As the pre-match Champions League anthem fades from the speakers at the Bernabéu on Tuesday evening, two of Europe’s most potent marksmen will go head-to-head. Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane will both take to the turf having scored 43 goals this calendar year.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) has scored the same amount, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) and Edinson Cavani (PSG) have scored one more, and Lionel Messi (Barcelona) occupies his own stratosphere 15 goals ahead.
Top goalscorers of 2017
Player
Country
Club
Goals
1
Messi
ARG
Barcelona
58
2
Lewandowski
POL
Bayern
44
–
Cavani
URU
PSG
44
4
Cristiano
POR
Real Madrid
43
–
Aubameyang
GAB
Dortmund
43
–
Kane
ENG
Tottenham
43
7
Dzeko
BIH
Roma
40
8
Mertens
BEL
Napoli
39
9
Falcao
COL
Monaco
38
10
Bas Dost
NED
Sporting
36
Ronaldo scored first LaLiga goal against Getafe
Despite Messi’s significant lead, Ronaldo and particularly Kane arrive in rich form. The Portugal international scored his first goal of the LaLiga season against Getafe on Saturday, ending an uncharacteristically-long barren streak. But beyond domestic competition, Ronaldo had already scored four goals in two matches in Group H of the Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Harry Kane | Head-to-head
2017 calendar year
2017-2018 season
Ronaldo
Harry Kane
Ronaldo
Harry Kane
League
16
27
1
6
Champions League
14
5
4
5
International
11
7
4
4
Other competitions
2
4
1
—
TOTAL
43
43
10
15
Real Madrid’s No.7 has scored a record-breaking 109 goals in Europe’s most prestigious cup competition. Lionel Messi is in second place with 96 goals.
Spurs' Kane tops Champions League scoring
Harry Kane’s numbers are similarly vertigo inducing. The English international has scored nine goals in his last five matches for club and country, lifting his total to 13 goals for the fledgling season. The 24-year-old is the leading scorer in the Champions League with five goals, including a hat-trick against APOEL.
Top goalscorers in Champions League history
1
Cristiano Ronaldo
109
6
Henry
50
2
Messi
96
7
Ibrahimovic
48
3
Raúl
71
8
Shevchenko
48
4
Van Nistelrooy
56
9
Inzaghi
46
5
Benzema
51
10
Drogba
44
Kane boasts a further six to his name in the Premier League, where he finished the 2016-17 season at the top of the chart with 29 goals.
