The Uefa Champions League is arguably the best club tournament in the world.
Across the years both as the European Cup and Champions League, the continental competition has been graced by some of the best goalscorers in football history.
Since its first season in 1955/56, 14 different players have scored at least 50 goals in the European Cup/Champions League. Of course, some of those players have played more games than others.
Which got us thinking. Who is the best goalscorer in Champions League history — among those with at least 50 goals scored — based on their goals per game ratio?
We’ve taken a look.
14. Thomas Muller
- Games: 165
- Goals: 57
- Goals per game: 0.35
Thomas Muller is perhaps one of the most under-appreciated players in modern football history. he scored 250 goals in over 756 games for Bayern Munich across all competitions, despite playing a supportive role in their team. Of those 250 goals, 57 came in the Champions League, helping Bayern to two trophies in 2013 and 2020.
Muller scored eight goals in the 2012/13 Champions League to help Bayern secure their fifth title, one of four times he netted at least five in a single campaign. The German’s best period came in between 2014 and 2016, when he scored 15 goals in 22 Champions League matches. Muller’s goalscoring did quieten down later in his career, but it won’t take away from his quality.
13. Thierry Henry
- Games: 115
- Goals: 51
- Goals per game: 0.44
Thierry Henry represented three clubs in the Champions League, making appearances for Arsenal, Barcelona and Monaco. His best scoring record came at Monaco, in the early years of his career, netting seven goals in just nine Champions League matches.
Henry scored at least seven goals on three occasions in the Champions League, with the other two campaigns coming while at Arsenal. The Frenchman netted five goals to help Arsenal reach the final in 2005/06 and another five in 2008/09 to lift the trophy with Barcelona. His final Champions League goal came during that season, having played on the left wing.
12. Raul
- Games: 144
- Goals: 71
- Goals per game: 0.49
Only four players have scored more Champions League goals than Raul’s 71. During his 144 matches in the competition, the Spaniard won the Champions League three times, during Real Madrid‘s dominance around the millennium. Raul wasn’t overly impactful in his first Champions League success in 1997/98, scoring just two goals. But he played a big part in their next triumph.
Raul scored 10 goals in the 1999/2000 Champions League, including one in the final as Real Madrid beat fellow Spanish side Valencia. He finished joint top scorer in that season and won a second Golden Boot with seven goals the following season. Raul scored in another Champions League final in 2002, netting the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen. The Spaniard added five goals in 12 Champions League games for Schalke.
11. Mo Salah
- Games: 108
- Goals: 54
- Goals per game: 0.5
Mo Salah grabbed his 54 Champions League goals across three clubs, while representing four in his career. He scored goals for Liverpool, Roma and Basel, while blanking in two brief appearances for Chelsea. Of course, the main focus will be the 48 he scored for Liverpool across both qualifying and the Champions League proper.
Salah’s best Champions League campaign came in 2017/18 when he scored 10 goals to help Liverpool reach the final. A year later, he netted just five but that included one in the final as Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0. The Egyptian helped Liverpool reach another final in 2021/22 with eight goals — one of three seasons in which he reached that march. Salah remains the highest-scoring African player in Champions League history, overtaking Didier Drogba.
10. Andriy Shevchenko
- Games: 116
- Goals: 59
- Goals per game: 0.51
Andriy Shevchenko feels synonymous with the Champions League, so it’s no surprise that he is one of the players to have scored at least 50 goals in the competition. Just over half of Shevchenko’s 59 goals came for AC Milan, with 33 in total. He scored another 22 for Dynamo Kyiv and four while at Chelsea.
Shevchenko won the Golden Boot twice in his career, in 1998/99 while at Dynamo Kyiv and again in 2005/06 for AC Milan. The latter came a year after he missed the crucial penalty in the Champions League final, but he had already won the tournament with Milan in 2003. Shevchenko’s final Champions League goal came in qualifying for Dynamo Kyiv in 2010.
9. Filippo Inzaghi
- Games: 85
- Goals: 50
- Goals per game: 0.59
Filippo Inzaghi is a two-time Champions League winner, lifting the trophy twice with AC Milan. And 33 of his 50 Champions League goals came for the Rossoneri. He scored 10 in the 2002/03 season to help AC Milan win the trophy, against former side Juventus. The Italian also scored two goals in the 2007 Champions League final as AC Milan avenged their Istanbul defeat to Liverpool.
But people may not know of Inzaghi’s 17 goals in 26 Champions League games for Juventus. He scored six in back-to-back seasons between 1997 and 1999, helping Juventus reach the final in 1998. Inzaghi looked to have Juventus en route to another final in 1999 with two goals in the semi-final second leg against Manchester United, putting his side 2-0 up. But Man Utd fans will tell you what happened next.
8. Karim Benzema
- Games: 152
- Goals: 90
- Goals per game: 0.59
Only three players have scored more goals in Champions League history than Karim Benzema. The Frenchman racked up 90 across his 152 games in the competition, with 78 of those coming for Real Madrid. During that time he helped Los Blancos win five Champions League titles, scoring in one of those finals.
