The Top 51 Goal-Scorers in Champions League History

This week, Europe's top clubs begin their annual quest for supremacy with the start of the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. The tournament begins tonight with a bevy of exciting matches, including Inter Milan facing Barcelona at Camp Nou, defending Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund against Arsenal and Chelsea welcoming Bayer Leverkusen to Stamford Bridge. 

Over the past two decades, the Champions League has provided a stage for European football's cult heroes, young up-and-comers and juggernauts to shine and score plenty of spectacular goals. In honor of the start of league play, we're taking a look back at the all-time top 51 goalscorers of the UEFA Champions League and European Champions Cup.  

As a note of clarification, all goal figures from 1971 or later were gathered from here unless otherwise indicated and the totals do not include goals scored during qualifying rounds.

Number of goals: 17

The center of the storied 'Quinta del Buitre,' native madrileño and Pichichi trophy winner Emilio Butragueño (a.k.a. 'El Buitre,' or 'The Vulture') was the core of Real Madrid's dominance throughout the 1980's and early 1990's. He is also something of a spiritual predecessor to fellow Champions League juggernaut Raúl, who replaced him in the first team when he left to join Celaya.  

Number of goals: 17

The current president of UEFA had quite the career on the pitch as well, leading Juventus' charge in Europe in the mid-1980's.

His sole goal at the 1985 European Cup final in Brussels brought Juventus their second consecutive European Cup, but the moment was overshadowed by one of world football's darkest moments, the infamous Heysel stadium disaster in which 39 Juventus fans were killed.  

Number of goals: 17

Ballon d'Or winner and Dutch international Marco van Basten helped bring the Rossoneri to a European Cup final thrice during his time at the club, scoring twice in their 1989 victory over Steaua Bucureşti and leading them again in 1990 over Benfica, with van Basten becoming the Capocannoniere, or leading scorer for Serie A twice.

Number of goals: 17

One of the best Mexican footballers of the 20th century, the man nicknamed 'Hugol' won four Pichichis and a Golden Boot while at Bernabéu and was part of a powerful and effective strikeforce alongside the likes of Emilio Butragueño.  

Now long since retired, Sánchez has hardly given up his love of the game, keeping La Liga side UD Almería out of relegation as a manager and working as a football broacaster on Univision. 

Number of goals: 17

Contributing to the scoring success of three of Europe's top clubs, Werder Bremen striker and Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro holds the Bundesliga scoring record for a non-German player. 

His goal against Hamburg at the close of the 2010 season helped Werder get into the Champions League for the following season, where they were eliminated before the group stage.

Number of goals: 18

Now entering his second decade with Chelsea, Frank Lampard remains one of their most consistent and persistent players and is expected to contribute to a favorable campaign for the Blues this year.

A Ballon d'Or winner and 'best-of' list regular, Lampard has staying power and goalscoring capability, as he has already demonstrated this year in Premiership competition. He was a driving force in Chelsea's previous recent Champions League appearances, scoring the Blues' only goal in their appearance in the final in 2008.

Number of goals: 18

Although he's perhaps known more now for his enviable sideline samba skills than his goal-scoring, there's a reason a 23-foot statue of Ronaldinho was built in Chapecó.* A fan favorite who appeared on the UEFA team for Barcelona for three consecutive years, the Brazilian attacker / forward even earned a standing ovation from Real Madrid at Bernabéu during a Clásico match for two fantastic goals for the Culés.  

Although Ronaldinho was more of a utility player in Barcelona's Champions League-winning performance in 2006, he was instrumental in the matches leading up to it, providing key goals and assists against Chelsea and AC Milan. And his performance at last week's friendly match against Ghana, where he set up a number of great chances for striker Leandro, proves his career's not over yet.

*Although angry Brazil fans did burn it after the side lost to France in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal.

Number of goals: 18

One of Norway's strongest strikers, John Carew made Rosenborg and later Valencia and Lyon into feared opponents during Champions League competitors throughout his career.

