Top Champions League goalscorers of all time: Cristiano Ronaldo handed special award as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah close in on Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe is now in the top ten of the all-time Champions League goalscorers list but has a long way to go to catch leader Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mbappe has been a regular scorer in UEFA’s elite competition and has already opened his account for Real Madrid in Europe.

Ronaldo’s goal record under the old format will never be brokenAFP

However, the France superstar will have to be prolific for years to come to catch former Real and Manchester United superstar Ronaldo.

The Portuguese icon leads the way with a staggering total while Lionel Messi is just behind.

The Champions League expansion means there will be more games than ever, which is why UEFA have honoured Ronaldo with a special award to recognise his status as the all-time scorer under the old format.

Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski is nearing his century of European goals, while two of the Premier League’s greatest scorers are closing in on a top-ten spot.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is back in the Champions League this season and is only a handful of efforts away from tenth position.

However, the Egyptian (who is on 44 goals from 80 appearances) can’t rest on his laurels, with Erling Haaland just two behind.

That is despite the Norwegian striker playing almost half the games, boasting a stunning record of 42 goals from his 41 games.

Harry Kane became the highest English goalscorer in Champions League history on matchday one by overtaking Wayne Rooney.

He now has 33 goals in 45 games, but that is some way away from the England captain joining the greats of the game on this list.

Excluding qualifying, here’s who makes the top ten Champions League goalscorers ever…

10= Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United) – 48 goals in 124 games

Ibrahimovic played for some of the world’s biggest clubsGetty

10= Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea) – 48 goals in 100 games

Shevchenko was a goal machine at Milan but he failed to replicate his goal-scoring form at ChelseaGetty

8= Kylian Mbappe (AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid) – 49 goals in 74 games

Mbappe scored on his Champions League debut for MadridGetty

7. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) – 50 goals in 112 games

Henry regularly found the back of the net in Europe’s biggest tournament

6. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) 54 goals in 152 games

Muller is an all-time great for BayernAFP

5. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) – 56 goals in 73 games

Van Nistelrooy’s goals-to-games ratio is incredibleGetty

4. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke) – 71 goals in 142 games

Raul is one of football’s greatest strikers

3. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid) – 90 goals in 152 games

Benzema led Real Madrid to Champions League glory in 2022Getty

2. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona) – 96 goals in 122 games

Lewandowski is one of the greatest goalscorers of the modern gameGetty

2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain) – 129 goals in 163 games

Messi helped Barcelona dominate the Champions LeagueGetty

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus) 140 goals in 183 games

Ronaldo is the Champions League’s greatest goalscorer but Haaland and Mbappe will be eyeing his record