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WITH a record-breaking 11 goals in this season’s competition already, Cristiano Ronaldo is on course to finish as the Uefa Champions League’s top scorer for the fifth time — although the race is by no means over, with a number of big names still in contention.

Ronaldo became the first player to reach double figures in a Uefa Champions League group stage with his four-goal salvo against Malmö on matchday six — his second treble of the season already following a hat-trick in the opening game against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Portuguese finished as the Uefa Champions League top scorer in 2007/08 (eight goals), 2012/13 (12), 2013/14 (17, a European Cup record) and 2014/15, when he tied with Lionel Messi and Neymar on ten. This time round, Bayern München’s Robert Lewandowski is his closest challenger with seven goals, one more than Zenit’s Artem Dzyuba.

Ronaldo also now has a clear lead over Messi in both the Uefa Champions League overall scoring charts (88 goals to 80) and the all-time European Cup rankings (89 to 80). Karim Benzema (46 goals) and Zlatan Ibrahimović (45) could both bring up a half-century of Uefa Champions strikes this season.

2015/16 Uefa Champions League top scorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 11

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München) 7

Artem Dzyuba (Zenit) 6

Olivier Giroud (Arsenal) 5

Javier Hernández (Bayer Leverkusen) 5

Thomas Müller (Bayern München) 5

Luis Suárez (Barcelona) 5

Willian (Chelsea) 5

 

Uefa Champions League top scorers by season

2014/15: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 10

2013/14: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 17

2012/13: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12

2011/12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 14

2010/11: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 12

2009/10: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 8

2008/09: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 9

2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 8

2006/07: Kaká (AC Milan) 10

 

Uefa Champions League overall top scorers

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) 88

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 80

Raúl González (Real Madrid, Schalke) 71

Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) 56

Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) 50

Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea) 48

Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid) 46

Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus, AC Milan) 46

Zlatan Ibrahimović (Ajax, Juventus, Internazionale Milano, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain) 45

Didier Drogba (Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray) 44

Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) 42

European Cup all-time top scorers (inc qualifying)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) 89

Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 80

Raúl González (Real Madrid, Schalke ) 71

Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid) 60

Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea) 59

Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona) 51

Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus, AC Milan) 50

Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid) 49

Eusébio (Benfica) 47

Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid) 46

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Internazionale Milano, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain) 46

Didier Drogba (Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray) 44

Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) 44 — Uefa