Ronaldo and Messi scored four and five goals respectively in this season’s Uefa Champions League (UCL) before being eliminated ahead of the quarter-finals.
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With Juventus and Barcelona now out of the picture, all eyes have turned to two youngsters dominating scoreboards across competitions — 20-year-old Norwegian wonder Erling Haaland, this UCL season's top-scorer, and 22-year-old French phenomenon Kylian Mbappe, who just hit a stunning 100 goals in Ligue 1. As the quarterfinals approach on April 6, here are nine goalscorers to watch out for.
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ERLING HAALAND (10 goals for Dortmund): At only 20 years old, Borussia Dortmund’s golden boy Haaland is considered one of the best strikers in the world. A triple threat, he’s fast, confident and a clinical finisher, making him a massive threat and a pleasure to watch. The Norwegian scorer has 10 goals in the competition so far, nearly double anyone in second place, including Kylian Mbappe.
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KYLIAN MBAPPE (6 goals for PSG): Whether it’s at the World Cup 2018, where he became the youngest player to ever score for France at only 18, or in Ligue 1, where he recently achieved 100 league goals for Paris St-Germain at only 22 — Mbappe is undeniable. He has so far netted six goals this UCL — stripping Messi of the title of youngest player to reach 20 goals in the cup.
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OLIVIER GIROUD (6 goals for Chelsea): It isn’t just the young blood that’s making an impression. Chelsea’s Giroud pulled off six goals so far this season — including an incredible bicycle kick that won the Blues a crucial match against Atletico Madrid. Giroud’s overhead kick showed he still has what it takes to compete with new kids on the block, even being the oldest player on the pitch at 34. As boss Thomas Tuchel put it: “He trains like a 20-year-old — like a 24-year-old.”
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NEYMAR (6 goals for PSG): Like Mbappe, Neymar made UCL history this season with PSG. In December 2020, Neymar became the first player in the history of the competition to score 20 goals for two different teams, after netting a hat-trick against Istanbul Basaksehir. Neymar previously netted 21 UCL goals for his former club Barcelona. He has a total of six goals in the competition this season.
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ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (5 goals for Bayern Munich): It’s been a season for making history and Lewandowski isn’t one to be left out. The Bayern Munich striker — with five UCL goals this season — surpassed Raul to become the third highest goal-scorer in the competition’s history (73 goals), behind only Ronaldo (134) and Messi (119). The 32-year-old Polish player is a favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or after last year’s awarding of the Golden Ball was cancelled.
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MO SALAH (5 goals for Liverpool): Despite a drop in form in the Premier League that saw Liverpool rack up six consecutive home defeats — an unwanted club record — Salah has high hopes for the Champions League where he’s so far netted five goals. With a top-four EPL finish not guaranteed for the Reds, their UCL campaign is more important than ever.
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KARIM BENZEMA (5 goals for Real Madrid): The fifth player in history to score 70 Champions League goals (a record achieved just last week), Benzema could help Real Madrid cinch their 14th UCL win. Come April 6, the most successful team in the competition's history will need Benzema’s goal-scoring prowess to shine through against Liverpool in the quarterfinals.
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SERGIO OLIVEIRA (5 goals for Porto): FC Porto edged out Italian giants Juventus to make it to the quarterfinals of the UCL — and Oliveira has been key in their success. After all, it was Oliveira’s extra-time goal against Juve that helped the 10-man Portuguese side tie 4-4 on aggregate to progress on away goals. In total, Oliveira has netted five UCL goals this season.
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FERRAN TORRES (4 goals for Manchester City): With Man City looking to pull off a quadruple victory this season across the EPL, Champions League, English League Cup and the FA Cup, their quarterfinal against Dortmund is sure to be tense. 21-year-old Ferran Torres is one to watch, after this season becoming the third-youngest player to score in four consecutive appearances in the UCL, joining Mbappe and Haaland.
Image Credit: AFP
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