The current West Ham United man brought Valencia their highest honor in the competition in recent years when they became runners-up in the 2001 Champions League final, bringing them to the final and scoring a successful penalty shot in their eventual loss to Bayern Munich.

Number of goals: 18

The Brazilian attacker, nicknamed for the Brazilian state in which his hometown of Recife is situated, made fans stand to attention and learn to pronounce 'Pernambucano' in his eight seasons with Lyon. 

Lauded for his precise passing game and clutch free-kick skills, Juninho led Lyon to seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles, four as the French side's captain. He became Lyon's most successful European goal-scorer ever on a successful free kick and remains a focal point for players looking to improve their dead-ball skills.

Number of goals: 18

A Premier League nomad who gives Peter Crouch a run for his money in terms of transfers, Andy Cole has quite the collection of English football honors, including five league titles, three charity shields, two FA Cups and a partridge in a pear tree... erm, Champions League title for Manchester United.

With scoring partner Dwight Yorke, Cole formed an enviable strikeforce that led to United's 1999 Champions League title, bringing them to the final for the first time in decades with a game-winning shot against Juventus in the semi-finals.

Number of goals: 19

The former Blaugrana man is perhaps one of the club's strongest examples of the Johan Cruyff-backed strategy of 'total football,' a player equally comfortable on offense or defense and a fan favorite at Camp Nou. 

Luis Enrique now hopes to repeat his European successes in La Liga as the manager of A.S. Roma, who will be competing in this year's Europa League.

Number of goals: 19

'Stevie G' is the sort of stuff great captains are made of: a strong, clear-headed leader, a role model for young players and, in his years as Liverpool's skipper, a consistent clutch goal-scorer. A favorite of fans, sportswriters and Zinedine Zidane, the midfielder led the Merseysiders to two Champions League finals, one which was perhaps the peak of his career.

Liverpool fans still speak fondly of the 2005 Champions League final, a.k.a. the 'Miracle at Istanbul,' like it was yesterday, with Stevie G leading the Reds to a spectacular come-from-behind win in penalties over AC Milan and scoring the first goal of their second-half campaign, helping turn the mood around and setting the comeback in motion.

Number of goals: 19

A powerful, technically-gifted striker, Karim Benzema was essential to Lyon's success in the 2007-08 Champions League, helping them knock out Rangers and put up a fight against eventual vanquishers Manchester United in a performance praised by Sir Alex Ferguson.

After Real Madrid manager José Mourinho chastised the young striker for his 'laziness' on the pitch last season, Benzema experienced a fiery resurgence in the second half, scoring six goals in the competition and proving a strong contributor alongside Real's scoring powerhouse Ronaldo and brilliant German upstart Mesut Özil and is expected to perform well in this year's competition.

Number of goals: 19

Two words tend to come to mind whenever Johan Cruyff's name is mentioned: 'total football.' Renowned for his versatility and dazzling skill, Cruyff, although mainly a center forward, could excel and perform in any position, a tactic still used by many clubs today. 

Cruyff helped bring Ajax three consecutive European Cups, revolutionized a then-struggling Barcelona club and is regarded as one of the greatest European players of all time. And, of course, there's the move named after him, the 'Cruyff Turn,' a feint designed to lose a tightly-pursuing defender. 

Number of goals: 20

Perhaps one of the most powerful and effective technical strikers in the game, the Frenchman has called fans to attention all over Europe.

A versatile offensive force who can perform as a winger and also excel as a striker, Anelka won his first and only Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2000, scoring the goals that led the Merengues to the final match and eventual victory.

But Stamford Bridge is where he's made his name. A consistent performer for Chelsea, Anelka has been a key component to his side's successful campaigns in Champions League competition in recent years.

Although his age may have some Chelsea fans doubting, his performance so far in the Premiership spells good things for his run in this year's Champions League.

