Manchester City striker Erling Haaland secured his third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons on Sunday.
Despite missing Pep Guardiola’s final game as City closed out their campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, the Norwegian scored 27 goals in 35 appearances this term, joining Alan Shearer and Harry Kane as a three-time Golden Boot winner.
Haaland was left out of the squad for a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa on Sunday as City celebrated Guardiola’s trophy-laden 10-year reign in his final match.
Despite this absence, the prolific forward won the Golden Boot, finishing ahead of Brentford’s Igor Thiago, who scored 22 goals to earn a Brazil World Cup call-up.
This milestone means the City talisman trails only Mohamed Salah and Thierry Henry, who are the only players to win the accolade four times.
Haaland’s incredible campaign consisted of 2,959 minutes in the top flight, adding to a formidable total of 38 goals in 52 matches across all competitions this season.
Haaland previously secured the award in the 2023-24 season with 27 goals, following a record-breaking debut in 2022-23 when he scored an unprecedented 36 goals to become the highest single-season scorer in the history of the competition.
In total, the clinical talisman has scored 162 goals in 198 appearances during his phenomenal career with City, where he has already been crowned a two-time Premier League champion.
Title heartbreak for City
His importance to the squad was emphasised during a rare lean spell around the turn of the year, which arguably cost his team the title.
Haaland netted just once, from the penalty spot against Brighton, in seven games as City won just twice during that run.
He returned to form for a late season push, scoring the winner away to Liverpool and against Arsenal in a crucial clash last month.
However, after dropping points at Everton and Bournemouth, the Gunners were crowned champions for the first time in 22 years, leaving the Manchester club just short in their quest for another league title.
Read more: Guardiola Insists Man City Exit Is ‘Right Decision’
World Cup focus before post-Guardiola era begins
Looking ahead, the clinical striker will now switch his attention to international duty, focusing on leading Norway in the World Cup.
Haaland, whose contract expires in 2034, will then return to Manchester to spearhead a brand-new era without Guardiola, with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca reportedly set to replace the legendary Catalan tactician in the Etihad dugout.
