The Champions League is a special tournament. It may feel detached from the roots of the game, but its entertainment value and sheer quality is unrivalled in world football.
It’s the trophy that everyone wants to win, one of the most difficult to win, and arguably the most prestigious honour any team in world football can attain.
Several individuals have dominated this competition like no other.
Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest player in the history of the tournament with five titles to his name and an outrageous goalscoring record that has left legends of the game in the shade.
However, a contender to his throne is mounting a claim. Manchester City’s titanic striker Erling Haaland made a lightning fast start to life in the Champions League with former team Dortmund and has settled in perfectly to his new surroundings.
Expectations are sky-high that he can challenge the all-time greats in the lists below.
RadioTimes.com brings you the full list of top goalscorers in a single Champions League season, as well as the all-time top scorers in the history of the competition.
Most goals scored in a Champions League season
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 17 goals (Real Madrid, 2013/14)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 16 goals (Real Madrid, 2015/16)
- Robert Lewandowski – 15 goals (Bayern Munich, 2019/20)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 15 goals (Real Madrid, 2017/18)
- Karim Benzema – 14 goals (Real Madrid, 2021/22)
- Lionel Messi – 14 goals (Barcelona, 2011/12)
- Ruud van Nistelrooy – 12 goals (Man Utd, 2002/03)
- Lionel Messi – 12 goals (Barcelona, 2018/19)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 12 goals (Real Madrid, 2012/13)
- Lionel Messi – 12 goals (Barcelona, 2010/11)
Top Champions League goalscorers of all time
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 141 (Man Utd, Real Madrid, Juventus)
- Lionel Messi – 125 (Barcelona, PSG)
- Robert Lewandowski – 89 (Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona)
- Karim Benzema – 86 (Lyon, Real Madrid)
- Raul – 71 (Real Madrid, Schalke)
- Ruud van Nistelrooy – 60 (PSV, Man Utd, Real Madrid)
- Andriy Shevchenko – 59 (Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea)
- Thomas Muller – 52 (Bayern Munich)
- Thierry Henry – 51 (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)
- Filippo Inzaghi – 50 (Juventus, AC Milan)
Top Champions League goalscorers for one club
- Lionel Messi – 120 (Barcelona)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 105 (Real Madrid)
- Karim Benzema – 74 (Real Madrid)
- Robert Lewandowski – 69 (Bayern Munich)
- Raul – 66 (Real Madrid)
- Thomas Muller – 52 (Bayern Munich)
- Alessandro Del Piero – 42 (Juventus)
- Sergio Aguero – 36 (Man City)
- Didier Drogba – 36 (Chelsea)
- Thierry Henry – 35 (Arsenal)
- Ruud van Nistelrooy – 35 (Man Utd)
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