Benzema also has one Champions League Golden Boot to his name, netting 15 goals in 2021/22 as Real Madrid wrapped up title number 15. Only one player has scored more goals in a single Champions League season. But Benzema also had a good record for Lyon, scoring 12 goals in 19 games to start his career.
7. Kylian Mbappe
- Games: 99
- Goals: 71
- Goals per game: 0.72
Kylian Mbappe is about to hit 100 appearances in the Champions League, scoring 71 across his 99 games so far. He’s scored goals for fun wherever he’s been, with good records at Monaco, Real Madrid and PSG. In his sole season for Monaco, Mbappe scored six goals in nine games, casting a spotlight on him. He then netted 42 goals in 64 games for Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Golden Boot in 2023/24.
That wasn’t his best goalcoring campaign, though. Mbappe scored 15 goals in the Champions League last season to take his second Golden Boot, although Real Madrid came up short again. He’s scored 23 goals in just 26 Champions League games for Los Blancos.
6. Ruud van Nistelrooy
- Games: 81
- Goals: 60
- Goals per game: 0.74
Ruud van Nistelrooy is another name many might forget when thinking about the best Champions League goalscorers. But he scored his 60 goals in the competition across just 81 games. Wherever you look he had a decent record. Whether it’s the nine goals in 15 games for PSV, 13 in 19 at Real Madrid or 38 in 47 for Man Utd.
Van Nistelrooy also has two Golden Boots to his name, in back-to-back seasons. He scored 10 goals in 2001/02 and another 12 in 2002/03, both for Man Utd. The latter doesn’t include the two he scored in qualifying for the tournament. But Van Nistelrooy retired without winning the Champions League, the second-highest scorer in the competition not to win it.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
- Games: 187
- Goals: 141
- Goals per game: 0.75
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-scoring player in Champions League history. He’s also won the most Golden Boots, taking the award seven times. He holds the record for the most goals in a single Champions League season (17). And he’s won the trophy five times. But, of the three players with at least 100 goals in the Champions League, he has the lowest per game ratio. And that’s still at an incredible 0.75 goals per game.
The Portuguese forward spread his 141 goals across three clubs, representing Real Madrid, Man Utd and Juventus. His record at Real Madrid was ridiculous, with 105 goals in 101 games, including four in Champions League finals. Even when his European career was winding down, Ronaldo still managed 14 goals in 23 games for Juventus. And six goals in seven games in his final Champions League season, back at Man Utd.
4. Robert Lewandowski
- Games: 144
- Goals: 109
- Goals per game: 0.76
Only two players have scored more Champions League goals than Robert Lewandowski, who will go down as one of the best strikers in the modern era. He scored 109 goals in 144 games in the Champions League, across three clubs. Lewandowski started his Champions League career with Borussia Dortmund, scoring 17 goals in 28 games including 10 to help them reach the final in 2012/13.
Lewandowski then won the Golden Boot with 15 goals for Bayern Munich in 2019/20, adding the title to his success. It was one of four seasons in which Lewandowski scored at least 10 Champions League goals. The final occasion came with Barcelona in 2024/25, with the Blaugrana reaching the semi-finals.
3. Harry Kane
- Games: 70
- Goals: 54
- Goals per game: 0.77
Harry Kane’s goalscoring record speaks for itself, even if it has only just started yielding trophies. His record in the Champions League is among the best, netting 54 goals in just 70 games. Kane’s goalscoring has improved since his move to Bayern Munich, with 33 goals in 38 games for the German side. That includes eight in 2023/24 to share the Golden Boot with Mbappe.
But Kane has bettered that total twice since, scoring 11 in 2024/25 and 13 in 2025/26. Kane’s best season for Tottenham came in 2017/18 when he scored seven goals in just seven games.
2. Lionel Messi
- Games: 173
- Goals: 129
- Goals per game: 0.79
Lionel Messi is the final of three centurions on this list, with 129 Champions League goals in his career. He’s won six Golden Boots and hit double figures for goals in five separate seasons. Messi did it with a good record too. For Barcelona, Messi scored 120 goals in 149 games, helping them win four Champions League titles.
Messi missed the 2006 Champions League final through injury but scored in 2009 and 2011, while also playing in 2015. The Argentine did quieten down later in his career, but still managed to score 17 goals across 28 games for Barcelona and then PSG.
There’s one better than him, though.
1. Erling Haaland
- Games: 59
- Goals: 59
- Goals per game: 1.00
The greatest goalscorer in Champions League history is Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker has scored 59 goals in the competition, in 59 games. It will take some drop off for him to fall down this list. Haaland took the Champions League by storm from the off, with eight goals in six games for Red Bull Salzburg. He then netted 15 goals in 13 games for Borussia Dortmund.
Now, Haaland has dropped off slightly for Manchester City, netting just 36 goals in 40 matches. Terrible. That does include 12 goals in 2022/23 as Haaland did the Champions League and Golden Boot double. And he’s started 2026/27 with a brace of goals, to bring his record back to level. How much more can he improve?