Number of goals: 20

Manchester United's 'baby-faced assassin' became a cult hero for the Red Devils with 126 total goals for the club. His status as a Man United legend, however, was cemented in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. After Teddy Sheringham scored an equalizing goal in injury time, Solskjaer shot into the Bayern net to secure United's win and the Treble.   

Even after he retired, Solskjaer was immortalized with a popular Old Trafford chant ('You Are My Solskajer') and stuck with the team for three years as a manager for their reserves squad.

Number of goals: 20

Rebrov, the most prolific goal-scorer in Ukranian Premier League history, brought Dynamo Kyiv to the forefront of European competition throughout the 1990s.

His precise scoring and ability to complement fellow Ukrainian headliner Andriy Shevchenko led Dynamo far in the competition toward the end of the decade, knocking out tough opponents and being a primary scoring force in Dynamo's most 2000 trip to the second group stage.

Number of goals: 21

A legend in Ligue 1 and Serie A, Marco Simone brought home two European Cup titles (technically a European Cup and a Champions League) during his time at AC Milan. 

Simone now manages one of his former clubs, Ligue 2 side and frequent Champions League appearers AS Monaco, who he hopes to bring back into Ligue 1 this season and back into European competition. He is also heavily involved in the Monaco-based Peace and Sport organization, a Prince Albert-backed initiative to end global conflict through the Beautiful Game.

Number of goals: 22

José Augusto de Almeida (not to be confused with José Augusto Torres, another Benfica star of the same era) was part of the 'dream team' alongside fellow list-maker Eusébio who led the Eagles to back-to-back European Cup wins in 1961 and 1962 and three more runner-up spots.

A top winger, José Augusto continued to impart the wisdom he learned on the pitch alongside his fellow legends to a host of football sides as a manager, most recently for the Portuguese National Women's Team.

Number of goals: 22

Santillana, who gets his nickname from his Cantabrian birthplace, led Real Madrid on a wildly successful run at home and abroad throughout the 1970's. Santillana, who participated in 46 European Cup matches as a Merengue and racked up 352 total career goals with the club, was especially renowned for his precise, well-executed headers.  

Santillana also made waves as a Spanish international with more than 50 caps for the Furia Roja, most famously scoring four goals against Malta in a 1983 qualifier that kept the team in the competition.

Number of goals: 23

A towering force in height and ability, the Swedish striker is renowned at one of the world's best and delivered for Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan in their Champions League quests and bringing home many a Scudetto in his time in Serie A.

Although an injury means Ibrahimović will miss this year's competition opener against Barcelona, expect the megastar to make some moves for a trophy-hungry Milan. 

Number of goals: 23

Considered by many to be the greatest Finnish footballer of all time, Jari Litmanen helped lead Ajax to Eredivisie domination throughout the 1990's and a Champions League title in 1995, which also made him the first Finnish player to take home a winner's medal in the tournament. Although injuries prevented him from repeating his successes at Liverpool and Ajax, Litmanen has continued to play—and score goals—all over Europe. 

Now 40, Litmanen is still playing the game as a forward for defending Finnish league champions HJK Helsinki. Love of the game, thy name is Jari Litmanen.

Number of goals: 24

A great from the days before the Champions League, the man known as 'Mazzola' led AC Milan to their first ever European Cup victory, scoring both the team's goals in the 1963 final against Benfica. 

A prolific scorer with stellar European performances for Milan and Juventus, Altafini has more than 300 career goals to his name. Now retired, he's taken his knowledge of the game to a career in football broadcasting, where he is credited with inventing the word 'Golaccio,' meaning 'Goaltastic.' Truly, an innovator on and off the pitch. 

Number of goals: 24

The Red Devils' preferred chant for their recently-retired star says it all: 'Paul Scholes, he scores goals.'

Scholes spent his entire career at Old Trafford, making 130 appearances in European competition for United and helping his side bring home two Champions League titles and two runner-up spots. His creativity and leadership made him a key ingredient in United's success, hence Sir Alex Ferguson's eagerness to find an heir-apparent following his departure.

