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These records will stand the test of time

7 insane Cristiano Ronaldo Champions League records that will never be broken

Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the king of the Champions League and we have gathered seven insane records that he holds in the competition which will likely never be broken.

Even Ronaldo’s biggest haters have to admit that Champions League nights these days just don’t hit the same without him. During his pomp, the Portuguese superstar was inevitable in Europe’s top competition.

We’ve taken a closer look at some of Ronaldo’s mind-boggling records and have picked out seven of them that won’t be broken any time soon.

Most UCL goals of all time

With Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema no longer playing in Europe, Ronaldo’s record of 140 Champions League goals is safe for the time being.

In order for anyone to match his insane output in the competition, they’d need to score 10 UCL goals for 14 consecutive seasons.

Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe could get close to that figure by the time they retire, although both players are more than 90 goals away from matching this record as things stand.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid reacts after win the UEFA Champions League Final 2018 game against Liverpool at NSC

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the 35 top goalscorers in Champions League history?

Most UCL knockout goals

Even if the likes of Mbappe and Haaland catch his all-time scoring record, it will take some effort to match his output in the knockout stages.

Overall, 67 of Ronaldo’s Champions League goals have come in the knockout stages which is more than any other player in the competitions history.

Most UCL goals from the quarter-finals onwards

Ronaldo’s goal tally in the Champions League gets even more impressive when you take into consideration how many goals he’s scored from the quarter-finals onwards.

In total, the Portuguese forward has scored 42 goals from the quarter-finals onwards which is utterly bonkers. For context, Messi has scored 20 goals from this stage of the competition.

Ronaldo always seemed to come into his own in the later stages of the tournament and we think this record will definitely stand the test of time.

In terms of clutch Champions League moments, not many players can hold a candle to CR7.

Most goals in a single season

The 2013-14 campaign was a truly historic one for Ronaldo. He was the driving force behind Real Madrid winning their first Champions League trophy since 2001–02.

In the process of winning the trophy, he scored a whopping 17 goals which is more than any other player has ever managed in a single UCL campaign.

Karim Benzema (2021–22) and Robert Lewandowski (2019–20) came close to matching the record, but even in their most prolific seasons they only managed 15 goals in the competition.


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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club Cristiano Ronaldo has scored against in the Champions League?


Scoring in 11 consecutive games

Between June 2017 and April 2018, Ronaldo scored in 11 consecutive Champions League games which is a record that hasn’t been surpassed since.

We’ve got a sneaky feeling that this one will stand the test of time.

Most UCL appearances

Few players can hold a candle to Ronaldo’s longevity in the game and it’s reflected in the stats. Between 2003 and 2022, Ronaldo made a whopping 183 appearances in the competition which is more than any other player has managed.

Of the players who are still active in Europe, Thomas Muller is the closest to catching the record, although even he is 34 appearances shy.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, Group F match at the Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo.

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name the top 30 appearance-makers in Champions League history?

Seven Golden Boot awards

His goalscoring prowess in Europe can be summed up by the fact that he has seven UCL Golden Boot awards – the most of any player in the competition’s history.

Messi isn’t far behind with six Golden Boots himself, although with him now living the high life in Miami, Ronaldo’s record is safe for the time being.

Haaland is probably the most likely player to match this record in the future, although he still has a long way to go yet. As of writing, the Man City forward has won two UCL Golden Boots. For further context, Mbappe is yet to win any.