The Champions League has produced some of the finest goalscorers the game has ever seen, and a lot of them have ended up becoming legends of the competition.
Here is a look at the 51 players with the most goals in the history of the elite Europe competition.
UEFA Champions League All Time Top Scorers Table
| Player Name | Total Goals |
|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 140 |
| Lionel Messi | 129 |
| Robert Lewandowski | 91 |
| Karim Benzema | 90 |
| Raul | 71 |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | 56 |
| Thomas Muller | 53 |
| Thierry Henry | 50 |
| Alfredo Di Stefano | 49 |
| Andriy Shevchenko | 48 |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 48 |
| Eusebio | 46 |
| Filippo Inzaghi | 46 |
| Mohamed Salah | 44 |
| Didier Drogba | 44 |
| Neymar | 43 |
| Alessandro Del Piero | 42 |
| Sergio Aguero | 41 |
| Kylian Mbappe | 40 |
| Ferenc Puskas | 36 |
| Erling Haaland | 35 |
| Edinson Cavani | 35 |
| Gerd Muller | 34 |
| Fernando Morientes | 33 |
| Arjen Robben | 31 |
| Samuel Eto’o | 30 |
| Antoine Griezmann | 30 |
| Wayne Rooney | 30 |
| Kaka | 30 |
| Francisco Gento | 30 |
| David Trezeguet | 29 |
| Roy Makaay | 29 |
| Patrick Kluivert | 29 |
| Edin Dzeko | 29 |
| Jean Pierre Papain | 28 |
| Ryan Giggs | 28 |
| Sadio Mane | 27 |
| Luis Suarez | 27 |
| Rivaldo | 27 |
| Raheem Sterling | 27 |
| Mario Gomez/td> | 26 |
| Mario Jardel | 26 |
| Robin Van Persie | 25 |
| Hernan Crespo | 25 |
| Jose Altafini | 24 |
| Marco Simone | 24 |
| Jose Augusto | 24 |
| Giovane Elber | 24 |
| Gonzalo Higuain | 24 |
| Luis Figo | 24 |
| Paul Scholes | 24 |
Cristiano Ronaldo
- Total goals: 140
- Penalty goals: 19
- Total appearances: 183
- Year: 2003 – 2022
- Goals & appearances per club: Manchester United – 21 goals in 59 games
- Real Madrid – 105 goals in 101 games
- Juventus – 14 goals in 23 games
The Portuguese won the 2007-08 Champions League with the Red Devils before winning it in 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 with Los Blancos.
The five-Ballon d’Or winner and seven-time Champions League top goalscorer is arguably the best player the competition has ever seen and is the joint-most winner alongside Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric.
Lionel Messi
- Total goals: 129
- Penalty goals: 18
- Total appearances: 163
- Year: 2005 – 2023
- Goals & appearances per club: Barcelona – 120 goals in 149 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 9 goals in 14 games
While the Argentine is widely regarded as the best player of all time by many, he has won just four European titles (2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11 and 2014-15) missing the final in 2005-06.
Messi, a six-time Champions League top goalscorer is a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and is favourite to land the next edition of the award after leading his country to World Cup glory in 2022.
Robert Lewandowski
- Total goals: 91
- Penalty goals: 16
- Total appearances: 111
- Year: 2011 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Borussia Dortmund – 17 goals in 28 games
- Bayern Munich – 69 goals in 78 games
- Barcelona – 5 goals in 5 games
The Polish hitman has won the competition once (2019-20) while also emerging as the Champions League top goalscorer in the same season, and he will hope to add to his haul at Barca after joining the La Liga club in 2022.
Karim Benzema
- Total goals: 90
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 152
- Year: 2005 – 2023
- Goals & appearances per club: Lyon – 12 goals in 19 games
- Real Madrid – 78 goals in 133 games
The Frenchman won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 after winning his fifth Champions League with Madrid and also emerging as the top goalscorer.
