Since its introduction in 1992 as a replacement for the European Cup, the UEFA Champions League has served as the world’s premier club tournament. The prestigious competition is where legends are born, and those legends don’t get any bigger than the players with the most career goals in Champions League history.
Below is a list of the top 10 scorers in the history of the competition. While all the names are immediately recognizable, it’s ridiculous to see the space that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have carved out for themselves after 10-plus seasons of consistently being at the top of the goalscoring charts.
And of course football didn’t begin in 1992, so beneath this list you’ll find the five players with the most career goals in the history of the European Cup, including the remarkable returns posted by Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stefano and Benfica’s Eusebio.
The Players With The Most Career Goals In Champions League History:
UEFA’s ranking of the top 10 scorers in the history of the Champions League is as follows:
#1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Manchester United) — 120 goals from 152 matches (0.79 per match)
#2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) — 100 goals from 125 matches (0.80 per match)
#3. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) — 71 goals from 142 matches (0.50 per match)
#4. Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSV) — 56 goals from 73 matches (0.77 per match)
#5. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, Lyon) — 55 goals from 103 matches (0.53 per match)
#6. Thierry Henry (Arsenal, Barcelona, Monaco) — 50 goals from 112 matches (0.45 per match)
#7. Andriy Shevchenko (Milan, Chelsea, Dynamo Kyiv) — 48 goals from 100 matches (0.48 per match)
#8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG, Milan, Barca, Inter, Juve, Ajax) — 48 goals from 120 matches (0.40 per match)
#9. Filippo Inzaghi (Milan, Juventus) — 46 goals from 81 matches (0.57 per match)
#10. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund) — 45 goals from 70 matches (0.64 per match)
The Players With The Most Career Goals In European Cup History
#1. Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) — 49 goals from 58 matches (0.84 per match)
#2. Eusebio (Benfica) — 47 goals from 63 matches (0.75 per match)
#3. Ferenc Puskas (Real Madrid, Budapest Honved) — 35 goals from 41 matches (0.85 per match)
#4. Gerd Muller (Bayern Munich) — 34 goals from 35 matches (0.97 per match)
#5. Francisco Gento (Real Madrid) — 32 goals from 88 matches (0.36 per match)
(All facts and numbers courtesy of UEFA.com.)
The most goals ever scored in a single Champions League campaign is 17, which Cristiano Ronaldo accomplished during the 2013-14 season. The second most is 16, which Cristiano Ronaldo achieved during the 2015-16 campaign. The third most is 15, which is the total Cristiano Ronaldo is currently sitting at ahead of the 2017-18 Champions League final.
Yes, that’s how good he is.
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