The 20 Most Lethal Goalscorers in Champions League History – Ranked by Goals per Game
The Champions League is football’s biggest catwalk. It’s not just about winning — it’s about doing it with style, with drama, and most importantly, with goals. And while most strikers spend their time fighting for scraps in the box, a select few treat the opponent’s net like their personal trampoline.
We’re not just talking about top scorers — we’re talking about the most efficient scorers. The players who’ve turned goals-per-game stats into an art form. Some are global icons with Ballon d’Ors in their cabinets, others flew a bit more under the radar — but they all shared one thing: when they stepped onto a Champions League pitch, it usually didn’t take long for them to find the back of the net.
So who tops the list? Who has the best goal-per-game average in the tournament’s history? And most incredibly — which football psychopath has scored more goals than games played?
Grab a seat. We’re counting down from 20 to 1 — and spoiler alert: it’s going to be goal-heavy.
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20. Roy Makaay – 0.48 goals per game
The quiet Dutch machine with a thunderous strike. 29 goals in 61 games say it all. Bayern Munich loved his precision — and he still holds the record for the fastest goal in Champions League history.
19. Didier Drogba – 0.48 goals per game
The man who could make all of London hold its breath. Drogba was the king of big nights, especially the 2012 final where he equalised and then netted the winning penalty. Clinical and charismatic.
18. Andriy Shevchenko – 0.48 goals per game
A true Champions League legend for Dynamo Kyiv and AC Milan. The Ukrainian scored with both feet, his head, and sheer willpower. Never got enough credit for his icy efficiency on Europe’s biggest stage.
17. David Trezeguet – 0.50 goals per game
A French finisher with Juventus DNA. Trezeguet wasn’t flashy, but the ball always ended up in the net. 29 goals in 58 matches — always in the right place at the right time.
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16. Edinson Cavani – 0.50 goals per game
A tireless Uruguayan goal-hunter. Cavani ran and ran — and then scored. 35 goals in 70 matches for Napoli and PSG show he was much more than just a warrior.
15. Raúl – 0.50 goals per game
Real Madrid’s gentleman and the first true king of the Champions League. He was eventually surpassed in stats, but 71 goals in 142 games set the standard for what came next.
14. Sergio Agüero – 0.52 goals per game
The small Argentine who did big things in City blue. 41 goals in 79 games — always explosive, always dangerous. It’s a shame he never got to play in a final.
13. Neymar – 0.53 goals per game
Showman, provocateur, and goalscorer. 43 goals in 81 games for Barcelona and PSG. He danced through defences and often delivered — but occasionally vanished in the shadows too.
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12. Jardel – 0.54 goals per game
A hidden gem of Portuguese football. With 25 goals in 46 games, he proves you don’t need to be a household name to be absolutely lethal in front of goal.
11. Mohamed Salah – 0.55 goals per game
The King of Egypt — and of Anfield. Salah has been an unstoppable force in the Champions League since 2017, and his 47 goals in 86 games say it all. Deadly with both feet and a counterattack master.
10. Filippo Inzaghi – 0.57 goals per game
Offside or not — Pippo scored. He lived in the box, always on the edge, and struck when it mattered most. 46 goals in 81 games, including two in the 2007 final. Maybe not the prettiest, but terrifyingly effective.
9. Mario Gomez – 0.59 goals per game
A German goal machine in human form. Gomez blended power and precision into a deadly cocktail. 26 goals in 44 games show he rarely missed when given a chance.
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8. Karim Benzema – 0.59 goals per game
Under the radar for years, then exploded after Ronaldo left. With 90 goals in 152 games and five UCL titles, Benzema has long since earned his place in history.
7. Kylian Mbappé – 0.63 goals per game
Young, lightning-fast, unstoppable. 51 goals in 80 matches is just the beginning for Real Madrid’s newest superstar. With the right players around him, he could end up the greatest of all time.
6. Harry Kane – 0.68 goals per game
The goals keep flowing. 34 goals in 50 games for Spurs and Bayern show a classic no.9 in modern disguise. Now in Munich, it’s surely only a matter of time before the trophies follow.
5. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 0.77 goals per game
One of the purest finishers of the modern era. 56 goals in 73 games for PSV, United, and Real Madrid — always with ice-cold precision. He never won the Champions League, but he didn’t need to prove his class.
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4. Cristiano Ronaldo – 0.77 goals per game
140 goals. Five trophies. 183 games. CR7 is the symbol of the Champions League itself. His record stands as a monument to willpower, work ethic — and the greatest comeback icon the tournament has seen.
3. Lionel Messi – 0.79 goals per game
129 goals in 163 games, and no one did it with more grace. Messi dazzled the world on Tuesday nights and created art against Europe’s elite. His rivalry with Ronaldo defined an entire era.
2. Robert Lewandowski – 0.81 goals per game
The Polish machine. 103 goals in 127 games — and still active. Lewandowski is precision, strength, and a goal guarantee in one elegant package. His UCL record is as sharp as his beard.
1. Erling Haaland – 1.02 goals per game
This isn’t normal. 47 goals in 46 games. Over one goal per match. Haaland is football’s nuclear reactor — explosive, unpredictable, unstoppable. And he’s only just getting started.
