13 goals takes top spot
©TM/IMAGO
The Champions League final is fast approaching on the horizon with Inter Milan already booking their place in the Munich showpiece. Inter edged out Barcelona in one of the best Champions League semi-finals in history with a 7-6 triumph on aggregate. After a 3-3 draw in Catalonia, Inter scored a late equaliser in the second leg to make it 3-3 with Davide Frattesi netting a famous winner in extra-time.
After securing a 1-0 first leg advantage in North London, PSG are favourite to reach the final as they welcome Arsenal to Paris in the second leg. The French giants quest to win the biggest prize in club football is well-documented and they’ll be aiming to reach their second Champions League final – PSG lost to Bayern Munich in 2020. Stepping up in the biggest games is the hallmark of truly exceptional players but which stars have scored the most goals in the Champions League semi-finals?
Which players have scored the most goals in Champions League semi-finals?
Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo is the record goalscorer in Champions League semi-finals – we’ve only used statistics since the 1992/93 season. The Portuguese superstar is the top goalscorer in the competition’s history with 140 goals and he’s netted 13 goals in 21 semi-final appearances for Real Madrid and Manchester United. Karim Benzema has played the joint-third most Champions League semi-final games with 18 and he ranks second with eight goals.
As the graphic above illustrates, Robert Lewandowski takes third spot with seven goals and remarkably four of those arrived in one game for Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid in 2013. Lionel Messi scored six semi-final goals for Barcelona and takes fourth spot with Jari Litmanen and Alessandro Del Piero tied on five goals.
