Football/Soccer is the world’s most popular sport, with hundreds of millions of fans around the world watching every year and even more people playing the sport. While the World Cup is the most-watched football/soccer (and sporting) event overall, the UEFA Champions League is the most-watched annual sporting tournament (beating even the Super Bowl). The annual Champions League even beats the Super Bowl in worldwide viewership. The UEFA Champions League is a competition that pits Europe’s best teams against each other for continent-wide bragging rights. It is the most prestigious club tournament in the world and also highly lucrative.
It is in the Champions League where world-class players are being made and where they get recognized as such. For strikers, whose primary goal on the field is to score goals, there is likely nothing more glorious on a club level to score goals in this most prestigious competition. The following ranking thus lists the current top 10 all-time best Champions League goal scorers by the number of goals they scored in the competition.
The Top 10 All-Time Best UEFA Champions League Goal Scorers
(as of September 20, 2023)
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
UEFA Champions League Goals: 140
UEFA Champions League Games: 183
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.77
Born: Febuary 5, 1985 in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Nationality: Portuguese
Current teams: Manchester United & National Team of Portugal
Professional career overview:
2002-2003: Sporting CP (Portugal)
2003-2009: Manchester United (England)
2009-2018: Real Madrid (Spain)
2018-2021: Juventus FC (Italy)
since August 2021: Manchester United (England)
since August 2003: National Team of Portugal
Titles won:
1 x European Champion: 2016 (with Portugal)
5 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2008 (with Manchester United), 2014, 2016, 2017 & 2018 (each with Real Madrid)
3 x English Premier League Champion: 2007, 2008 & 2009 (each with Manchester United)
1 x English Cup winner: 2004 (with Manchester United)
2 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2012 & 2017 (both with Real Madrid)
2 x Spanish Cup winner: 2011 & 2014 (both with Real Madrid)
2 x Italian Serie A Champion: 2019 & 2020 (both with Juventus FC)
1 x Italian Cup winner: 2021 (with Juventus FC)
5 x Ballon d’Or winner: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 & 2017
2. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
UEFA Champions League Goals: 129
UEFA Champions League Games: 163
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.79
Born: June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Nationality: Argentinian
Current teams: Paris Saint-Germain & National Team of Argentina
Professional career overview:
2004-2021: FC Barcelona (Spain)
since July 2021: Paris Saint-Germain (France)
since August 2005: National Team of Argentina
Titles won:
1 x South American Copa America Champion: 2021 (with Argentina)
4 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2006, 2009, 2011 & 2015 (each with FC Barcelona)
10 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 & 2019 (each with FC Barcelona)
7 x Spanish Cup winner: 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2021 (each with FC Barcelona)
1 x French Ligue 1 Champion: 2022 (with Paris Saint-Germain)
7 x Ballon d’Or winner: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 & 2021
3. Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski
UEFA Champions League Goals: 92
UEFA Champions League Games: 112
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.82
Born: August 21, 1988 in Warsaw, Mazovia, Poland
Nationality: Polish
Current teams: FC Barcelona & National Team of Poland
Professional career overview:
2006-2008: Znicz Pruszkow (Poland)
2008-2010: Lech Poznan (Poland)
2010-2014: Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
2014-2022: Bayern Munich (Germany)
since July 2022: FC Barcelona (Spain)
since September 2008: National Team of Poland
Titles won:
1 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2020 (with Bayern Munich)
