5 Players with most semi-final goals in Champions League history
The UEFA Champions League is widely regarded as the most prestigious club competition in the world, featuring the best teams from Europe's top leagues. The tournament provides players with the opportunity to showcase their skills on the biggest stage and to immortalize their legacy through outstanding performances.
Some of the most memorable moments in club football history have come from the Champions League, with players producing stunning displays of skill, talent, and resilience to lead their teams to victory.
Winning the tournament is a dream for every footballer and players who excel in the Champions League are often remembered as legends of the game. Without further ado, let's take a look at five players with the most semi-final goals in Champions League history.
#5 Alessandro Del Piero - 5 goals
Alessandro Del Piero is widely regarded as one of the greatest Italian footballers of all time and he has attained legendary status in the sport. He spent the majority of his career playing for Juventus, where he won numerous titles, including six Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League in 1996.
Del Piero's goalscoring record in the CL is also impressive, as he scored a total of 42 goals in the competition throughout his career. His ability to produce important goals in big games earned him the nickname "Il Pinturicchio," and he remains a revered figure among Juventus fans and football fans worldwide.
Del Piero has scored five goals in six UEFA Champions League semi-final appearances in his career.
#4 Lionel Messi - 6 goals
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time and his achievements in the Champions League are a testament to his talent and skill.
He has won the tournament four times with Barcelona and has also won the competition's Golden Boot award for being the top scorer in the tournament six times.
Messi has scored a staggering 129 goals in the competition, making him the tournament's second-highest goalscorer. Messi has scored six goals in 15 Champions League semi-final appearances in his career so far.
#3 Robert Lewandowski - 7 goals
Robert Lewandowski is one of the best strikers of the modern era. His prolific goalscoring form was crucial to Bayern Munich winning the UEFA Champions League in the 2019-20 season.
Lewandowski has produced several key performances in Europe's elite competition over the years and it is one of the reasons why he is considered a modern-day great.
The Polish icon has lit up Europe with his unrivaled poaching abilities and continues to be a phenomenal centre-forward despite being well into his 30s. He has scored a total of seven goals in nine Champions League semi-final appearances in his career.
#2 Karim Benzema - 8 goals
Karim Benzema has been a key player for Real Madrid in the Champions League over the years, helping the team win the competition on five occasions. Benzema has been a consistent goal scorer in the tournament, scoring a total of 90 goals, which places him in fourth place on the all-time list of the tournament's top scorers.
He has been praised for his technical ability, his vision on the field, and his ability to perform under pressure, making him an important player for Real Madrid in their pursuit of success in Europe. Benzema has scored eight goals in 16 Champions League semi-final appearances in his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo: 17 Goals (2013/14)
Robert Lewandowski: 15 Goals (2019/20)
Karim Benzema: 15 Goals (2021/22)
… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Most Goals in a single season in the Champions League history:
1⃣🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 17 Goals (2013/14)
2⃣🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 16 Goals (2015/16)
3⃣🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski: 15 Goals (2019/20)
4⃣🇫🇷 Karim Benzema: 15 Goals (2021/22)
5⃣🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 15 Goals (2017/18)
6⃣🇦🇷… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/Xz8wzssfk2
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - 13 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his achievements in the CL are nothing short of remarkable. He has won the competition a record-breaking five times, four of which he won with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United.
Ronaldo has also won the tournament's Golden Boot award for being the top scorer a record-breaking seven times. He currently holds the record for the most goals scored in the competition with a remarkable 140 goals.
Ronaldo's achievements in the CL have helped cement his place as one of the greatest footballers in history. He has scored 13 goals in 21 Champions League semi-final appearances in his career.
On this day, 6 years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo did one of his most iconic and coldest celebrations after scoring against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League semi-final. 🥶 https://t.co/jjr8rzKE2q