FULL LIST: Five players chasing Ronaldo’s Champions League goals record
September 9, 2026 5:52 pm
Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 17 goals in a single Champions League season remains one of the competition’s most remarkable individual achievements.
The Portuguese superstar set the record with Real Madrid during the 2013/14 campaign, and it has remained untouched despite several prolific forwards coming close. UEFA confirms that Kylian Mbappé finished the 2025/26 season with 15 goals, the closest any player has come to Ronaldo’s mark in recent years.
With the Champions League now featuring an expanded league phase and potentially more matches for teams that progress through the knockout stages, the opportunity to challenge the record has increased.
Here are five players who could make a serious attempt to surpass Ronaldo’s 17-goal haul, as reported by Planet Football on Wednesday
1. Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé is perhaps the most obvious candidate after coming within two goals of Ronaldo’s record last season.
The Real Madrid forward scored 15 Champions League goals in the 2025/26 campaign, despite his side being eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
He has already demonstrated that he can produce at an extraordinary rate in Europe, and his current form makes him one of the leading candidates to finally break Ronaldo’s record.
Mbappé also opened his 2026/27 Champions League campaign with a goal against Inter Milan, taking his competition tally to 71.
2. Erling Haaland
Haaland’s goalscoring record makes him another obvious contender.
The Manchester City striker has consistently delivered in the Champions League since his breakthrough years at Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund.
He began the new campaign spectacularly, scoring both goals in City’s 2-0 victory over Porto to take his Champions League tally to 59 goals in 59 appearances.
At 26, Haaland is entering what should be the prime years of his career, and his remarkable scoring rate means a deep run by Manchester City could give him a realistic opportunity to challenge the 17-goal mark.
3. Harry Kane
Harry Kane is another striker capable of producing the numbers required to threaten Ronaldo’s record.
The Bayern Munich forward scored 14 Champions League goals last season, putting him just three short of Ronaldo’s record.
Kane also enjoyed an extraordinary 2025/26 campaign overall, scoring 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich, according to recent Ballon d’Or rankings.
If Bayern progress deep into the competition and Kane maintains his scoring form, he could once again find himself among the leading contenders for the Champions League scoring crown.
4. Raphinha
Raphinha represents a more outside chance, but his recent transformation into a more central attacking player makes him an intriguing candidate.
The Barcelona forward enjoyed a prolific 2024/25 Champions League campaign, scoring 13 goals, putting him among the highest-scoring players in a single season.
His ability to operate closer to goal could give him the volume of chances needed to mount a serious challenge if Barcelona make a deep run.
5. Ousmane Dembélé
Dembélé completes the list after emerging as a key goalscorer for Paris Saint-Germain.
The Frenchman has increasingly operated as a centre-forward under Luis Enrique and has been central to PSG’s recent success in Europe.
Breaking Ronaldo’s record would require a dramatic increase in his Champions League output, but playing for a team capable of reaching the latter stages gives him an opportunity.
Ronaldo’s 17-goal mark remains a formidable target, but the expanded Champions League format means prolific forwards now have more opportunities to accumulate goals. Whether any of Mbappé, Haaland, Kane, Raphinha or Dembélé can produce the extraordinary consistency required to surpass it remains to be seen.
Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.
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