Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are extraordinary, but - in some ways - Alfrédo Di Stefano, Bafétimbi Gomis and Gerd Müller have been even more, as discovered by UEFA.com.
The duel between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to become the best cannoniere in Europe continues to enthusiast fans throughout the continent but to beat the following record the two will have to be really to do.
Goals in the final
Most goals scored in the Champions League final: 7 - Alfrédo di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás (both Real Madrid)
Finals with goals in the Champions League: 5 - Alfrédo di Stefano (Real Madrid CF, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
More goals in a single Champions League Final: 4 - Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid CF, 1960)
they scored only two goals in the final (in 2009 and 2016) while Ronaldo is now four (one in 2008 and 2014 and two in 2017), but is still three goals away from two predecessors at Real Madrid. The Portuguese also has five appearances in the final: two less than Di Stefano and three less than Francisco Gento (Real Madrid) and Paolo Maldini (AC Milan).
Ronaldo's double in last season is the number of goals closer than the four made by Puskás in 1960.
Success with multiple teams
UEFA Champions League finals came with different teams: 3 - Clarence Seedorf (Ajax 1995, Real Madrid 1998, Milan 2003, 2007)
Goals scored in the UEFA Champions League with different teams: 6 - Zlatan Ibrahimović (AFC Ajax, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only one to have scored in two UEFA Champions League finals with two different teams - Manchester United in 2008 and Real Madrid in 2014. Velibor Vasović is the only one to have scored in two Champions League finals with two defeated teams: Partizan in 1966 and Ajax in 1969. Ronaldo should move to match the record of Clarence Seedorf.
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| Zlatan Ibrahimović ha segnato per sei squadre in UEFA Champions League |
Ibrahimović's record seems even more unsurpassed: Messi and Ronaldo should continue to change their team and score goals. Messi has so far scored only with Barcelona, Ronaldo with United and Real Madrid.
Goleador more 'old'
UEFA Champions League Finals: Paolo Maldini (36 years and 333 days)
Milan - Liverpool (25/05/2005)
UEFA Champions League: Francesco Totti (38 years and 59 days)
CSKA Moscow - Roma (25/11/2014)
Champions League: Manfred Burgsmüller (38 years and 293 days)
Werder Bremen - Dynamo Berlin (11/10/1988)
Totti's record and more
To beat Maldini's record we will need a lot of patience: for Ronaldo the first chance would come for the final of 2021/22, for Messi in 2023/24 - if they do not play before 23 May.
To become the most 'old' goleador in the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo will have to score after the first April 2023, Messi after August 22, 2025. As for the Champions League in general, Ronaldo will score after November 22, 2023, Messi after April 13, 2026.
Fastest Goals in UEFA Champions League: Roy Makaay (10.12 seconds)
Bayern Munich - Real Madrid CF (07/03/2007)
Fastest Goals in a UEFA Champions League Final: Paolo Maldini (53 seconds)
AC Milan - Liverpool FC (25/05/2005)
The fastest goals in the Champions League
Ronaldo and Messi both scored four minutes in the UEFA Champions League - Ronaldo for Madrid against Juventus in October 2013 and Messi against FC Basel 1893 in October 2008.
As for Paolo Maldini's record, Ronaldo and Messi have not even come close; both Messi's goals came in the second half, while Ronaldo's fastest lap went to the 20's in the 2017 finals against Juventus in Cardiff.
Triplets
The fastest triplet in UEFA Champions League: Bafétimbi Gomis (8 minutes)
Dinamo Zagreb - Olympique Lyonnais, 07/12/2011
Messi and Ronaldo share the record for the highest number of triplets in the UEFA Champions League - five in total - though neither of them has managed to overcome the fastest triple of Bafétimbi Gomis against Dinamo. The fastest in Messi came in 22 minutes (against Arsenal FC, 06/04/10), though only 16 minutes passed between the second and fourth goals when he scored five goals against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 7 March 2012. The fastest triplet of Ronaldo came in 12 minutes, against Malmö on the sixth day.
Luiz Adriano set a new lead in two consecutive trophies in the UEFA Champions League against BATE: five goals in the first group stage challenge and three in the second, but Ronaldo scored with the triplets against Bayern and Atlético in the 2016 / 17.
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| Ryan Giggs during season number 16 |
On the long distance
Goals in UEFA Champions League consecutive seasons: Raúl González (14)
UEFA Champions League seasons: Ryan Giggs (16)
Sporting did not go ahead with the only attempt with Cristiano Ronaldo who did not score in the first two seasons of the UEFA Champions League with United. He has scored in the next 12 seconds to beat Raúl's record. He will have to do it in 2. To match Giggs record, he will have to play like Welsh up to 40.
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| Falcao at the end of the record season |
Messi did not have any false starts, having scored in 13 consecutive UEFA Champions League editions, but Raúl or Giggs may have been in this special league this season.
Single season
More goals in a single European season: Radamel Falcao (18), FC Porto 2010/11
Messi's best season was 2011/12 when he scored 14 goals in Europe. Ronaldo set a new record for the Champions League / UEFA Champions League, marking 17 in 2013/14.
Constancy
Consecutive appearances with goals: Ruud van Nistelrooy (9), Manchester United FC, 2002/03
Average goals per game Champions League / UEFA Champions League: 0.97 - Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München)
Average goals per game in UEFA club competitions *: 0.87 - Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München)
Ronaldo went close to the record of Ruud van Nistelrooy (UEFA Champions League 2002/03) when he scored in eight consecutive appearances in 2013/14.
With regard to the UEFA Champions League goals, Messi and Ronaldo can not compete with the record holder of all time. Ronaldo is at 0.76 per game - 111 goals in 144 races - 0.75 for UEFA club competitions - 113 goals in 151 games. Messi scored more consistently (0.82 in the UEFA Champions League - 97 goals in 118 games, 0.82 in all UEFA club competitions - 100 in 122 matches).
* For UEFA Club Competitions are the Champions League / UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League, Intercontinental Cup, UEFA Cup Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup.
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