Erling Haaland has warned opponents that, despite his phenomenal goalscoring record for Manchester City, he is far from the finished product.

The Norwegian forward, who faces former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday, has already scored 26 goals in 16 games this season for club and country.

Last month, former England striker Alan Shearer suggested that if Haaland stays long enough in the Premier League, he could shatter his own all-time record of 260 goals.

When asked at City’s pre-match press conference whether he could surpass his 52-goal haul from the 2022/23 season — when City won the treble of the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup — Haaland joked:

“Not to sound arrogant, but which one?”

Clarified by a reporter as a reference to his 36 Premier League goals that season, Haaland remained humble, insisting his focus is on the team rather than individual records:

“I can’t think about records I can break. That’s the last thing I think of. I try to help the team win football games. That’s my job and that’s my main focus. I know it’s boring. I know you want me to say the complete opposite, but that’s not how it is.”

At 1.95 metres (6’5”), the marauding striker admitted he is still developing as a player, particularly in his heading ability:

“I think you can always get better and better. So there’s something I try to practise still, and you can see I’m getting better and better — and there’s still a long way to go.”

City boss Pep Guardiola has made Haaland part of his leadership team and praised his character:

“He’s a real world-class player who is incredibly humble. I know he wants to score goals, but he always wants what’s best for the team. That is difficult to find. He has talent, kindness, whatever you want to say. Of course he has to score goals — that’s the best way to help us — but he’s involved in many things beyond that.”

Haaland, who became a father last year, reflected on his personal growth:

“I’m still the same kid in some situations, still that kid from Bryne in Norway, but with much more experience in life.”

Even with his record-breaking numbers, Haaland’s message is clear: he is focused on improvement and helping Manchester City, not chasing personal milestones.