Number of goals: 24

As a teenager, Kaká's football career almost ended abruptly when he fractured his spine in a swimming accident which was expected to render him paralyzed.

But the gifted Brazilian attacker not only recovered, he went on to make waves in three consecutive Champions League appearances for the Rossoneri and two finals, including their 2007 victory. His tournament prowess and spirited performance garnered him plenty of top honors from writers, fans and UEFA itself, who named him Footballer of the Year. FIFA, who named him World Player of the Year and of course, the icing on the cake, the Ballon d'Or. 

Number of goals: 24

Wayne Rooney has been a key strike force in a victory and two runner-up spots for Manchester United in the Champions League. And it looks as though he'll repeat his success this year with eight goals and hat tricks in two consecutive matches so far this season.

Rooney made a number of key goals in the last stages of United's most recent campaign for European supremacy, including their only goal in last year's final, in which they were defeated by Barcelona. 

Number of goals: 24

One of the first signings of the Real Madrid 'Galácticos' era, where expensive, world-class signings were set to bolster the club's position in Spain and Europe at large, Portuguese attacker Luís Figo showed resilience in facing jeers and even a flying pig's head thrown at him from Barcelona fans enraged at their fan favorite's defection to the rival side.

But both Spanish heavy-hitters can take pride in what Figo accomplished during his spells at Camp Nou and Bernabéu, with more than collective 60 goals to his name for both sides. He continued his successful run at Inter Milan, where although he may not have put as many goals in the net, he built a fantastic rapport with fans and management and received a standing ovation for his final performance at San Siro.

Number of goals: 25

The Argentine international has spent time at four of Italy's top clubs and was a high-impact player in Serie A, the Premiership and European competition. While on loan to AC Milan, he scored twice in a valiant Champions League final performance, although Liverpool came from behind to make the Rossoneri the runners-up. 

Crespo, an adaptable striker who quickly melded to several different teams and playing styles, remains the only player in Champions League history to score a competition goal for all five European teams for which he played.

Number of goals: 25

One of many footballers to earn the nickname 'Super Mario,' frequently-itinerant Brazilian striker Mário Jardel was a prolific cult hero at F.C. Porto, Galatasaray and quite a few other clubs.

Hailed for his preparedness, field position and 'being in the right place at the right time,' Jardel was a fan favorite in Porto and Istanbul. He won two Golden Boots at Porto and in his sole season at Galatasaray, he helped the latter reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League and defeat historically tough opponents like AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Number of goals: 27

Another high-volume striker, the man known simply as Élber was a force in the Bundesliga in the early 2000's, helping to bring Bayern Munich their most recent Champions League title in 2001 and serving as the club's top scorer in all his seasons there but one. 

Number of goals: 27

From the favelas of Recife to some of the game's most hallowed grounds, Rivaldo has shown epic strength and adaptability on and off the pitch. He held the record for most Champions League goals for Barcelona until 2010, when Lionel Messi overtook him, and was a talismanic force in league and European play for the Blaugrana, AC Milan (with whom he took home his only Champions League title) and Olympiacos, with whom he garnered several key free-kick goals and scored a memorable 30-yard blast against Rosenborg in the group stages.   

He even has a move named after him: 'The Rivaldo,' a tricky flick-and-drag maneuver designed to keep the ball away from a defender at close range. 

Number of goals: 27

A veteran who has spent 20-plus years at Old Trafford, the Welshman's work ethic and persistence not only make him a role model to the many young players at Manchester United at the moment, but have also helped lead the club to two victories and two runner-up positions in the Champions League.

A versatile player who has been used as a winger, a playmaker and more in more than 100 Champions League appearances, Giggs' shining Champions League moment came when he set up Teddy Sheringham's equalizer in the 1999 final to give United a chance and set the wheels in motion for a from-behind victory. Nine years later, in the all-England 2008 Champions League final, Giggs had another moment of glory when he scored the winning penalty to end a tense shootout with Chelsea, triumphantly lifting the trophy alongside Rio Ferdinand after the match.