1 x Polish Ekstraklasa Champion: 2010 (with Lech Poznan)
1 x Polish Cup winner: 2009 (with Lech Poznan)
10 x German Bundesliga Champion: 2011, 2012 (both with Borussia Dortmund), 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 (each with Bayern Munich)
4 x German Cup winner: 2012 (with Borussia Dortmund), 2016, 2019 & 2020 (each with Bayern Munich)
1 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2023 (with FC Barcelona)
4. Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema
UEFA Champions League Goals: 90
UEFA Champions League Games: 151
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.6
Born: December 19, 1987 in Lyon, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
Nationality: French
Current teams: Real Madrid & National Team of France
Professional career overview:
2004-2009: Olympique Lyon (France)
2009-2023: Real Madrid (Spain)
since June 2023: All-Ittihad Club (Saudi Arabia)
2006-2023: National Team of France
Titles won:
5 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2022 (each with Real Madrid)
4 x French Ligue 1 Champion: 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008 (each with Olympique Lyon)
1 x French Cup winner: 2008 (with Olympique Lyon)
4 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2012, 2017, 2020 & 2022 (each with Real Madrid)
2 x Spanish Cup winner: 2011, 2014 & 2023 (each with Real Madrid)
1 x Ballon d’Or winner: 2022
5. Raul Gonzalez
Raul Gonzalez
UEFA Champions League Goals: 71
UEFA Champions League Games: 142
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.5
Born: June 27, 1977 in Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain
Nationality: Spanish
Current teams: None (Retired)
Professional career overview:
1994-2010: Real Madrid (Spain)
2010-2012: Schalke 04 (Germany)
2012-2014: Al Sadd SC (Qatar)
2014-2015: New York Cosmos (USA)
1996-2006: National Team of Spain
Titles won:
3 x UEFA Champions League winner: 1998, 2000 & 2002 (each with Real Madrid)
6 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2007 & 2008 (each with Real Madrid)
1 x German Cup winner: 2011 (with Schalke 04)
1 x Qatari Stars League Champion: 2013 (with Al Sadd SC)
1 x Qatari Cup winner: 2014 (with Al Sadd SC)
6. Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
UEFA Champions League Goals: 56
UEFA Champions League Games: 73
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.77
Born: July 1, 1976 in Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Current teams: None (Retired)
Professional career overview:
1993-1997: FC Den Bosch (Netherlands)
1997-1998: SC Heerenveen (Netherlands)
1998-2001: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
2001-2006: Manchester United (England)
2006-2010: Real Madrid (Spain)
2010-2011: Hamburger SV (Germany)
2011-2012: Malaga CF (Spain)
1998-2011: National Team of Netherlands
Titles won:
2 x Dutch Eredivisie Champion: 2000 & 2001 (both with PSV Eindhoven)
1 x English Premier League Champion: 2003 (with Manchester United)
1 x English Cup winner: 2004 (with Manchester United)
2 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2007 & 2008 (both with Real Madrid)
7. Thomas Muller
Thomas Muller
UEFA Champions League Goals: 53
UEFA Champions League Games: 142
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.37
Born: September 13, 1989 in Weilheim in Oberbayern, Bavaria, Germany
Nationality: German
Current teams: Bayern Munich & National Team of Germany
Professional career overview:
since August 2008: Bayern Munich (Germany)
since March 2010: National Team of Germany
Titles won:
1 x World Cup winner: 2014 (with Germany)
2 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2013 & 2020 (both with Bayern Munich)
12 x German Bundesliga Champion: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 (each with Bayern Munich)
6 x German Cup winner: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020 (each with Bayern Munich)
8. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
UEFA Champions League Goals: 50
UEFA Champions League Games: 112
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.45
Born: August 17, 1977 in Les Ulis, Ile-de-France, France
