Top 4 Brazilian players with most goals in Champions League history

Over the years, the UEFA Champions League has been graced by some truly unforgettable Brazilian talents. From the elegance of Kaká to the dazzling skills of Ronaldinho and the flair of Neymar, Brazilian stars have brought joga bonito to Europe’s biggest stage. Their creativity, confidence, and love for the game have consistently lit up the competition and thrilled fans around the world.

While many Brazilian players have left their mark with moments of brilliance, only a select few have consistently found the back of the net. Scoring regularly in the Champions League is no easy task, and just a handful of Brazilians have managed to make a significant impact in front of goal.

Here, let’s take a look at the top four Brazilian players who have scored the most goals in Champions League history.

4. Rivaldo: 27 UCL goals

Rivaldo spent nearly a decade playing for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, reaching the very top of the game when he won the Champions League with AC Milan in the 2002–03 season.

He first made his mark in Europe with Deportivo de La Coruña before moving to FC Barcelona, where he became a global star.

Rivaldo’s Champions League debut for Barcelona in 1998 was unforgettable. At Camp Nou, he scored a brilliant brace in an intense 3–3 group-stage draw against Manchester United.

Oddly, despite his incredible talent, most of his standout performances in the competition came during the group stages. He scored only a handful of goals beyond that phase and never quite hit his peak in the knockout rounds.

3. Kaka: 30 UCL goals

Kaká was one of the best footballers in the world during the mid-2000s, especially in his brilliant spell with AC Milan. Elegant, creative, and effortless on the ball, he glided past defenders with long, powerful strides and made the game look easy.

In 2007, he won the Ballon d'Or — the last player to claim it before the decade-long dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo began.

Although best known for his vision and technical skill as an attacking midfielder, Kaká also had a ruthless edge in front of goal. He scored 30 times in the UEFA Champions League, including a memorable hat-trick against R.S.C. Anderlecht in 2006.

His form dipped after his big move to Real Madrid, largely due to injuries, but he still added a few more goals to his record. At his peak, though, Kaká combined grace and power in a way that few players ever have.

2. Vinicius Jr: 31 UCL goals

Vinícius Júnior has moved ahead of Kaká and Rivaldo in the all-time Brazilian scoring charts in the Champions League, and now he has his sights firmly set on Neymar.

With Neymar, now 34, no longer playing in the competition, it feels like only a matter of time before Vinícius overtakes him. He’s just 13 goals away from becoming the highest-scoring Brazilian in Champions League history — and given his current form and age, that record looks well within reach.

1. Neymar: 43 UCL goals

There’s no need to introduce Neymar. In the summer of 2017, Paris Saint-Germain shattered records by paying €222 million to sign him from FC Barcelona, making him the most expensive player in football history at the time.

Neymar had already made a huge impact in the UEFA Champions League during his time at Barcelona. In just his second season at the club, he helped the Spanish giants win the Champions League, claiming his first title in the competition.

However, his big-money move to PSG didn’t quite deliver the European glory many had expected. Although he reached the Champions League final once with the French side, he was unable to lift the trophy again. Even so, Neymar still holds the record as the highest-scoring Brazilian in Champions League history — a testament to his lasting impact on the competition.

Cover Credits - Neymar Jr.