Six Footballers With Most Goals In Champions League

Discover the football stars who lit up the UEFA Champions League with their goal-scoring prowess. From Cristiano Ronaldo’s superhero feats to Lionel Messi’s wizardry, explore the top strikers who etched their names in history, making every goal a spectacle in this thrilling competition.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is a superhero in the UEFA Champions League as he scored more goals than anyone else which is 140 in total. That is more than his rival Lionel Messi as he has 129. He did this feat while playing for three different clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. His best days were with Real Madrid, where he scored a whopping 105 goals and helped them win the Champions League four times. He does not just have the record but he also holds the record for the most goals in a single season which is 17 in 2013-14, leading Real Madrid to their 10th title. Ronaldo has been the top scorer seven times.

2. Lionel Messi 

Lionel Messi is the football wizard who holds the second spot for the most goals in Champions League history with an incredible 129 goals. His journey began in 2005 as a young talent with Barcelona. He scored in 18 consecutive seasons and his goals were not just many but also spectacular as they ranged from powerful long-range shots to dribbles ending in finishes. His impact was not just about personal glory, he led Barcelona to four Champions League victories showing his skills. His 120 goals for Barcelona stand as the most for any player at a single club, emphasizing his loyalty and lasting legacy.

3. Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski is the Polish striker who has secured his place among the Champions League’s top scorers and currently ranking third with an impressive 91 goals. His journey began in 2011 with Borussia Dortmund where he quickly made a mark by a memorable four-goal performance against Real Madrid in 2012/13. In 2014, he joined Bayern Munich who reached new heights in goal-scoring. The 2019/20 season was a pinnacle, setting a remarkable record of 15 goals. Despite missing the single-season record, he consistently led the scoring charts showing his dominance on the field.

In 2023, he surpassed Raúl to claim the third-highest scorer title and his recent move to Barcelona added another chapter, breaking records as the oldest scorer for the club in the Champions League.

4. Karim Benzama

Karim Benzema is now in fourth place for all-time Champions League goals with 90 but was recently surpassed by Robert Lewandowski. However, his achievements remain noteworthy. He holds a unique record of scoring in every Champions League season since his debut in 2005-06 which spanned an incredible 18 seasons. As Real Madrid’s third-highest Champions League goalscorer, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul Gonzalez, he has also claimed the title of the top French scorer in the competition by surpassing Thierry Henry. In the 2021-22 season, he became the Champions League top scorer for the first time with 15 goals which played an important role in the success of Real Madrid with a hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain.

5. Raúl

Raúl González Blanco is known as Raúl as he secured his place in Champions League history as the fifth all-time leading scorer with 71 goals, especially considering he spent the majority of his career (1994-2010) with Real Madrid, where he ranks as the third-highest scorer in Champions League history with 66 goals. His Champions League journey began in 1996 and spanned an impressive 14 seasons. He quickly became a prolific scorer and reached 50 Champions League goals in 2005 being the first to make 100 appearances in the tournament. His big-game performances which included goals in two Champions League finals solidified his status as a true legend of the competition.

6. Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Ruud van Nistelrooy holds the sixth position for most goals in the Champions League with 56 goals. Despite not making the top six, his Champions League legacy remains remarkable. He achieved his 56 goals in just 73 appearances and boasted an impressive goals-per-game ratio of 0.77. He held the record for the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the competition (62 appearances) for several years. His most prolific season was in 2002-2003 with Manchester United, where he netted 12 goals. Additionally, he holds the club record for the most Champions League goals for Manchester United with 35, surpassing legends like Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs.

Conclusion

In the epic tale of Champions League goal-scoring, these football legends have left an indelible mark. From Ronaldo’s record-breaking 140 goals to Messi’s dazzling skills, each player brought their unique magic to the pitch. As we celebrate their achievements, the Champions League continues to be a stage where dreams are realized and legacies are forged.