Top Champions League goalscorers of all time: Cristiano Ronaldo receives special award as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah close in on Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is now in the top ten of the all-time Champions League goalscorers list but he has a long way to go to catch leader Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe has been a regular scorer in UEFA‘s elite competition and he is now finding the net for Real Madrid in Europe this season. Ronaldo’s goal record under the old format will never be brokenAFP However, the French superstar will have to be prolific for years to catch former Real and Manchester United superstar Ronaldo. The footballing icon leads the way with a staggering total while the legendary Lionel Messi is just behind. The Champions League expansion means there will be more games than ever, which is why UEFA have honoured Ronaldo with a special award to recognise his status as the all-time scorer under the old format. Having more games to play will benefit the chasing pack that includes Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah and Man City’s Erling Haaland. Salah, who is on 45 goals, is only one in front of Haaland who has miraculously scored more times than he’s played games in the competition so far. Meanwhile, Harry Kane became the highest English goalscorer in Champions League history on matchday one of the 24/25 campaign. But none of those three stars have scored enough to be included in the top ten Champions League goalscorers ever… 10= Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain) – 48 goals in 124 games Ibrahimovic played for some of the world’s biggest clubsGetty Ibrahimovic had a Champions League career spanning an incredible 14 years, scoring his first goal with Ajax in 2002. Over his career among Europe’s elite, he netted 48 goals which has him just inside the top 10 scorers of all time. The iconic striker represented SEVEN teams in the competition and his final strike came for PSG against Manchester City in July 2016. 10= Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea) – 48 goals in 100 games Shevchenko was a goal machine at Milan but he failed to replicate his goal-scoring form at ChelseaGetty Shevchenko’s Champions League career was even longer than Ibrahimovic’s… The Ukrainian legend made his debut in the competition for Dynamo Kyiv in 1994 and his final appearance was for the same club in 2009. In between that time, he netted 46 times, with the large majority coming for AC Milan before struggling more for Chelsea. 9. Kylian Mbappe (AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid) – 49 goals in 76 games Mbappe scored on his Champions League debut for MadridGetty The Champions League has been dominated by Mbappe in more recent seasons and he’s made it into the top 10 already. At 25 years old, the Frenchman is the youngest player on this list, with his scoring now continuing for Real Madrid. He broke a record at 18 for reaching 10 goals in the competition and he has scored at least four goals in every campaign he’s played in. 8. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) – 50 goals in 112 games Henry regularly found the back of the net in Europe’s biggest tournament Arsenal icon Henry is inside the top ten scores with 50 goals. A large majority of his strikes came while playing for the Gunners but he never managed to get his hands on the Champions League trophy. That was until he joined Barcelona and achieved success with the Spanish giants, scoring five goals in their title-winning campaign. 7. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) 54 goals in 153 games Muller is an all-time great for BayernAFP Bayern legend Muller is an incredibly underrated player. He is very rarely included in conversations of the best ever, but his record in the Champions League has him in the history books. As a two-time winner of the competition too, the forward has to go down as one of the best players ever in Europe. 6. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) – 56 goals in 73 games Van Nistelrooy’s goals-to-games ratio is incredibleGetty Van Nistelrooy is a three-time Champions League top scorer and therefore it is no surprise to see him sixth in this list. The Manchester United legend, and interim manager, almost averages a goal per game in UEFA’s primary competition. He never got his hands on the trophy but his individual legacy continues as one of the highest goalscorers ever. 5. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) – 71 goals in 142 games Raul is one of football’s greatest strikers Real Madrid icon Raul is another player to often be left out of the greatest players in football debate. However, he played over 140 times in the Champions League, winning it three times and scoring 71 goals in the process. All the titles and almost all of those goals came for Los Blancos, while a late-career spell at Schalke saw him add five to his tally. 4. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid) – 90 goals in 152 games Benzema led
Kylian Mbappe is now in the top ten of the all-time Champions League goalscorers list but he has a long way to go to catch leader Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mbappe has been a regular scorer in UEFA‘s elite competition and he is now finding the net for Real Madrid in Europe this season.
However, the French superstar will have to be prolific for years to catch former Real and Manchester United superstar Ronaldo.
The footballing icon leads the way with a staggering total while the legendary Lionel Messi is just behind.
