The 10 Fastest Players to Reach 50 Champions League Goals
The UEFA Champions League is football’s grandest stage, where reputations are made and legends are forged. Scoring in Europe’s top competition is difficult enough, doing it consistently is something only a select few achieve. Reaching 50 goals is an enormous milestone, marking a player as one of the finest forwards the tournament has ever seen.
While many great strikers eventually cross the half-century mark, only a handful have done it at remarkable speed. Some needed over 100 appearances to get there, while others tore through defenses with ruthless efficiency, rewriting the record books along the way.
From Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time king of the Champions League, to modern superstars like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, this list charts the 10 fastest players in history to reach 50 goals in the competition.
10. Thomas Müller – 130 Games
Thomas Müller may have needed more appearances than anyone else on this list, but his Champions League pedigree is undeniable. The Bayern Munich forward reached the 50-goal mark in 130 matches, a testament to his longevity and consistency at the highest level.
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While never a traditional striker, Müller’s ability to find space — his so-called Raumdeuter or “interpreter of space” role — allowed him to punish opponents repeatedly. He is one of only two players to have scored all his Champions League goals for a single club, further cementing his legacy at Bayern.
In total, Müller has now passed 55 goals in the competition, adding 34 assists in 156 appearances. Though he may not top the speed charts, his influence across two decades makes him a true European icon.
9. Thierry Henry – 103 Games
Thierry Henry reached the 50-goal milestone in 103 matches, showing his enduring class across spells with Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, and Barcelona.
At Arsenal, Henry spearheaded the Gunners’ run to the 2006 final, scoring memorable goals and inspiring a team that came within touching distance of glory. His Champions League career peaked at Barcelona, where he finally lifted the trophy in 2009 as part of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side.
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Henry’s pace, flair, and clinical finishing made him a nightmare for defenders. Though he never dominated Europe in quite the same way he did the Premier League, his half-century of goals still underlines his brilliance.
8. Raúl González – 97 Games
For years, Raúl was the face of the Champions League. The Real Madrid legend reached 50 goals in 97 matches, a record that stood as a benchmark for nearly a decade.
Nicknamed “El Capitán,” Raúl won three Champions League titles with Los Blancos and retired as the club’s all-time top scorer before Cristiano Ronaldo eclipsed him. His intelligence, movement, and finishing made him one of the most reliable forwards of his era.
Even after leaving Real Madrid for Schalke, Raúl continued to score in Europe, proving his class beyond Spain. His 71 career Champions League goals remain among the highest tallies in competition history.
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7. Cristiano Ronaldo – 91 Games
Cristiano Ronaldo is the competition’s all-time record scorer with 140 goals, but it took him 91 matches to reach his first 50.
Once he found his rhythm at Real Madrid, though, Ronaldo became unstoppable. He claimed five Champions League titles, including an extraordinary run of three in a row between 2016 and 2018. His nickname, Mr. Champions League, speaks for itself.
Though he left Europe in 2022, his influence on the competition is unmatched. His blend of athleticism, determination, and scoring instincts set the gold standard for Champions League forwards.
6. Karim Benzema – 88 Games
Often overshadowed by Ronaldo during their time together at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema quietly built a stunning Champions League career of his own. He reached 50 goals in 88 games, quicker than his legendary teammate.
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Benzema became a four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, playing a central role in their victories in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Later, after Ronaldo’s departure, he stepped out of the shadows and led Madrid to another title in 2022, delivering decisive goals along the way.
With 90 goals in the competition, Benzema ranks among the very best in history — a true master of the European stage.
5. Kylian Mbappé – 79 Games
Kylian Mbappé continues to break records at a staggering pace. The French superstar reached 50 Champions League goals in just 79 matches, doing so for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid.
Known for his blistering speed and devastating finishing, Mbappé has already terrorized Europe’s best defenses. His milestone came in a 3-2 victory over Atalanta, adding to his growing reputation as the heir to Messi and Ronaldo’s throne.
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Still just 26, Mbappé could set new records in the competition if he continues on his current trajectory. His Champions League journey is far from over.
4. Robert Lewandowski – 77 Games
Robert Lewandowski has been one of Europe’s deadliest strikers for over a decade, and his Champions League record proves it. The Polish forward reached 50 goals in 77 games across spells at Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona.
In 2020, he was the centerpiece of Bayern’s treble-winning side, finishing as top scorer in the Champions League. Even into his mid-30s, he continues to deliver goals at an astonishing rate, recently passing the 100-goal mark.
Lewandowski’s blend of power, positioning, and finishing makes him one of the greatest center-forwards the competition has ever seen.
3. Lionel Messi – 66 Games
Lionel Messi’s journey to 50 goals was surprisingly slower than some, but still extraordinary — he needed just 66 games to get there.
As a deeper-lying forward early in his career, Messi was as much creator as finisher, which makes his scoring record even more impressive. He hit the milestone at just 24 years and 284 days, making him the youngest player ever to do so.
Messi would go on to score 129 Champions League goals, winning four titles with Barcelona and producing countless moments of magic. For many, he remains the greatest player ever to grace the tournament.
2. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 62 Games
Before Messi, Ronaldo, or Lewandowski, there was Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutch striker reached 50 goals in just 62 appearances, setting a record that stood for years.
Playing for PSV, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, Van Nistelrooy was the ultimate penalty-box predator. His movement, timing, and ruthless finishing made him nearly impossible to stop.
Despite never winning the Champions League, his goal-scoring efficiency remains legendary, and he is remembered as one of the deadliest strikers in European history.
1. Erling Haaland – 49 Games
At the very top is Erling Haaland, who smashed Van Nistelrooy’s record by reaching 50 goals in just 49 matches.
The Norwegian phenomenon has scored at an astonishing pace for RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City. From tap-ins to thunderous strikes, he has shown every type of finish on Europe’s biggest stage.
Nicknamed The Robot, Haaland looks set to dominate the Champions League for the next decade. With one title already under his belt, the question isn’t whether he’ll keep scoring — it’s how many records he’ll leave behind.
