Five Players Who Might Beat Ronaldo’s Champions League Goals Record

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 17 goals in a single Champions League season is one of the best achievements in the competition.

The Portuguese star set this record with Real Madrid during the 2013/14 season, and it has not been broken since. Kylian Mbappé finished the 2025/26 season with 15 goals, the closest anyone has come to Ronaldo’s record in recent years.

With the Champions League now having more matches due to an expanded league phase, players have a better chance to break this record.

Here are five players who could really try to beat Ronaldo’s 17-goal score, as reported by Planet Football on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappé

Mbappé is the top candidate after coming just two goals short of Ronaldo’s record last season.

The Real Madrid forward scored 15 Champions League goals in the 2025/26 season, even though his team was knocked out by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

He has shown he can score a lot in Europe, and his current form makes him a strong contender to finally break Ronaldo’s record. Mbappé started his 2026/27 Champions League season with a goal against Inter Milan, bringing his total in the competition to 71.

Erling Haaland

Haaland’s scoring record makes him another serious contender.

The Manchester City striker has been consistent in the Champions League since his early years at Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund.

He kicked off the new campaign with a bang, scoring both goals in City’s 2-0 win over Porto, taking his Champions League total to 59 goals in 59 matches. At 26, Haaland is entering his best years, and his scoring rate means that if Manchester City goes far in the tournament, he could challenge the 17-goal record.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane is also a striker who can score enough to threaten Ronaldo’s record.

The Bayern Munich forward scored 14 Champions League goals last season, just three short of Ronaldo’s mark. Kane had a fantastic 2025/26 season overall, scoring 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich, according to the latest Ballon d’Or rankings.

If Bayern goes deep into the competition and Kane keeps scoring, he could again be among the top contenders for the Champions League scoring title.

Raphinha

Raphinha might be a less likely candidate, but his recent change into a more central attacking player makes him an interesting option.

The Barcelona forward had a great 2024/25 Champions League season, scoring 13 goals, putting him among the top scorers in a single season.

His ability to play closer to the goal could give him more chances to score if Barcelona makes a deep run.

Ousmane Dembélé

Dembélé finishes the list as he has become an important goalscorer for Paris Saint-Germain.

The French player has been playing more as a centre-forward under Luis Enrique and has helped PSG succeed in Europe. To break Ronaldo’s record, he will need to significantly increase his Champions League goals, but playing for a team that can reach the later stages gives him a chance.

Ronaldo’s 17-goal record is still a tough target, but the expanded Champions League format means that top scorers now have more chances to score. Whether any of Mbappé, Haaland, Kane, Raphinha, or Dembélé can stay consistent enough to break it remains to be seen.