On Tuesday, Robert Lewandowski scored the opening goal for Barcelona against Brest at the Stadio Olimpico Lluis Companys, on Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League group stage. The goal not only played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s efforts to secure a spot in the knockout round but also marked the Polish striker’s 100th goal in Europe’s elite competition, a feat previously accomplished only by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lewandowski, at 36 years, three months, and five days old, became the third player in history to score 100 goals in the Champions League. His achievement underscores not only his prolific goalscoring ability but also his enduring relevance at the highest level of European football. However, there’s a notable contrast between how Lewandowski reached this milestone compared to Leo and CR7.
Lewandowski reached 100 Champions League goals later in his career, while both Lionel and Cristiano accomplished the feat much earlier. Messi, the youngest player to reach 100 goals in European competition, achieved the milestone at 30 years, eight months, and 18 days old. He reached the mark in March 2018 after scoring a brace for Barcelona in a round of 16 clash with Chelsea.
A year earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo had also reached the 100-goal mark, doing so at 32 years, two months, and 13 days. His landmark moment came when he netted a hat-trick for Real Madrid against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals.
Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona
Can Lewandowski catch up to Messi and Ronaldo?
While Lewandowski’s 100 Champions League goals cement his place as the third-highest scorer in the competition’s history, he still has a significant gap to close in order to catch up with Messi and Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains the all-time top scorer with 140 goals, accumulated during his time at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Messi, currently second, has scored 129 goals, split between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Messi holds the record for most Champions League goals for a single club, with 120 for the Catalan side.
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Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski makes something clear on competing with Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo
Who could be the next to reach 100 goals?
With Lewandowski now in the 100-goal club, the question turns to who could be next. Currently, the player closest to the milestone is Karim Benzema, who has 90 goals. However, his move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia has likely put his chances of reaching 100 in Europe’s premier competition out of reach. Behind him, Thomas Muller of Bayern Munich sits with 54 goals. At 35 years old, it seems unlikely that he will close the gap significantly enough to reach 100 goals.
Looking ahead, the two players most likely to reach 100 Champions League goals next are Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old French star is already among the top ten all-time Champions League scorers with 49 goals, while Haaland, just 24, has scored 44 goals. Given their youth and remarkable goal-scoring records, both are well positioned not only to reach 100 goals but potentially to do so before Messi.