The Champions League expansion means there will be more games than ever, which is why UEFA have honoured Ronaldo with a special award to recognise his status as the all-time scorer under the old format.
Having more games to play will benefit the chasing pack that includes Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah and Man City’s Erling Haaland.
Salah, who is on 45 goals, is only one in front of Haaland who has miraculously scored more times than he’s played games in the competition so far.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane became the highest English goalscorer in Champions League history on matchday one of the 24/25 campaign.
But none of those three stars have scored enough to be included in the top ten Champions League goalscorers ever…
10= Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain) – 48 goals in 124 games
Ibrahimovic had a Champions League career spanning an incredible 14 years, scoring his first goal with Ajax in 2002.
Over his career among Europe’s elite, he netted 48 goals which has him just inside the top 10 scorers of all time.
The iconic striker represented SEVEN teams in the competition and his final strike came for PSG against Manchester City in July 2016.
10= Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea) – 48 goals in 100 games
Shevchenko’s Champions League career was even longer than Ibrahimovic’s…
The Ukrainian legend made his debut in the competition for Dynamo Kyiv in 1994 and his final appearance was for the same club in 2009.
In between that time, he netted 46 times, with the large majority coming for AC Milan before struggling more for Chelsea.
9. Kylian Mbappe (AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid) – 49 goals in 76 games
The Champions League has been dominated by Mbappe in more recent seasons and he’s made it into the top 10 already.
At 25 years old, the Frenchman is the youngest player on this list, with his scoring now continuing for Real Madrid.
He broke a record at 18 for reaching 10 goals in the competition and he has scored at least four goals in every campaign he’s played in.
8. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) – 50 goals in 112 games
Arsenal icon Henry is inside the top ten scores with 50 goals.
A large majority of his strikes came while playing for the Gunners but he never managed to get his hands on the Champions League trophy.
That was until he joined Barcelona and achieved success with the Spanish giants, scoring five goals in their title-winning campaign.
7. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) 54 goals in 153 games
Bayern legend Muller is an incredibly underrated player.
He is very rarely included in conversations of the best ever, but his record in the Champions League has him in the history books.
As a two-time winner of the competition too, the forward has to go down as one of the best players ever in Europe.
6. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) – 56 goals in 73 games
Van Nistelrooy is a three-time Champions League top scorer and therefore it is no surprise to see him sixth in this list.
The Manchester United legend, and interim manager, almost averages a goal per game in UEFA’s primary competition.
He never got his hands on the trophy but his individual legacy continues as one of the highest goalscorers ever.
5. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) – 71 goals in 142 games
Real Madrid icon Raul is another player to often be left out of the greatest players in football debate.
However, he played over 140 times in the Champions League, winning it three times and scoring 71 goals in the process.
All the titles and almost all of those goals came for Los Blancos, while a late-career spell at Schalke saw him add five to his tally.
4. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid) – 90 goals in 152 games
Another iconic Real Madrid striker joins this list of goalscorers, with Benzema netting 90 times.
The Frenchman scored his first Champions League goal for Lyon in 2005/06 and after a move to Madrid, he put together a superb record.
Remarkably in 2021/22, he netted 15 times in 12 games, leading his side to their 14th trophy in this competition at the time.
3. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona) – 97 goals in 123 games
Lewandowski is showing no signs of stopping in Europe.
At 36 years old, the Polish striker is still scoring for Barcelona and he is now nearing the 100 mark in the Champions League.
He starred for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the competition, winning his only title with the latter in 2020.
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain) – 129 goals in 163 games
There’s no surprise to see Messi in the top two of this list.
The iconic Argentinian scored 129 goals in 163 games in the Champions League before making his move to the MLS.
He has four European titles to his name, while also holding multiple records that include the most group-stage goals ever (71), most round-of-16 goals (29) and the most successive scoring seasons.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus) 140 goals in 183 games
The king of the Champions League is Ronaldo.
His 140 goals for Man United, Real Madrid and Juventus make him the highest goalscorer in the history of the competition.
The Portuguese legend netted 17 times in one campaign in 2013/14 which is a record that still stands and may never be broken.
He’s also scored the most ever knockout stages goals (67) and the most hat-tricks (8) ever seen in the tournament.
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