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Which players have the most goals in a Champions League game?
Grace Waruguru
updated at March 19, 2024 at 11:22 AM
Who scored the most goals in a Champions League game? Football is all about the goal, and several players in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) have earned respect for their goalscoring prowess, placing their teams top of the league and earning awards in the process. Discover all about these players in this article.
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Table of Сontents:
Several online sources have analyzed the players with the most goals in a Champions League game. Some won league titles with their teams, while others never lifted the cup. Keep reading to learn who these players are.
Who scored the most goals in a Champions League game?
These trendsetters have scored the most goals in UCL matches since its inception. Here is a ranked list of the players with the most goals in a Champions League match:
Player's name | Number of goals |
Sébastien Haller | 4 goals |
Olivier Giroud | 4 goals |
Josip Iličić | 4 goals |
Robert Lewandowski | 4 goals |
Serge Gnabry | 4 goals |
Cristiano Ronaldo | 4 goals |
Zlatan Ibrahimović | 4 goals |
Mario Gomez | 4 goals |
Bafétimbi Gomis | 4 goals |
Andriy Shevchenko | 4 goals |
Ruud van Nistelrooy | 4 goals |
Dado Prso | 4 goals |
Simone Inzaghi | 4 goals |
Marco Van Basten | 4 goals |
Erling Haaland | 5 goals |
Luiz Adriano | 5 goals |
Lionel Messi | 5 goals |
17. Sébastien Haller - 4 goals
- Full name: Sébastien Romain Teddy Haller
- Nationality: French
- Current team: Borussia Dortmund
Sébastien Romain is a striker for Borussia Dortmund, which he joined in 2022. He scored four goals for Ajax during his UEFA Champions League (UCL) debut in the 2021/22 season and was the Eredivisie top scorer in the same year. The striker also plays for the Ivory Coast national team.
Source: Getty Images
16. Olivier Giroud - 4 goals
- Full name: Olivier Jonathan Giroud
- Nationality: French
- Current team: AC Milan
French striker Olivier Giroud is among the players who have scored the most goals in a Champions League game by one player. Giroud scored four goals for Chelsea during a match against Sevilla in 2020. The athlete is France's all-time highest goalscorer.
Source: Getty Images
15. Josip Iličić - 4 goals
- Full name: Josip Iličić
- Nationality: Slovenian
- Current team: NK Maribor
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Slovenian national Josip Iličić scored all four goals for Atlanta during a match against Valencia. The game, whose final score was 4-3, saw Atlanta qualify for their first Champions League quarter-finals. Josip plays for NK Maribor, which he joined in 2022.
Source: Getty Images
14. Robert Lewandowski - 4 goals
- Full name: Robert Lewandowski
- Nationality: Polish
- Current team: F.C Barcelona
Robert made history in November 2019 when he scored six goals for Bayern Munich during a match against Crvena Zvezda. The achievement made him the second player to score at least four goals in a Champions League match on more than one occasion. Lewandowski is a striker for F.C Barcelona.
Previously, in April 2013, Robert had scored all four goals for Borussia Dortmund's semi-final match against Real Madrid. The score saw his team proceed to the finals.
Source: Getty Images
13. Serge Gnabry - 4 goals
- Full name: Serge David Gnabry
- Nationality: German
- Current team: Bayern Munich
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In October 2019, Serge Gnabry scored four goals in a 7-2 win for Bayern Munich against Tottenham Spur. The German footballer has attained 53 goals in his Bundesliga career (As of March 2024) out of 212 matches. Gnabry also plays for his country's national team.
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12. Cristiano Ronaldo - 4 goals
- Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
- Nationality: Portuguese
- Current team: Al-Nassr FC
Ronaldo, popularly known as CR7, is among the top goalscorers in the football scene. He scored 145 goals for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus, and 450 for Real Madrid. The Portuguese forward is the highest-scoring player in the Champions League and the only player with five Champions League titles.
Source: Getty Images
11. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 4 goals
- Full name: Zlatan Ibrahimović
- Nationality: Swedish
- Team: AC Milan
Zlatan is a former striker who played for teams like Juventus, Manchester United, and AC Milan. Zlatan scored four goals during a Paris Saint-Germain match against Anderlecht in October 2013. Ibrahimovic scored over 570 career goals and boasts one of the most goals in a Champions League game by a player.
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Source: Getty Images
10. Mario Gomez - 4 goals
- Full name: Mario Gómez García
- Nationality: German
- Team: VFB Stuttgart
Retired footballer Mario Gomez scored four goals for Bayern Munich in the 2012 match against Basel. He scored 12 Champions League goals that season, second to Lionel Messi's 14. The player also played for his national team from 2007 to 2018.