Raul
- Total goals: 71
- Penalty goals: 1
- Total appearances: 142
- Year: 1995 – 2011
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 66 goals in 130 games
- Schalke 04 – 5 goals in 12 games
The Spaniard is Madrid’s third all-time top goalscorer with 323 goals, winning the Champions League in 1997-98, 1999-2000 and 2001-02.
Raul emerged as the highest goalscorer in the competition in 1999-2000 and 2000-01, and while he could only emerge as a Ballon d’Or runner-up once, the fact that he received no red card all through his entire career is huge.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
- Total goals: 56
- Penalty goals: 10
- Total appearances: 73
- Year: 1998 – 2009
- Goals & appearances per club: PSV Eindhoven – 8 goals in 11 games
- Manchester United – 35 goals in 43 games
- Real Madrid – 13 goals in 19 games
The Dutchman did not win the Champions League but emerged as the top goalscorer in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2004-05.
Thomas Muller
- Total goals: 53
- Penalty goals: 8
- Total appearances: 142
- Year: 2009 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Bayern Munich – 53 goals in 142 games
The German attacker has won the competition twice (2012-13 and 2019-20) with Bayern and is one of the most dynamic players in its history.
Thierry Henry
- Total goals: 50
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 112
- Year: 1997 – 2012
- Goals & appearances per club: Monaco – 7 goals in 9 games
- Arsenal – 35 goals in 77 games
- Barcelona – 8 goals in 26 games
The Frenchman came close to winning the competition in 2005-06 while at Arsenal but was denied by Barca in the final.
The 2003 Ballon d’Or runner-up eventually won it after joining the Catalans in 2008-09.
Alfredo Di Stefano
- Total goals: 49
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 58
- Year: 1955 – 1964
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 49 goals in 58 games
The late Spaniard won the European Cup in 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59 and 1959-60, emerging as the highest goalscorer twice.
Di Stefano won the Ballon d’Or twice and is still the only player to have been awarded the Super Ballon d’Or (in 1989) for being the best footballer of the previous three decades.
Andriy Shevchenko
- Total goals: 48
- Penalty goals: 5
- Total appearances: 100
- Year: 1994 – 2012
- Goals & appearances per club: Dynamo Kyiv – 15 goals in 26 games
- AC Milan – 29 goals in 59 games
- Chelsea – 4 goals in 15 games
The Ukrainian won the Champions League with Milan in 2002-03 and was part of the team that was left heartbroken by Liverpool in the final in 2005-06.
The 2004 Ballon d’Or winner was the highest goalscorer in 1998-99 and 2005-06.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Total goals: 48
- Penalty goals: 5
- Total appearances: 124
- Year: 2001 – 2021
- Goals & appearances per club: Ajax – 6 goals in 19 games
- Juventus – 3 goals in 19 games
- Inter Milan – 6 goals in 22 games
- Barcelona – 4 goals in 10 games
- AC Milan – 9 goals in 20 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 20 goals in 33 games
- Manchester United – 0 goal in 1 game
The Swede is one of the greatest players not to have won the competition and is the only player to have scored in it with six different teams.
