Winning the Champions League trophy the biggest honour in European club football.
Earning the coveted title of continental European champion is one thing, but managing to score the most goals in a single Champions League season is a feat on its own.
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So which player has scored the most Champions League goals? Goal takes a look.
What is the record for most Champions League goals scored in a season?
Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the record for scoring the most Champions League goals in a single campaign, netting 17 times playing for Real Madrid during the 2013-14 season.
Real Madrid were eventually crowned champions that campaign, beating local rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the final in Lisbon with the Portugal star converting a penalty deep into extra-time.
The victory was the year of La Decima for the Spanish giants, winning a record 10th European cup trophy.
In fact, the now-Al-Nassr striker currently occupies the top three spots of the Champions League season scoring charts. He netted 16 times in the 2015-16 campaign, and 15 in 2017-18 - both for Real.
His former rival at Barcelona, Lionel Messi, occupies the fourth spot with 14 goals. The Argentina international shares a tally of 12 strikes with Ronaldo once again as well as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robert Lewandowski.
Season | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
2013-14 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 17 |
2015-16 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 16 |
2017-18 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 15 |
2019-20 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 15 |
2021-22 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 14 |
2011-12 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 14 |
2021-22 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 13 |
2018-19 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 12 |
2016-17 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 12 |
2012-13 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 12 |
2010-11 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 12 |
2002-03 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Manchester United | 12 |
2012-13 | Mario Gomez | Bayern Munich | 12 |
*Last updated February 2023
While Ronaldo holds the record for most goals scored in the European top-flight, Radamel Falcao set the record for most Europa League goals netted in a single campaign (18) for Porto in the 2010-11 season.