Number of goals: 27

Now the highest-paid player in football thanks to his £350,000-a-week move to Anzi Makhachkala, Samuel Eto'o is wealthy in another commodity: goals.

Hailed for his expert timing and strong finishes, the world-class striker netted goals in two Champions League final victories for Barcelona and gave a shot in the arm to Inter Milan's 2010 eventually title-winning run in the same competition. 

Number of goals: 28

Love him or hate him, it's impossible to deny the power and sheer goal-scoring volume of the man Johan Cruyff once called Manchester United's greatest player of all time, "better than George Best and Denis Law."

The Portuguese forward, who has seen plenty of Champions League action with juggernauts United and Real Madrid, may be one of the most decorated footballers of this generation, with a Ballon d'Or, a Puskás award, several iterations of 'World Player of the Year' for his work in United's 2007-08 Champions League-winning season and two Champions League top scorer titles to his name. 

And after a disappointing loss to rivals Barcelona in the semi-finals last year, he'll be hungry for another Champions League title in this year's tournament. 

Number of goals: 29

The power and speed of 'Trezegol' when he searches for the net is the stuff from which legends are made. The goal-poaching striker holds the Champions League record for the fastest goal ever in terms of velocity, a quarter-final fireball for Monaco that clocked in at 97.6 mph (157.3 km/h).

Although Trezeguet never took a European Cup home, he made some fantastic tournament runs with Monaco and Juventus, where he became the club's top foreign goal-scorer of all time, he might have done one better as an international: he was made a knight of the Legion d'Honneur following his performance with and title-winning goal for France in the 2000 Euro competition. 

Number of goals: 29

A fixture at the Spanish and German sides he competed in Europe with, Makaay is known for his speed, skill and for commanding some hefty transfers. The now-retired Dutch striker scored the majority of his tournament goals during a stellar four-season run with Bayern Munich, a team whose eye he caught after scoring a hat trick in Munich with Deportivo.

Makaay holds the distinctive honor of scoring the fastest goal in Champions League history, putting the ball in the net after just 10.12 seconds of play in a 2007 Round of 16 match which helped the Bavarians stay in the competition following a points deficit. 

Number of goals: 29

One of the best Dutch players of the past several decades, Patrick Kluivert's quickness and intelligence with the ball have drawn comparisons to another Dutch footballing legend, Johan Cruyff (Kluivert has even been cited as using his patented 'Cruyff Turn' move). Kluivert's rise to football fame came in the 1995 Champions League final, where after some great performances in previous matches, he scored a crafty goal on a Frank Rijkaard setup and gave Ajax their first Champions League title in more than 20 years. He celebrated by turning his kit around so all the world could read his name.  

Now looking to impart his wisdom on a whole new generation of footballers, Kluivert is currently serving as the youth team coach for Dutch side FC Twente. 

Number of goals: 30 

Cantabria native Francisco 'Paco' Gento has perhaps one of the greatest nicknames ever in football: 'La Galerna de Cantábrico,' or 'The Storm of the Cantabrian Sea.' It's a fitting one, as his strength and legendary speed with the ball may recall a damaging nautical storm.

Gento, a winger and an integral part of the feared Merengue offense in the 1950's and 1960's (which also included fellow list-toppers Ferenc Puskás and Alfredo Di Stéfano), holds the record for most European Cup victories for a single player, having held the trophy six times while at Real Madrid. His record of eight European Cup final appearances is jointly held with AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini.

Number of goals: 33

A globetrotter who has appeared in the UEFA tournament with four different clubs, 'El Moro' earned rave reviews for his aerial skills and prolific scoring. He saw an astounding three Champions League titles in five seasons for Real Madrid and was a top scorer in his one tournament run with Monaco, where the Ligue 1 side finished as runners-up. He was a powerful force in all three Champions League victories for the Merengues, scoring the first goal in the 2000 final against Valencia, a club he would later join and also make an impact in the tournament for.  