Honourable Mentions
Eusebio
- Total goals: 46
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 65
- Year: 1961 – 1974
- Goals & appearances per club: Benfica – 46 goals in 65 games
Filippo Inzaghi
- Total goals: 46
- Penalty goals: 1
- Total appearances: 81
- Year: 1997 – 2012
- Goals & appearances per club: Juventus – 17 goals in 26 games
- AC Milan – 29 goals in 55 games
Mohamed Salah
- Total goals: 44
- Penalty goals: 5
- Total appearances: 79
- Year: 2013 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Basel – 2 goals in 6 games
- Chelsea – 0 goals in 2 games
- AS Roma – 1 goal in 7 games
- Liverpool – 41 goals in 64 games
Didier Drogba
- Total goals: 44
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 92
- Year: 2003 – 2015
- Goals & appearances per club: Marseille – 5 goals in 6 games
- Chelsea – 36 goals in 74 games
- Galatasaray – 3 goals in 12 games
Neymar
- Total goals: 43
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 81
- Year: 2013 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Barcelona – 21 goals in 40 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 22 goals in 41 games
Alessandro Del Piero
- Total goals: 42
- Penalty goals: 6
- Total appearances: 89
- Year: 1995 – 2009
- Goals & appearances per club: Juventus – 42 goals in 89 games
Sergio Aguero
- Total goals: 41
- Penalty goals: 11
- Total appearances: 79
- Year: 2008 – 2021
- Goals & appearances per club: Atletico Madrid – 5 goals in 14 games
- Manchester City – 36 goals in 64 games
- Barcelona – 0 goal in 1 game
Kylian Mbappe
- Total goals: 40
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 61
- Year: 2016 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Monaco – 6 goals in 9 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 34 goals in 52 games
Ferenc Puskas
- Total goals: 36
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 41
- Year: 1956 – 1966
- Goals & appearances per club: Budapest Honved – 1 goal in 2 games
- Real Madrid – 35 goals in 39 games
Erling Haaland
- Total goals: 35
- Penalty goals: 4
- Total appearances: 30
- Year: 2019 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Red Bull Salzburg – 8 goals in 6 games
- Borussia Dortmund – 15 goals in 13 games
- Manchester City – 12 goals in 11 games
Edinson Cavani
- Total goals: 35
- Penalty goals: 4
- Total appearances: 70
- Year: 2011 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Napoli – 5 goals in 8 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 30 goals in 54 games
- Manchester United – 0 goals in 8 games
Gerd Muller
- Total goals: 34
- Penalty goals: 1
- Total appearances: 35
- Year: 1969 – 1977
- Goals & appearances per club: Bayern Munich – 34 goals in 35 games
Fernando Morientes
- Total goals: 33
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 93
- Year: 1997 – 2009
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 17 goals in 58 games
- AS Monaco – 9 goals in 12 games
- Liverpool – 1 goal in 5 games
- Valencia – 6 goals in 14 games
- Marseille – 0 goals in 4 games
Arjen Robben
- Total goals: 31
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 110
- Year: 2002 – 2018
- Goals & appearances per club: PSV Eindhoven – 3 goals in 10 games
- Chelsea – 2 goals in 19 games
- Real Madrid – 1 goal in 11 games
- Bayern Munich – 25 goals in 70 games
Samuel Eto’o
- Total goals: 30
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 78
- Year: 1999 – 2014
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 0 goals in 3 games
- Mallorca – 1 goal in 5 games
- Barcelona – 16 goals in 38 games
- Inter Milan – 10 goals in 23 games
- Chelsea – 3 goals in 9 games
Antoine Griezmann
- Total goals: 30
- Penalty goals: 4
- Total appearances: 85
- Year: 2014 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Sociedad – 0 goals in 6 games
- Atletico Madrid – 26 goals in 63 games
- Barcelona – 4 goals in 16 games
Wayne Rooney
- Total goals: 30
- Penalty goals: 4
- Total appearances: 85
- Year: 2004 – 2015
- Goals & appearances per club: Manchester United – 30 goals in 85 games
Kaka
- Total goals: 30
- Penalty goals: 5
- Total appearances: 86
- Year: 2003 – 2014
- Goals & appearances per club: AC Milan – 25 goals in 62 games
- Real Madrid – 5 goals in 24 games
Francisco Gento
- Total goals: 30
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 89
- Year: 1955 – 1969
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 30 goals in 89 games
David Trezeguet
- Total goals: 29
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 58
- Year: 1997 – 2009
