The Champions League is approaching its final set of group games, and so much action has unfolded so far. Indeed, the added games have provided entertainment and unpredictability in sports betting, with plenty of upsets, drama, and great goals.
This season has felt like a changing of the guard — a new era for Europe’s premier competition. The chance is there for new stars to write their name in the history books.
When you think of the Champions League though, you think of Cristiano Ronaldo. Across his storied career, the Portuguese forward netted a record 141 goals, capturing five titles and delivering countless iconic moments on Europe’s grandest stage.
From his thunderous header against Chelsea in 2008 to his bicycle kick for Real Madrid against Juventus, Ronaldo cemented his status as Mr Champions League. While he continues his career in Saudi Arabia, his exploits in the competition remain the pinnacle of his legacy.
Ronaldo’s closest rival, Lionel Messi, has amassed an impressive tally of Champions League goals but fell short of the record. Despite Messi’s brilliance, a couple of early exits in the round of 16 during his stint at Paris Saint-Germain curtailed his chances of surpassing Ronaldo’s incredible haul, finishing with 129.
With both players now in the twilight of their careers and playing outside of Europe, the question arises: can anyone from the current generation of stars challenge Ronaldo’s record?
The new Champions League format, set to deliver more group-stage games, could make this feat more attainable.
A longer campaign provides additional opportunities for prolific scorers to rack up goals against varied opponents. But it will still take an extraordinary talent to match Ronaldo’s consistency and longevity.
There are a few frontrunners who have set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd, and not many players have announced themselves on the Champions League stage as emphatically as Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian striker burst onto the scene with Red Bull Salzburg, scoring in five consecutive group-stage matches before his move to Borussia Dortmund. Since joining Manchester City, Haaland’s scoring exploits have reached new heights, including his record-breaking tally in the 2022/23 season when City claimed their first Champions League title.
Already sitting on 44 goals at just 24 years old, Haaland has time on his side. His physicality, clinical finishing, and hunger for goals make him a prime candidate to threaten Ronaldo’s record, particularly in a Manchester City team built to dominate Europe for years.
Then there is Kylian Mbappe. With a move to Real Madrid secured, the Frenchman now has the perfect platform to chase Ronaldo’s record. Already a World Cup winner and a consistent scorer for PSG in Europe, Mbappe’s speed, skill, and eye for goal have seen him reach the final in 2020, but his ultimate goal will be to finally lift that coveted trophy for the current European champions.
Madrid’s history of producing Champions League legends aligns with Mbappe’s ambitions, and his involvement in latter-stage matches should boost his tally.
Carlo Ancelotti is still searching for that chemistry in his new-look side, trying to integrate Mbappe with Vinicius Junior, who has developed a reputation as one of the Champions League’s most dependable performers.
Currently on 25 Champions League goals, it’s ambitious to think he has the profile to score 40 goals a season consistently like Messi and Ronaldo, but the Brazilian is world-class in his own right. He scored the decisive goal in Real Madrid’s 2022 final victory over Liverpool and followed it with a match-winning strike against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley two years later.
While younger stars dominate the conversation about Ronaldo’s record, several seasoned players have also left an indelible mark on the Champions League. Robert Lewandowski, now approaching 100 goals in the competition, remains one of the most clinical finishers of his generation. His consistency with Bayern Munich and Barcelona has solidified his reputation as a European goal machine.
Antoine Griezmann also deserves recognition for his contributions to the Champions League. The French forward has delivered in clutch moments for Atletico Madrid, scoring vital goals that exemplify his ability to thrive under pressure, reaching the final in 2016 on the back of Atleti’s painstaking loss to Madrid in Lisbon two years prior.
Though neither Lewandowski nor Griezmann is likely to catch Ronaldo’s tally, their achievements underline the challenges of reaching such lofty heights. With more games in the new Champions League format, the race to rewrite history promises to be as thrilling as ever.