Nationality: French
Current teams: None (Retired)
Professional career overview:
1994-1999: AS Monaco (Monaco)
1999-1999: Juventus FC (Italy)
1999-2007: FC Arsenal (England)
2007-2010: FC Barcelona (Spain)
2010-2014: New York Red Bulls (USA)
1997-2010: National Team of France
Titles won:
1 x World Cup winner: 1998 (with France)
1 x European Champion: 2000 (with France)
1 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2009 (with FC Barcelona)
1 x French Ligue 1 Champion: 1997 (with AS Monaco)
2 x English Premier League Champion: 2002 & 2004 (both with FC Arsenal)
2 x English Cup winner: 2002 & 2003 (both with FC Arsenal)
2 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 2009 & 2010 (both with FC Barcelona)
1 x Spanish Cup winner: 2009 (with FC Barcelona)
1 x American MLS Champion: 2013 (with New York Red Bulls)
9. Alfredo Di Stefano
Alfredo Di Stefano
UEFA Champions League Goals: 49
UEFA Champions League Games: 58
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.84
Born: July 4, 1926 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: July 7, 2014 in Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain
Nationality: Argentinian-Spanish
Current teams: None (Deceased)
Professional career overview:
1945-1945: River Plate (Argentina)
1945-1946: Club Atletico Huracan (Argentina)
1946-1949: River Plate (Argentina)
1949-1953: Millonarios FC (Colombia)
1953-1964: Real Madrid (Spain)
1964-1966: RCD Espanyol (Spain)
1947-1947: National Team of Argentina
1949-1949: National Team of Colombia
1957-1962: National Team of Spain
Titles won:
1 x South American Copa America Champion: 1947 (with Argentina)
5 x UEFA Champions League winner: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 & 1960 (each with Real Madrid)
2 x Argentinian Primera Division Champion: 1945 & 1947 (both with River Plate)
8 x Spanish La Liga Champion: 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964 (each with Real Madrid)
1 x Spanish Cup winner: 1962 (with Real Madrid)
2 x Ballon d’Or winner: 1957 & 1959
10. Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko
UEFA Champions League Goals: 48
UEFA Champions League Games: 100
UEFA Champions League Goal Ratio: 0.48
Born: September 29, 1976 in Dvirkivshchyna, Ukraine, Soviet Union
Nationality: Ukrainian
Current teams: None (Retired)
Professional career overview:
1993-1999: Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine)
1999-2006: AC Milan (Italy)
2006-2008: Chelsea FC (England)
2008-2009: AC Milan (Italy)
2009-2012: Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine)
1995-2012: National Team of Ukraine
Titles won:
1 x UEFA Champions League winner: 2003 (with AC Milan)
5 x Ukrainian Premier League Champion: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 & 1999 (each with Dynamo Kyiv)
3 x Ukrainian Cup winner: 1996, 1998 & 1999 (each with Dynamo Kyiv)
1 x Italian Serie A Champion: 2004 (with AC Milan)
1 x Italian Cup winner: 2003 (with AC Milan)
1 x English Cup winner: 2007 (with Chelsea FC)
1 x Ballon d’Or winner: 2004
The 10 Best UEFA Champions League Goal Scorers of All Time
(as of September 20, 2023)
Top 10 All-Time Best Champions League Goal Scorers: |
---|
1. CRISTIANO RONALDO 140 goals in 183 games Goal Ratio: 0.77 |
2. LIONEL MESSI 129 goals in 163 games Goal Ratio: 0.79 |
3. ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI 92 goals in 112 games Goal Ratio: 0.82 |
4. KARIM BENZEMA 90 goals in 151 games Goal Ratio: 0.6 |
5. RAUL GONZALEZ 72 goals in 142 games Goal Ratio: 0.5 |
6. RUUD VAN NISTELROOY 56 goals in 73 games Goal Ratio: 0.77 |
7. THOMAS MULLER 53 goals in 142 games Goal Ratio: 0.37 |
8. THIERRY HENRY 50 goals in 112 games Goal Ratio: 0.45 |
9. ALFREDO DI STEFANO 49 goals in 58 games Goal Ratio: 0.84 |
10. ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO 48 goals in 100 games Goal Ratio: 0.48 |
(as of September 20, 2023) |
Top 10 Champions League goalscorers of all time by the number of goals scored in the competition. Qualifying games do not count. Goals scored in the European Cup, the predecessor brand of the CL, do count.
Tiebreaker: Better/Higher goal ratio.