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Top Players with Most Goals in a Single Champions League Match

The UEFA Champions League showcases some of the most electrifying moments in football. One unforgettable aspect is when players score multiple goals in a single game, etching their names into history. This list highlights the elite players who have scored the highest number of goals in one Champions League match.

12. Robert Lewandowski – 4 Goals

Robert Lewandowski stunned fans by netting four goals against Real Madrid during the 2012-13 semi-final first leg while playing for Borussia Dortmund. His performance remains one of the competition’s finest, helping Dortmund to a 4-1 victory, though they later lost in the final. That season, Lewandowski scored 10 goals overall, which boosted his reputation and led to a move to Bayern Munich.

  • Matches: 130
  • Goals: 103
  • Assists: 26

11. Mario Gomez – 4 Goals

Mario Gomez, known for his strength and goal instincts, scored four goals in Bayern Munich's 7-0 thrashing of FC Basel in the 2012 last-16 stage. During his Bayern career, he made 174 appearances, scoring 113 goals.

  • Matches: 44
  • Goals: 26
  • Assists: 6

10. Bafetimbi Gomis – 4 Goals

In 2011, French striker Bafetimbi Gomis scored four goals for Lyon in a 7-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb. This feat made him the first French player in over 40 years to score four goals in a European match.

  • Matches: 23
  • Goals: 9
  • Assists: –

9. Lionel Messi – 4 Goals

Argentine legend Lionel Messi delivered a remarkable display by scoring four goals against Arsenal in a 2010 Champions League knockout match, famously including a chipped finish over goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

  • Matches: 163
  • Goals: 129
  • Assists: 45

8. Andriy Shevchenko – 4 Goals

Andriy Shevchenko netted four goals in AC Milan’s 4-0 win against Fenerbahce in 2005, becoming the first player to score four goals in a Champions League away game. He won the Golden Boot that season with nine goals.

  • Matches: 100
  • Goals: 48
  • Assists: 6

7. Ruud van Nistelrooy – 4 Goals

Ruud van Nistelrooy, sixth on the Champions League all-time scorers list, scored four goals for Manchester United against Sparta Prague in the 2004-05 group stage, matching a feat last achieved by Denis Law in 1968.

  • Matches: 73
  • Goals: 56
  • Assists: 18

6. Dado Prso – 4 Goals

Dado Prso was vital for AS Monaco during their run to the 2003-04 Champions League final, scoring four goals in an 8-3 win over Deportivo La Coruna. He also won three Croatian Footballer of the Year awards.

  • Matches: 21
  • Goals: 9
  • Assists: 1

5. Simone Inzaghi – 4 Goals

Simone Inzaghi, now a well-known manager, scored four goals for Lazio in a 5-1 Champions League victory over Marseille in 2000, securing his place on this list.

  • Matches: 31
  • Goals: 15
  • Assists: 3

4. Marco van Basten – 4 Goals

Marco van Basten scored four goals against IFK Goteborg in 1992, the first since the European Cup became the Champions League. The Dutch star won two European Cups and three Ballon d'Or awards.

  • Matches: 5
  • Goals: 6
  • Assists: 2

3. Erling Haaland – 5 Goals

Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored five goals in a 7-0 rout of RB Leipzig during the 2023-24 Champions League campaign, becoming the third player ever to reach five goals in a single UCL game.

  • Matches: 48
  • Goals: 49
  • Assists: 5

2. Luiz Adriano – 5 Goals

Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano scored five times for Shakhtar Donetsk in a 7-0 group stage victory over Bate Borisov in 2014, setting a record for most goals against a single opponent in the competition.

  • Matches: 47
  • Goals: 21
  • Assists: 5

1. Lionel Messi – 5 Goals

At the top is Lionel Messi, who scored five goals in Barcelona's 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in 2012, one of the most memorable individual performances in Champions League history.

  • Matches: 163
  • Goals: 129
  • Assists: 45

Players with Most Champions League Goals in a Single Match

  • Name: Lionel Messi; Goals: 5; Team: Barcelona; Opponent: Bayer Leverkusen; Year: 2012
  • Name: Luiz Adriano; Goals: 5; Team: Shakhtar Donetsk; Opponent: Bate Borisov; Year: 2014
  • Name: Erling Haaland; Goals: 5; Team: Manchester City; Opponent: RB Leipzig; Year: 2023
  • Name: Marco van Basten; Goals: 4; Team: AC Milan; Opponent: IFK Goteborg; Year: 1992
  • Name: Simone Inzaghi; Goals: 4; Team: Lazio; Opponent: Marseille; Year: 2000
  • Name: Dado Prso; Goals: 4; Team: Monaco; Opponent: Deportivo La Coruna; Year: 2003
  • Name: Ruud van Nistelrooy; Goals: 4; Team: Manchester United; Opponent: Sparta Prague; Year: 2004
  • Name: Andriy Shevchenko; Goals: 4; Team: AC Milan; Opponent: Fenerbahce; Year: 2005
  • Name: Lionel Messi; Goals: 4; Team: Barcelona; Opponent: Arsenal; Year: 2010
  • Name: Bafetimbi Gomis; Goals: 4; Team: Lyon; Opponent: Dinamo Zagreb; Year: 2011
  • Name: Mario Gomez; Goals: 4; Team: Bayern Munich; Opponent: Basel; Year: 2012
  • Name: Robert Lewandowski; Goals: 4; Team: Borussia Dortmund; Opponent: Real Madrid; Year: 2013

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: Who has scored the most goals in a single Champions League game? A: Lionel Messi holds the record with 5 goals against Bayer Leverkusen in 2012.
  • Q: What is the record for most goals in a single Champions League season? A: Cristiano Ronaldo scored 17 goals in the 2013/14 season.
  • Q: Which players have scored 5 goals in one UCL match? A: Lionel Messi, Luiz Adriano, and Erling Haaland.
  • Q: Who scored the most Champions League goals for a single club? A: Lionel Messi holds that record.
  • Q: Who scored 17 goals in the Champions League? A: Cristiano Ronaldo.

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