Source: Getty Images
9. Bafétimbi Gomis - 4 goals
- Full name: Bafétimbi Gomis
- Nationality: French
- Current team: Kawasaki Frontale
Bafétimbi Gomis is one of the players who boasts the most goals scored in a single Champions League game (4). He attained this achievement for Lyon in 2011 during a 7-1 goal against Dinamo Zagreb and was the first French player to score as many goals in a Champions League match since 1963.
Source: Getty Images
8. Andriy Shevchenko - 4 goals
- Full name: Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Team: Dynamo Kyiv
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Retired player Andriy Shevchenko was the first player to score four goals in a Champions League away game between his team, AC Milan, and Fenerbahçe in 2005. The former footballer's achievement saw his team win the Golden Boot that season.
Source: Getty Images
7. Ruud Van Nistelrooy - 4 goals
- Full name: Rutgerus Johannes Martinus Van Nistelrooi
- Nationality: Dutch
- Team: Málaga
Ruud Van is a retired player who was the top scorer in three Champions League seasons. He is the sixth-highest goalscorer in the league's history (56 goals). Nistelrooy scored all four goals during a Manchester United match against Sparta Prague in 2004, which ended at 4-1.
Source: Getty Images
6. Dado Prso - 4 goals
- Full name: Miladin "Dado" Pršo
- Nationality: Croatian
- Team: Rangers
Dado Prso is a retired footballer who spent his last few years with the Rangers. He scored four goals during Monaco's 8-3 win against Deportivo de La Coruña in 2003.
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What is the highest-scoring game in the Champions League? The match was the first highest-scoring Champions League game until 2016, when Borussia Dortmund scored eight goals against Legia Warsaw's four in November 2016.
Source: Getty Images
5. Simone Inzaghi - 4 goals
- Full name: Simone Inzaghi
- Nationality: Italian
- Team: Atlanta
Simone Inghazi makes it to the list of players with the most goals in a Champions League match by a player. He attained this feat in 2000 during a match between Lazio and Marseille. Surprisingly, Simone never won any Champions League Cup. Currently, he is the Inter Milan manager.
Source: Getty Images
4. Marco Van Basten - 4 goals
- Full name: Marcel Van Basten
- Nationality: Dutch
- Team: AC Milan
Marco Van Basten is a Dutch footballer who played for Ajax and AC Milan before retiring at 28. He scored 300 goals in his career, including a 1992 4-0 game against IFK Göteborg. Basten was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won four Serie A titles and two European Cups.
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Source: Getty Images
3. Erling Haaland - 5 goals
- Full name: Erling Braut Haaland
- Nationality: Norwegian
- Current team: Manchester City
Has any player scored 5 goals in a Champions League match? Erling Haaland scored five goals during a Manchester City match against RB Leipzig in his debut season. His performance made him the third player to score five goals in a UC match and the youngest to reach 30 goals in the competition’s history.
Source: Getty Images
2. Luiz Adriano- 5 goals
- Full name: Luiz Adriano de Souza da Silva
- Nationality: Brazillian
- Team: Vitoria
Brazillian striker Luiz Adriano scored five goals in October 2014 during a 7-0 match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Borisov. He was Shaktar's all-time leading goalscorer that year. The athlete won the 2006 FIFA World Cup with his home team.
Source: Getty Images
1. Lionel Messi - 5 goals
- Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi
- Nationality: Argentine
- Current team: Inter Miami CF
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Messi was the first player to score five goals in the Champions League in 2012, surpassing his 2010 record when he scored four goals during a match between Barcelona and Arsenal.
The 7-1 match between Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen is the only one in his club career where Messi scored five goals. The Argentine forward captains inter Miami and the Argentina national football team.
Source: Getty Images
Frequently Asked Questions
These top goal scorers have won UCL championships, while others have never lifted the trophy. Here are some frequently asked questions about the most goals in a Champions League game:
Who scored the most goals in a Champions League game?
Norwegian player Erling Haaland, Argentine's Lionel Messi, and Brazil's Luiz Adriano have scored five goals in the Champions League, the highest in any match.
What are the most goals in a Champions League game?
The most goals scored in a Champions League game is five. Fans will look out for the next best record as the league continues.
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Who scored the most goals in a Champions League final game?
Cristiano Ronaldo holds this record for scoring four goals during a final match between Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Final word
The players with the most goals in a Champions League match have a wealth of experience playing for club and country and have built a lasting legacy for those behind them. The UCL goal-scoring legacy will likely get better and more competitive in future years.
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