Champions League

Champions League 40-goal club: Lionel Messi moves closer to Cristiano Ronaldo record

Published: October 27 2022 | 10:06

Last updated: October 29 2022 | 12:25

Sports Mole looks at the latest standings in the Champions League 40-goal club as Lionel Messi moves to within 11 of Cristiano Ronaldo, while Neymar and Mohamed Salah also rise.

Lionel Messi is now just 11 goals short of Cristiano Ronaldo's all-time Champions League scoring record after another virtuoso performance from the Paris Saint-Germain forward on Tuesday night.

The Argentine scored twice and assisted two more as PSG thrashed Maccabi Haifa 7-2, moving on to 129 Champions League goals in the process.

A record 80 of those have now come in the group stage of the competition - from just 85 such matches - while Messi also became the oldest player to both score twice and assist twice in the same Champions League game.

The 40-goal club's newest member - Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - also moved level with Juventus legend Alessandro del Piero on 42 goals, but he remains one behind Neymar, who increased his tally to 43 in that PSG rout.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the latest standings in the Champions League 40-goal club.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus)

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Villarreal in the Champions League on September 29, 2021 © Reuters

Goals: 140
Appearances: 183
Ratio: 0.77

2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain against Benfica on October 5, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 129
Appearances: 160
Ratio: 0.81

3. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona)

Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring for Barcelona on October 12, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 91
Appearances: 111
Ratio: 0.82

4. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema celebrates scoring against Chelsea on April 5, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 86
Appearances: 145
Ratio: 0.6

5. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke 04)

Raul in action for Real Madrid in 2009 © Reuters

Goals: 71
Appearances: 142
Ratio: 0.50

6. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid)

Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United © Reuters

Goals: 56
Appearances: 73
Ratio: 0.77

7. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Thomas Muller in action for Bayern Munich on September 30, 2022 © Reuters

Goals: 53
Appearances: 138
Ratio: 0.38

8. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)

Thierry Henry celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Sparta Prague in the Champions League on October 18, 2005 © Reuters

Goals: 50
Appearances: 112
Ratio: 0.45

9. Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)

Goals: 49
Appearances: 58
Ratio: 0.84

10. Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea)

Andriy Shevchenko pictured for AC Milan in 2006 © Reuters

Goals: 48
Appearances: 100
Ratio: 0.48

11. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)

AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring their second goal on September 12, 2021 © Reuters

Goals: 48
Appearances: 124
Ratio: 0.39

12. Eusebio (Benfica)

Eusebio pictured for Benfica during his playing career © Reuters

Goals: 46
Appearances: 65
Ratio: 0.71

13. Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus, AC Milan)

Goals: 46
Appearances: 81
Ratio: 0.57

14. Didier Drogba (Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray)

Goals: 44
Appearances: 92
Ratio: 0.48

15. Neymar (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Goals: 43
Appearances: 80
Ratio: 0.54

16. Mohamed Salah (Basel, Roma, Liverpool)

Goals: 42
Appearances: 76
Ratio: 0.55

17. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)

Goals: 42
Appearances: 89
Ratio: 0.47

18. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, Manchester City)

Goals: 41
Appearances: 79
Ratio: 0.52

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