Morientes retired last year at the age of 34, but after all those goals and all that silverware, it's fair to say he deserves a long break. 

Number of goals: 33

A consistent performer for Chelsea in Premiership and Champions League competition, veteran striker Didier Drogba has racked up a number of achievements for the Blues in the Premiership realm and brought them to a very close and hard-fought Champions League final in 2008 (Manchester United won on penalties). Although Chelsea has yet to bring the Champions League trophy back to Stamford Bridge, Drogba's consistent efforts made them contenders. 

Also, Drogba helped bring about a cease-fire in his native Cote d'Ivoire after the country qualified for the 2006 World Cup. Although this isn't related to his Champions League prowess, this is still really impressive and shows the ultimate power of the Beautiful Game when in well-intentioned hands.

Number of goals: 35

The man nicknamed 'Der Bomber' helped orchestrate three consecutive European Cup victories for Bayern Munich in the mid-1970's. Hailed for his ability as one of the game's greatest goal-poachers, Müller's ability to acquire the perfect close-range position made him a defender's worst nightmare.

He still holds a few Bundesliga records and remains the German league's top career scorer with more than 350 goals to his name.

Number of goals: 35

The late, great 'Galloping Major' and his prolific left foot had one of the greatest scoring ratios in history as an inside forward for Real Madrid and remains the only player ever to score four goals in a European Cup final (four in Real's 1960 win over Eintracht Frankfurt). 

Together with Alfredo Di Stéfano, Puskás was part of Real Madrid's impeccable offense during the early 1960's, one that took home two European Cups and was runner-up in two more. During his career, the Mighty Magyar scored a whopping 512 goals in 538 appearances and another 84 goals in international competition. Hailed for his finesse and technical skill, FIFA now gives an annual award in his honor for the 'most beautiful' goal of the year.

Number of goals: 37

There's not a whole lot left that one can say about Lionel Messi that hasn't already been said countless times and by decidedly more eloquent people.

He's won the Ballon d'Or twice (once for European Player of the Year and once for World Player of the Year), tied Ruud Van Nistelrooy's record for most goals in a single Champions League tournament last year (12) and has a talismanic quality unparalleled by his contemporaries. His fluency, innovation and precision make him one of the best in the game (if not the best) and he's expected to follow up on his successes in this year's Champions League run as well. 

Number of goals: 41

Juve's talismanic trequartista has quite the trophy cabinet, including a Champions League title in 1996 (and three runner-up spots) and a place in the illustrious 'FIFA 100' list. Del Piero has been a fixture for Juventus since 1993, appearing in more than 100 European matches for the club. 

His precision, creativity and ability to envision and set up goals as well as score them make him a world-class playmaker, but his goal-scoring is what makes him immortal in Turin—his 185 career goals make him the club record-holder. 

Number of goals: 46

One of the most effective strikers in recent times, Andriy Shevchenko survived the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown as a child and went on to bring his native Ukraine to the football forefront with incredible performances for Dynamo Kyiv. Shevchenko led the Bilo-Syni to some pretty fantastic accomplishments, including a 4-0 upset over Barcelona in a '97-98 Champions League match, in which the striker scored a hat trick.

Shevchenko went on to be a prolific scorer for AC Milan and was named the 2004 European Player of the Year and elected as part of the Pele-curated 'FIFA 100' list.

Number of goals: 46

'Pippo' has made innumerable contributions to AC Milan since his arrival in 2001, and he hasn't retired yet. The striker made his mark in the 2006-2007 Champions League final, scoring both goals in the final against Liverpool, a fitting end for the Rossoneri to their rematch against the team which defeated them in 2005's final. Oh, and did we mention that he's been knighted in Italy?   

