The top 10 Champions League goalscorers

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 48 goals in the Champions League have been spread over six different clubs: Ajax (6 goals), Juventus (3), Inter Milan (6), Barcelona (4), AC Milan (9) and Paris Saint-Germain (20). Despite all that club hopping - he also played for Manchester United, although he didn't score - he never managed to be with the right team at the right time to lift the Champions League trophy.

Like Ibrahimovic, the Ukrainian, who has long since ended his career, scored 48 times in the Champions League. Unlike the Swede, though, he won the title – with AC Milan in 2002-03. The striker scored 29 Champions League goals for Milan, 15 for Dynamo Kyiv and four for Chelsea.

The Argentine striker (right) helped Real Madrid become champions of Europe five years running between 1956 and 1960, when the competition was still a straight knock-out tournament known as the European Cup. Alfredo di Stefano, who passed away in 2014, was regarded as one of the best players in the world during his 11 years at Real, between 1953 and 1964.

The French striker cracked the half-century mark over his long career in the Champions League, finding the back of the net for three clubs: Monaco (7 goals), Arsenal (35) and Barcelona (8). Having won the World Cup with France in 1998, Henry would also go on to win the Champions League with Barca in 2008-09.

At 34, Thomas Müller is still rising up the ranks of the top 10. At the age of 19, Müller scored his first Champions League goals for Bayern Munich in a 7-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in March 2009. He won the Champions League twice with Bayern, in 2012-13 and 2019-20 and keeps scoring as he ages. (*as of September 28, 2021)

Dutch striker Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij scored for three clubs in the Champions League: PSV Eindhoven (8 goals), Manchester United (35) and Real Madrid (13). Van Nistelrooy failed to win a Champions League title, but he was the top scorer in Europe's top competition in three different seasons.

Raul is truly a legend at Real Madrid. The long-time captain made more appearances for Real than any other player, with 550 games in La Liga and 132 in the Champions League. He also led Real to the Champions League title three times. Raul scored five of his 71 Champions League goals during his two-year stint with Schalke in the twilight of his career.

The Frenchman now plays in Saudi Arabia, but made his scoring debut in the Champions League for Lyon at the tender age of 18. Benzema left Lyon in 2009 to become one of Real Madrid's ost prolific strikers, helping them lift the Champions League trophy four times. He has a total of 90 goals in Europe's most prestigious club competition, 78 of them scored in the white of Madrid.

In third place in the all-time scorer's list is The Best FIFA Men's Player of 2020, Robert Lewandowski. The Poland striker secured that honor in part by becoming the top scorer in the Champions League in the 2019/20 with 15 goals. Over his Champions League career he has scored 17 goals for Borussia Dortmund, 69 times for Bayern and currently has managed 7 for Barcelona. (*as of March 6, 2024)

Lionel Messi might be playing for Inter Miami now in the MLS, but few can forget how good he was for Barcelona. The diminutive Argentine scored 120 goals in his Champions League career with the Spanish club, finishing the competition's top scorer six times and winning three titles. His last tournament outing was for PSG, but his nine goals were never accompanied by a title.

It's no coincidence that the Portuguese superstar has won the Champions League five times. Wherever he has played, whether it be Manchester United (21 goals), Real Madrid (105) or Juventus (14) – Cristiano Ronaldo has always found the back of the net. Although no longer playing in Europe, Ronaldo is the undisputed top scorer in Europe's top club competition.