Top four Brazilian players with most goals in Champions League history
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr is now second on this special list.
In UEFA Champions League history, we have witnessed many Brazilians demonstrate their magic on the field and entertain fans with their joga bonito. They have always illustrated their passion for the game, be it Kaka, Ronaldinho and Neymar. They have truly showcased the beauty of ball on their feet.
However, not many Brazilians have scored many goals in the competition. There are only a handful of them who have made a big impact. We have listed the top four Brazilians to score the most goals in UCL history.
Most goals scored by the top four Brazilian players in UCL history
4. Rivaldo: 27 UCL goals
Rivaldo played at elite European teams for the better part of 10 years, winning the Champions League with AC Milan in the 2002–03 season. He began at Deportivo La Coruna and, before joining the Italian side, also most famously played for FC Barcelona.
In fact, he made his Champions League debut at Barcelona in 1998 with a spectacular double at Camp Nou. It was in a nail-biting 3-3 group-stage tie with Manchester United. Strangely, he only managed a few goals outside of the pools and never played at his peak during the competition’s knockout stages.
3. Kaka: 30 UCL goals
Kaka, who was one of the world’s best football players in the early part of the new millennium while playing for AC Milan, won the final Ballon d’Or before a 10-year dominance period by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The attacking midfielder’s skill with the ball best describes him. But he also had a killing instinct, as seen by the 30 goals he scored in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against Anderlecht in 2006. His form declined after moving to Real Madrid, but he managed to score a few more goals.
2. Vinicius Jr: 31 UCL goals
Vinicius has now surpassed Kaka and Rivaldo in the ranking as he continues to chase Neymar’s goal tally in the Champions League. He should certainly overtake him in the ranking, given that the latter, a 34-year-old, doesn’t play in the competition anymore.
Vinicius is now just 13 goals away from eclipsing him and becoming the top scorer as a Brazilian in the competition’s history.
1. Neymar: 43 UCL goals
There is no need to introduce Neymar as a player. The Ligue 1 team Paris Saint-Germain paid €222 million for the former Barcelona star in the summer of 2017, making him the most expensive player in history.
Neymar burst onto the UCL scene during his time at Barcelona. In his second season, the Brazilian lifted his maiden Champions League trophy.
However, his expensive move to PSG never really paid off. The forward never won the competition despite reaching the final only once with them. But he remains the top scorer as a Brazilian in the Champions League.
In how many games did Kaka score 30 UCL goals?
86 games.
Who is the leading Brazilian scorer in the Champions League?
Neymar holds the record with his 43 UCL goals.
Where does Vinicius Jr stand amongst Brazilian scorers in UCL?
He is right behind Neymar. The Real Madrid star has 31 UCL goals.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.