Who are the record Champions League goalscorers?

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reported that Kylian Mbappe moved up to joint-fifth on the Champions League’s all-time scoring list after scoring for Real Madrid against Inter Milan in the opening match of the 2026-27 campaign. The goal took him to 71 goals in 99 appearances, matching former Real Madrid forward Raul Gonzalez. The piece is framed as a BBC Sport “Ask Me Anything” explainer on who has scored the most goals in the competition.

The article says only 12 players have reached 50 Champions League goals or more. It also notes that Mbappe is the sixth-fastest player to reach that mark. By comparison, the current record-holder is Cristiano Ronaldo on 140 goals, followed by Lionel Messi on 129.

BBC Sport adds that several of the players above Mbappe are unlikely to add to their totals: Ronaldo and Messi are no longer in European leagues, Robert Lewandowski has moved to Chicago Fire, Karim Benzema is a free agent, and Raul retired in 2015. On that basis, the report says Mbappe remains the closest active challenger to the record, although he would still need a substantial number of goals to catch it.

The article also highlights Erling Haaland’s pace: he reached 50 Champions League goals in just 49 appearances, which BBC Sport describes as the fastest rate on record. The piece suggests Haaland could become a long-term contender if his European scoring continues.