Real Madrid have the best history out of any team in the Champions League. They have lifted the prestigious trophy a whopping 14 times, so they are favourites to repeat this every season. That said, who are the Real Madrid all-time scoring leaders in Champions League history?
Real Madrid All-time Scoring Leaders in Champions League History
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (105 goals)
It goes without saying that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in Real Madrid history. In fact, he is many people’s contender for the greatest player to ever grace the pitch.
Say what you like about CR7, he was certainly a prolific goal-scorer. This is why he’s written into folklore and will be in the history books for a very long time. During his time with Real Madrid, the Portuguese legend scored an incredible 105 goals. Words simply don’t do it justice. Ronaldo is a goal-scoring master and he should be studied in a lab.
Without a doubt, his best goal in the Champions League for Real Madrid is against the team he went onto join, Juventus. A contender for the best goal in the competition’s history, Ronaldo scored an incredible overhead kick against one of the all-time greatest goalkeepers, Gianluigi Buffon. The height he picked up for this goal couldn’t be performed by 99.9% of people.
Standing strong at 105 goals, will Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League record for Real Madrid ever be broken? Only time will tell.
2. Karim Benzema (78 goals)
Someone who was blessed to play on the same pitch as Cristiano Ronaldo gave it his best shot to catch up to his incredible record – That’s right, it’s Karim Benzema.
The lethal goal-scorer who played for Real Madrid between the years 2009-2023 scored an amazing 78 goals. He also won five Champions League titles during his time, impressive!
Karim Benzema’s most memorable Champions League goal has to be his goal in the final against Liverpool, in 2018. He was gifted the ball by Loris Karius, but he used his instinct well to slot home and set Real Madrid up for their 13th Champions League trophy in history.
Truly a Real Madrid legend, Karim Benzema eventually departed the club in 2023, where he joined the emerging league, the Saudi Pro League. He left quite the mark on European football, it must be said.
3. Raúl González (66 goals)
Regarded as one of the best players from his generation and certainly one of the best Real Madrid players of all time, Raúl González makes this list as Real Madrid’s third highest goal-scorer in Champions League history.
Netting an impressive 66 goals, the Spanish international has spent his life devoted to his home city, Madrid. After coming through the ranks at Real Madrid and leaving his incredible mark on the club, Raúl retired in 2015 after a season with New York Cosmos. When he retired, Raúl continued to work hard and climb his way up the managerial hierarchy, from the youth system to Real Madrid Castilla. Many people see him as the future manager of Real Madrid
He won three Champions League titles with Real Madrid and scored in two finals – A remarkable achievement. Without a doubt, his finest moment was in the 2002 final in Glasgow, where he opened the scoring early on against Bayer Leverkusen in a final which Real Madrid went onto win. Strikers like Raúl González come around once in a blue moon.
4. Alfredo Di Stéfano (49 goals)
Wow… Is there an end to this list of incredible strikers? Widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the game, Di Stéfano makes this list as the fourth top goal-scorer for Real Madrid in Champions League history.
The five-time Champions League winner and two-time Ballon d’Or winner scored an impressive 49 goals during his time with Real Madrid. I would be hard-pressed to name the legend’s finest Champions League moment but I think it picks itself. In 1958, Real Madrid faced Sevilla in the Champions League and they HUMILIATED their Spanish opponents by a scoreline of 8-0, with Di Stéfano scoring a healthy four of them.
Di Stefano sadly passed in 2014 but he will always be written in football history. May he rest in peace.
Having seen Ronaldo, Benzema, Raúl and Di Stéfano in the same list – Can they be topped? Well, let me introduce you to another Real Madrid iconic striker.,
5. Ferenc Puskás (34 goals)
Ending this top-five list in an epic way is Alfredo Di Stéfano’s teammate, Ferenc Puskás. The two iconic Real Madrid strikers dominated Europe during their time and Puskás left his own mark and legacy which will never be unwritten since the award for the best goal in football scored every year is named in his honour.
READ MORE:Â Ranking the 75 best players in Real Madrid history
Puskás scored a generous helping of 34 goals during his Real Madrid career. Most notably, he scored FOUR goals in the 1960 European Cup final, as his teammate Alfredo Di Stéfano scored a hat-trick in the same match. Imagine watching that game live!
The Hungarian legend retired in 1966 with three Champions League trophies. Although he was more successful at Real Madrid, he will always have a special place in the hearts of Budapest Honvéd since he spent the most of his time there and became their galloping major. May the footballing great rest in peace.