WREXHAM, WALES - APRIL 10: Paul Mullin of Wrexham celebrates with Ollie Palmer and team mates after scoring the team's first goal during the Vanarama National League match between Wrexham and Notts County at The Racecourse on April 10, 2023 in Wrexham, Wales. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
The Manchester City star has broken several records this season but is still a long way behind the Wrexham striker ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final
In his first season in English football, Erling Haaland seems to have broken goalscoring records nearly every other week.
The Norwegian striker won the Premier League Golden Boot with ease, finishing on a single-season record of 36 goals, six ahead of Tottenham star Harry Kane, after becoming the quickest player to 30 goals in the competition’s history.
Haaland is also the current top scorer in the Champions League with 12 goals and having lifted the Premier League a fortnight ago, now has the chance to add the FA Cup to his collection of silverware – and add to his goal tally – as his side face Manchester United in the final at Wembley on Saturday.
However, he has a long way to go if he wants to catch another of this season’s goalscoring sensations, with Wrexham’s own Paul Mullin currently leading the race for the FA Cup Golden Ball, awarded to the competition’s top scorer.
Mullin finished second in the National League goalscoring charts, with his 38 goals in 46 games not enough to beat Notts County’s Macauley Langstaff who scored a staggering 42 goals in 47 appearances.
However, he’s well ahead in the FA Cup standings having scored nine times in just five games. The striker opened his account in the fourth qualifying round against Blyth Spartans before scoring a brace and a hattrick against Oldham and Farnborough respectively in the first and second rounds proper.
He went on to score in every round Wrexham played in, scoring against Coventry and in both games against Sheffield United as his side were knocked out by the Blades in a fourth round replay.
The 28-year-old will be at Wembley on Saturday as he is expected to be awarded the Golden Ball, with Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez his nearest challenger. However, it would take something truly special from the Algerian star to knock Mullin off top spot, as he currently sits in second place with five goals and one assist to his name
Haaland, meanwhile, is way behind with three goals – although these were all scored in City’s quarter final against Burnley as the Norwegian hit one of the six hattricks he’s claimed this season. Teammates Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez are slightly further ahead, with three goals each and one and two assists respectively.
FA Cup Golden Ball standings
- Paul Mullin (Wrexham) – 9 goals, 0 assists (5 games)
- Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) – 5 goals, 1 assist (5 games)
- Armando Dobra (Chesterfield) – 4 goals, 0 assists (4 games)
- Julian Alvarez (Manchester City) – 3 goals, 2 assists (5 games)
- William Osula (Derby County) / Colby Bishop (Portsmouth) / Adedji Oshilaja (Burton Albion) – 3 goals, 1 assist (3 games)
- Luke Norris and Jamie Reid (Stevenage) / Sam Bell (Bristol City)/ Phil Foden (Man City) – 3 goals, 1 assist (4 games)
- Connor Wickham (Forest Green Rovers) – 3 goals, 0 assists (2 games)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City) / Billy Bodin (Oxford United) – 3 goals, 0 assists (3 games)