- Goals & appearances per club: AS Monaco – 4 goals in 9 games
- Juventus – 25 goals in 49 games
Roy Makaay
- Total goals: 29
- Penalty goals: 3
- Total appearances: 61
- Year: 2000 – 2007
- Goals & appearances per club: Deportivo La Coruna – 12 goals in 29 games
- Bayern Munich – 17 goals in 32 games
Patrick Kluivert
- Total goals: 29
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 71
- Year: 1994 – 2006
- Goals & appearances per club: Ajax – 9 goals in 22 games
- Barcelona – 20 goals in 46 games
- PSV Eindhoven – 0 goal in 3 games
Edin Dzeko
- Total goals: 29
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 74
- Year: 2009 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: VfL Wolfsburg – 4 goals in 6 games
- Manchester City – 3 goals in 24 games
- AS Roma – 15 goals in 25 games
- Inter Milan – 7 goals in 19 games
Jean-Pierre Papin
- Total goals: 28
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 37
- Year: 1989 – 1994
- Goals & appearances per club: Marseille – 19 goals in 21 games
- AC Milan – 7 goals in 13 games
- Bayern Munich – 2 goals in 3 games
Ryan Giggs
- Total goals: 28
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 145
- Year: 1993 – 2014
- Goals & appearances per club: Manchester United – 28 goals in 145 games
Sadio Mane
- Total goals: 27
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 63
- Year: 2017 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Liverpool – 24 goals in 55 games
- Bayern Munich – 3 goals in 8 games
Luis Suarez
- Total goals: 27
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 73
- Year: 2010 – 2022
- Goals & appearances per club: Ajax – 1 goal in 13 games
- Barcelona – 25 goals in 55 games
- Atletico Madrid – 1 goal in 13 games
Rivaldo
- Total goals: 27
- Penalty goals: 6
- Total appearances: 73
- Year: 1997 – 2007
- Goals & appearances per club: Barcelona – 22 goals in 43 games
- AC Milan – 2 goals in 13 games
- Olympiacos – 3 goals in 17 games
Raheem Sterling
- Total goals: 27
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 82
- Year: 2014 to date
- Goals & appearances per club: Liverpool – 0 goals in 6 games
- Manchester City – 24 goals in 67 games
- Chelsea – 3 goals in 9 games
Mario Gomez
- Total goals: 26
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 44
- Year: 2007 – 2013
- Goals & appearances per club: VfB Stuttgart – 3 goals in 5 games
- Bayern Munich – 23 goals in 39 games
Mario Jardel
- Total goals: 25
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 46
- Year: 1996 – 2001
- Goals & appearances per club: Porto – 19 goals in 32 games
- Galatasaray – 6 goals in 14 games
Robin van Persie
- Total goals: 25
- Penalty goals: 6
- Total appearances: 59
- Year: 2002 – 2014
- Goals & appearances per club: Feyenoord – 0 goals in 2 games
- Arsenal – 18 goals in 45 games
- Manchester United – 7 goals in 12 games
Hernan Crespo
- Total goals: 25
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 65
- Year: 1997 – 2007
- Goals & appearances per club: Parma – 2 goals in 6 games
- Lazio – 2 goals in 11 games
- Inter Milan – 11 goals in 23 games
- Chelsea – 4 goals in 15 games
- AC Milan – 6 goals in 10 games
Jose Altafini
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 28
- Year: 1959 – 1976
- Goals & appearances per club: AC Milan – 20 goals in 17 games
- Juventus – 4 goals in 11 games
Marco Simone
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 46
- Year: 1989 – 2001
- Goals & appearances per club: Milan – 15 goals in 36 games
- Paris Saint-Germain – 3 goals in 4 games
- Monaco – 6 goals in 6 games
Jose Augusto
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 1
- Total appearances: 56
- Year: 1960 – 1969
- Goals & appearances per club: Benfica – 24 goals in 56 games
Giovane Elber
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 0
- Total appearances: 69
- Year: 1997 – 2004
- Goals & appearances per club: Bayern Munich – 21 goals in 60 games
- Lyon – 3 goals in 9 games
Gonzalo Higuain
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 83
- Year: 2007 – 2020
- Goals & appearances per club: Real Madrid – 8 goals in 48 games
- Napoli – 4 goals in 5 games
- Juventus – 12 goals in 30 games
Luis Figo
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 10
- Total appearances: 103
- Year: 1997 – 2009
- Goals & appearances per club: Barcelona – 7 goals in 24 games
- Real Madrid – 16 goals in 58 games
- Inter Milan 1 goal in 21 games
Paul Scholes
- Total goals: 24
- Penalty goals: 2
- Total appearances: 124
- Year: 1994 – 2013
- Goals & appearances per club: Manchester United – 24 goals in 124 games