Manchester City: Erling Haaland, 11 finals and still no goals

16.08.26 FT Community Shield England

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Manchester City

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Erling Haaland once again walked away from a final without finding the net. Starting for Manchester City in Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, the Norwegian striker failed to make an impact and was substituted with his team already trailing by three goals.

The 2026 Community Shield added another chapter to a truly remarkable statistic for one of this generation's most prolific scorers. With this latest final, Haaland has now played in 11 finals for Manchester City without scoring a single goal. His tally remains stuck at zero in matches where silverware is directly on the line.

The Norwegian has faced this situation in the Community Shield in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026, as well as in the FA Cup finals in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. His drought also extends to the 2023 Champions League final (won against Inter), the 2023 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, and the 2026 League Cup final against Arsenal.

This statistic stands in stark contrast to his usual output. Since joining Manchester City in the summer of 2022, Erling Haaland has scored 162 goals in 198 appearances across all competitions, including 112 in the Premier League over 132 matches. His season-by-season numbers highlight his efficiency: 52 goals in 2022-2023, 38 in 2023-2024, 34 in 2024-2025, and 38 in 2025-2026. Notably, he set the Premier League single-season goal record with 36 in 2022-2023, and has claimed three Golden Boots in four seasons. But in finals, despite this exceptional scoring rate, the Norwegian striker still hasn't found the answer.

The situation is all the more surprising given that Haaland is no stranger to the big stage. He played a key role in Manchester City's Champions League triumph in 2023 and has regularly delivered in crucial moments throughout the club's various campaigns. His struggle to convert chances in finals is therefore more of a statistical anomaly than a true reflection of his overall level.

With yet another goalless final, Haaland maintains a surprising record of 0 goals in 11 finals for Manchester City. It's an anomaly that continues to follow the Norwegian forward, despite his uncanny ability to find the back of the net almost everywhere else.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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