting 12 goals in 29 Premier League games.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 175
A genuine "killer" with a natural goal-scoring instinct, Robbie Fowler may have grown up as an Everton fan but became a Liverpool legend after rising through The Reds' academy.
Despite earning only 26 England caps, mainly because the national team had many quality forwards during his era, Fowler proved at Anfield why he was one of the finest strikers. Between 1994 and 1996, he scored over 25 Premier League goals in consecutive seasons and continued to score double digits at Leeds United and Manchester City.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 173
One of the most beloved figures in football today, almost no one dislikes Ian Wright. His cheerful and friendly personality made him popular everywhere, despite playing for Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and West Ham.
A truly great striker, Wright was known for his ability to exploit space behind defenders and his creative finishing with technically delicate chips. Most of his Premier League goals came while playing for Arsenal, where he became one of the club’s top scorers and held the record for the greatest Arsenal goal scorer before Thierry Henry emerged.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 162
Mohamed Salah’s remarkable success at Liverpool often overshadows that he scored his first Premier League goals at Chelsea, netting twice in 13 games. However, it was only after moving to Liverpool in the summer of 2018 from AS Roma that Salah truly exploded in English football. The Egyptian star made an immediate impact and reached 100 Premier League goals in a 3-0 win over Leeds United in September 2021.
Since then, Salah has continuously broken personal records, proving his consistency to the extent that no one would be surprised if he reaches 200 Premier League goals this season.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 160
One of the greatest forwards in football history, Thierry Henry had a difficult start after joining Arsenal from Juventus, enduring a goal drought while adjusting to English football. He failed to score or assist in his first seven Premier League matches.
But once he adapted to life at Highbury, Henry became unstoppable. He passed 50 goals in just 83 games and reached 100 goals after 160 appearances. His 100th goal was the first of a brace against Southampton in February 2004, during Arsenal’s historic "Invincibles" season.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 147
After proving himself as one of Europe’s top strikers at Atletico Madrid, Sergio Aguero showed the world why he was regarded as a lethal finisher upon joining Manchester City. The Argentine adapted to English football like a fish to water, scoring eight goals in his first five Premier League matches and reaching 100 goals in just 147 games.
Aguero’s 100th goal came in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle in April 2016, in a season where Manuel Pellegrini’s side finished fourth. Nonetheless, Aguero cemented his place in history as one of the Premier League’s greatest scorers.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 141
Before becoming Bayern Munich’s main striker, Harry Kane was expected to break Alan Shearer’s record of 260 goals. His journey from an unknown forward to one of the world’s best strikers and England captain is a testament to his relentless work ethic, especially considering he scored only 3 goals in his first 19 Premier League games.
Once he adjusted to the league’s pace, Kane accelerated impressively. The former Tottenham star reached 100 goals after just 141 matches, scoring six hat-tricks between his 50th and 100th goals.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 124
Before Erling Haaland’s arrival, Alan Shearer was the untouchable top scorer in Premier League history. The Newcastle legend reached 100 goals in just 124 matches. He actually began scoring in the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers, netting a brace on the opening day of the 1992/1993 season, the Premier League’s inaugural campaign.
Shearer hit 50 goals after 66 games and scored the next 50 in only 58 matches. His 100th goal came in a 2-1 win over Tottenham in December 1995. Now that this record has been broken, Shearer must be watching nervously as Haaland approaches his all-time scoring record of 260 goals.
Matches taken to reach 100 Premier League goals: 111
And here is the player atop the list, the fastest to reach 100 Premier League goals: Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker’s achievements since joining Manchester City are incredible, constantly breaking records. A goal-scoring machine who almost never fails to score, Haaland has established himself as the best striker in English football in recent seasons.
Haaland already holds the record for the fewest matches to reach 50 Premier League goals, and looking ahead, it’s hard to imagine anyone surpassing him on this list. Haaland’s number one spot seems firmly secured.