This is the first year since his arrival at San Siro that Inzaghi, now 38, has not been included on Milan's Europe squad, and the man nicknamed 'Mr. Champions League' will certainly be missed by fans of the Rossoneri. 

Number of goals: 46

'O Rei' is a regular on all sorts of 'best-of' lists, and one look at his scoring record will tell you why.

With a jaw-dropping 638 goals in 614 appearances for Benfica, Eusébio helped the Portuguese side reach the European Cup finals four times and win once. In addition to his raw talent, he was a role model for class and sportsmanship on the pitch: when he failed to prevent Manchester United's Alex Stepney from scoring in the final minutes of the 1968 European Cup final, he congratulated Stepney and patted him on the back for his efforts. 

Eusébio not only has one of the best scoring ratios of all time and a stellar European Champions Cup record with the Eagles, but he has his own international match named after him. Benfica have been hosting the international exhibition matches known as the 'Eusébio Cup' since 2008, most recently defeating Arsenal 2-1.

Number of goals: 49

Coupled with Ferenc Puskás (No. 11 on this list), the man who Pele called the 'best ever' made Real Madrid's offense in the early 1960's one of the most feared in the world. The versatile forward's record 49 goals in European Cup competition stood for more than 40 years, remaining untouched until fellow Merengue Raúl broke it in 2005.

Di Stéfano's crowning moment for Real came during the 1960 European Cup final, where he and Puskás each scored a hat trick in the 7-3 defeat over Eintracht Frankfurt, making them the first players to ever do so in a European Cup final (Puskás went on to score an additional goal).  

Also, La Liga now has a trophy named after him, which the Spanish sports publication Marca gives to the Spanish league's best player. Ironically, the inaugural winner of the award was the very footballer who broke his long-standing record, Raúl. 

Number of goals: 50

A powerful force at AS Monaco, a core member of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' squad in the 2003-2004 season and a contributor to the 'Best Ever' sextuple-winning Barcelona in 2008-09, Thierry Henry has always found himself in good company. His precision, finesse and pure goal-scoring volume make him one of the best strikers of the past decade. 

Early on in his career, Henry led Monaco to a Champions League semifinal, scoring seven goals in the tournament, a French record. At Arsenal, he became captain toward the end of his (highly productive) time with the Gunners and drove them to the Champions League runner-up spot in 2006.

Alongside Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o, Henry saw the close of his first-team European career with a UEFA trophy in hand, as the three not only picked up the Champions League win over Manchester United, but five other titles that season as well.    

Number of goals: 56

His nickname is 'Van Goal,' a nod to both his Dutch roots and his pure artistry when it comes to putting the ball in the net. 

Van Nistelrooy is considered one of the best technical strikers to ever play the game and was a key goal-scoring asset to three of Europe's most storied clubs, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and Real Madrid. The peak of his success came in the 2002-2003 Champions League season, when he set the record for most goals in a single tournament (12) with United. 

Number of goals: 71

There could be only one person at the top of this list. Raúl González, who usually goes sans surname (when you're this good, you don't need one), has scored a record-holding 71 goals in the competition since his first appearance in the 1995-96 season, nearly all of them for the Merengues. His best performance was in the 1999-2000 season, where he scored 10 goals (a three-way tie for the top with Mário Jardel and Rivaldo) and brought Real Madrid their eighth European Cup.

Throughout his career with Real, he saw three Champions League victories and six La Liga titles for Real. He holds several other distinctions—he was the first player to score 50 Champions League goals (although a few players have now matched this feat), and, surprisingly, he has never been issued a red card in his 17 years on the pitch. Can't beat voluminous goal-scoring and fair play. 

Not to be outdone by his Real Madrid career, Raúl scored five goals in last year's competition playing for Schalke 04 and helping them advance to the semi-finals. Although Raúl won't be adding to his jaw-dropping total this year, he is expected to help Schalke go far in this year's Europa League competition.