The UEFA Champions League is by far the most well-liked cup competitors in Europe. Each participant value his salt desires to thrive on this competitors, as it’s a surefire manner of changing into a family identify.
Group-stage fixtures assist Champions League aspirants set the tone, however their intention is at all times to make a mark in do-or-die knockout fixtures. Through the years, nonetheless, solely a handful of stars have succeeded of their endeavor to set the knockout video games alight; scored for enjoyable within the trickiest of matches.
Proceed studying to fulfill the ten gamers who’ve netted probably the most targets within the UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures since 2010:
#10 Neymar: 13 Objectives
Brazil celebrity Neymar scored 13 Champions League knockout targets in 44 video games earlier than leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for Al-Hilal through the 2023-24 summer season switch window. The ex-Barcelona winger recorded 43 targets and 36 assists in 81 video games within the competitors between the Blaugrana and the Parisians.
Neymar grew to become a Champions League winner in his second season at Barcelona in 2014-15. The 32-year-old scored a joint-best 10 targets in 12 video games to propel the Catalans to the coveted trophy.
#9 Erling Haaland: 13 Objectives
The youngest participant to make the lower, Manchester Metropolis sharpshooter Erling Haaland has already scored 13 targets in simply 28 Champions League knockout matches. The 23-year-old is the one participant on this listing who averages greater than a objective per recreation within the Champions League. Haaland has performed 36 UCL video games up to now, scoring an unbelievable 40 occasions and claiming 5 assists.
Haaland, in fact, was the driving power behind Manchester Metropolis’s first-ever Champions League triumph within the 2022-23 season. The Norwegian scored a tournament-best 12 targets final season to information Pep Guardiola’s workforce to the Outdated Massive Ears.
#8 Arjen Robben: 15 Objectives
Having scored 15 targets in 52 UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures, Bayern Munich legend Arjen Robben has claimed the eighth spot within the rankings. The Dutch winger, recognized for his capability to take gamers on and inch-perfect curlers, performed a complete of 110 Champions League video games in his profession, scoring 31 occasions and offering 24 assists.
The eight-time Bundesliga winner secured his sole Champions League winner’s medal within the 2012-13 season. Robben sensationally scored the profitable objective towards Borussia Dortmund within the 89th minute of the nail-biting last.
#7 Sadio Mane: 15 Objectives
Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich winger Sadio Mane scored 15 targets in 41 UEFA Champions League knockout video games earlier than buying and selling the competitiveness of European competitions for the comforts of Saudi Arabian soccer in the summertime of 2023. Previous to his change, the Senegalese celebrity performed 64 Champions League matches, netting 27 occasions and bagging 9 assists.
Mane’s sole Champions League success got here with Liverpool within the 2018-19 season. The Al-Nassr ace scored 4 targets and claimed three assists because the Reds marched on to their sixth European championship.
#6 Kylian Mbappe: 16 Objectives
Simply 25 years outdated, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) celebrity Kylian Mbappe has claimed the sixth spot on this unique listing, scoring a whopping 16 knockout targets in 32 matches. Total, the French ahead has performed 68 Champions League video games, scoring 44 occasions and offering 26 assists.
Mbappe has but to win the event of champions, however he reached the ultimate within the 2019-20 season. He scored 5 targets and claimed six assists in 10 video games that season.
#5 Thomas Muller: 25 Objectives
Bayern Munich icon Thomas Muller has scored 25 targets in 89 Champions League knockout fixtures up to now. In whole, the versatile attacker has performed 150 Champions League matches in his embellished profession, scoring a formidable 53 occasions.
Muller has gained the competitors a few occasions, with each of his triumphs coming with the Bavarians. He first tasted Champions League success in 2012-13 earlier than returning to the rostrum seven seasons later in 2019-20.
#4 Robert Lewandowski: 30 Objectives
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has secured the fourth spot within the rankings, having scored 30 occasions in 73 UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures. The Polish celebrity was at his greatest within the 2019-20 marketing campaign, with him netting a tournament-best 15 targets to fireside Bayern Munich Champions League glory.
Lewandowski has up to now scored 92 occasions in simply 116 Champions League video games. He’s the third-highest goalscorer within the competitors’s embellished historical past.
#3 Karim Benzema: 33 Objectives
Actual Madrid legend Karim Benzema scored 33 UEFA Champions League knockout targets in 91 matches earlier than jetting off to Saudi Arabia earlier than the beginning of the 2023-24 season. The French celebrity gained the competitors a joint document 5 occasions (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022) with Actual Madrid. The 2021-22 marketing campaign marked one of the best of Benzema’s profession, with him scoring a whopping 15 targets to information Los Blancos to their 14th Champions League trophy. A whopping 10 of his 15 targets got here within the knockouts, together with two consecutive hat-tricks.
With 90 targets scored in 152 video games, Benzema is the fourth-highest scorer within the UEFA Champions League historical past.
#2 Lionel Messi: 43 Objectives
Within the second place, we now have the majestic Lionel Messi. The 36-year-old, who moved to Inter Miami final summer season, scored 43 targets in 91 Champions League knockout video games throughout his 18-year run in Europe. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner gained the competitors 4 occasions (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015) along with his boyhood membership Barcelona, ending as the highest scorer in three of these 4 seasons.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is the second-highest scorer within the historical past of the competitors. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner performed 163 video games earlier than leaving Europe, scoring 129 occasions.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo: 57 Objectives
The king of the competitors, Cristiano Ronaldo, scored 57 targets in 100 UEFA Champions League knockout fixtures earlier than leaving Europe in January 2023. The Portuguese celebrity gained the competitors a joint-record 5 occasions. 4 of his triumphs got here with Actual Madrid (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) and one with Manchester United (2008). Ronaldo completed as the highest scorer in every of the 5 seasons. He additionally scored 4 targets in three finals.
Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo holds the document for scoring probably the most variety of targets within the competitors, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner netting 141 occasions in 187 video games.
