Top 10 players with most goals in Champions League history

The UEFA Champions League undoubtedly represents the pinnacle of football excellence and its highest scorers are some of the best players in the world. This prestigious annual tournament brings together the foremost European football clubs, each featuring top-tier talent, as they compete for supremacy. The competition has delivered unforgettable moments of joy, triumph, enchantment, and despair, solidifying its status as a remarkable sporting event.

The Champions League is considered the biggest prize in club football. Many clubs and players make it their perennial ambition to get their hands on the illustrious trophy. Among the many who have, a few have had the privilege of winning the trophy and this was through their stellar efforts on the pitch for their respective sides.

In this article, let’s take a look at the top 10 highest goalscorers in Europe’s premier club football competition.

10. Erling Haaland – 49 goals

Erling Haaland of Manchester City has scored 49 goals in Europe’s premier club football tournament. He consistently demonstrates his value to the team, maintaining an impressive scoring record. Despite his remarkable contributions, he has secured only one Champions League title throughout his career. With City still in the competition, he will hope it could be his turn for another UCL trophy by the end of the season.

9. Thierry Henry – 50 goals

Thierry Henry, a legendary figure in both Arsenal and French football, netted 50 goals in 112 appearances for AS Monaco, Arsenal, and FC Barcelona. During his tenure in North London, the iconic French striker came close to securing the title, ultimately falling short in the 2006 final against his future club, Barcelona.

But, Henry more than made up for it as he won the crown with Barcelona in 2008-09 as part of a trio consisting of him, a young Lionel Messi, and Samuel Eto’o. Henry was part of the Blaugrana team that completed an unprecedented sextuple- winning every major trophy in 2009.

8. Kylian Mbappe – 52 goals

Kylian Mbappe has made a significant impact in the competition while representing three different clubs, although his time with Real Madrid is still relatively new. The former AS Monaco and PSG forward has achieved remarkable success in the realm of football. He notably astonished Argentina during the 2022 FIFA World Cup final by scoring a hat trick, showcasing his exceptional talent.

To reach 52, the French athlete is still quite young. He began his professional career with Monaco during the 2016-17 season. With ample time ahead, Mbappe has the opportunity to enhance his goal count and elevate his ranking on the list.

7. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 56 goals

The Dutchman is the only one on this list who never won a UEFA Champions League title. But that didn’t stop him from scoring a bundle of goals for teams such as PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and Real Madrid.

In 73 games that he played in Europe’s elite football competition for these three teams, Van Nistelrooy scored 56 goals, achieving an impressive scoring rate of 0.77 goals per game.

6. Thomas Muller – 56 goals

FC Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Muller has scored 56 goals for the club. There is no question that Muller can assert his position as one of the greatest players in Bayern's history. The German is the club’s most decorated player with 27 trophies.

He has two UEFA Champions League titles to show among them. Both titles came as part of Bayern winning the historic treble and there is simply nothing that Muller hasn’t won in his career with both club and country.

5. Raul Gonzalez – 71 goals

The Real Madrid youth product remains the highest goalscorer among non-active players. He scored 71 goals in 142 matches in the tournament, with the vast majority of these goals (66) being scored while representing Real Madrid. As a testament to his contributions, Raul secured the Champions League trophy three times, all during his tenure with Los Blancos.

Raul was also the first footballer to make 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League.

4. Karim Benzema – 90 goals

Karim Benzema has undoubtedly been one of the most reliable players for Real Madrid in recent years, although he currently represents the Saudi club Al Ittihad. He has served as a crucial asset for the Spanish giants on multiple occasions.

Benzema has experienced a highly successful career in the Spanish capital, particularly in the Champions League. He scored 90 goals during his tenures at Lyon and Real Madrid. He has won four Champions League trophies, including a hat-trick of titles with Real between 2015 and 2018.

3. Robert Lewandowski – 103 goals

Robert Lewandowski shows no signs of slowing down. The prolific Polish striker has always been a consistent scorer in the competition and now stands in third place with 103 goals.

Lewandowski's perseverance and steady performance paid off after several near misses, as he ultimately secured the most prestigious prize in club football when Bayern Munich triumphed in the Champions League. This victory marked the club's second treble in its history, making them only the second team, following FC Barcelona, to achieve this feat. The Barcelona forward now aims to increase his goal tally in the forthcoming matches.

2. Lionel Messi -129 goals

Lionel Messi must be included in every list of top goalscorers. The iconic Argentine has shattered several goalscoring records in both domestic and international competitions and remains a prolific scorer.

Messi has won four Champions League titles, taking Barcelona’s tally from one trophy to five in just under a decade. During this period, he has achieved an astonishing 129 goals in 160 matches for both Barcelona and PSG, averaging 0.81 goals per game. This record represents the highest number of goals scored by any player for a single club.

Messi is one of only two players (alongside Luiz Adriano) to have scored five goals in a single match in the Champions League. He has scored the joint most number of hat-tricks in the competition (8, tied with Cristiano Ronaldo)

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 140 goals

When it comes to the UEFA Champions League, no discussion is complete without mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese forward consistently delivered exceptional performances during big European matches, which contributed to his reputation as one of the greatest players in the history of the tournament. Additionally, he serves as the captain of the Portugal national team and holds the record as the top scorer in the UEFA Euro Cup.

Ronaldo has achieved and surpassed every conceivable record in the Champions League, including the highest number of goals, the most goals in a single season (17), and the joint-highest number of hat-tricks (8). He was the first player to reach 100 Champions League goals and the first to score 100 goals for a single club (105 – Real Madrid). The extensive list of his accomplishments underscores the extraordinary talent of the legendary Portuguese forward in the premier competition of club football.

Cover Credits - Fox Sports