CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TOP SCORER: MESSI ENDS RONALDO REIGN

 

Lionel Messi has finished as outright top scorer for the first time since 2011/12, ending Cristiano Ronaldo's streak.

Lionel Messi has finished as outright UEFA Champions League top scorer for the first time since 2011/12, ending four goals clear of Robert Lewandowski.

With no Tottenham Hotspur or Liverpool player within seven of Messi's tally of 12 ahead of the final, the Barcelona striker was pretty much assured of standing alone at the top of the charts for the fifth time. And so it proved although Mohamed Salah did join the list of players on five goals.

Messi had previously enjoyed a four-season streak between 2008/09 and 2011/12, the last time the trophy went to England. Messi also shared first place in 2014/15 with Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had otherwise been out on his own every season since 2012/13.

It has now been 12 years since neither Messi nor Ronaldo had at least a share of the top-scorer honour, when Kaká led the way in AC Milan's 2006/07 triumph.

2018/19 Champions League top scorers

12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Minutes played: 837 (69.8 mins per goal)

8: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München)

Minutes played: 714 (89.3 mins per goal)

6: Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)

Minutes played: 510 (85 mins per goal)

6: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

Minutes played: 749 (124.8 mins per goal)

6: Moussa Marega (Porto)

Minutes played: 840 (140 mins per goal)

6: Dušan Tadić (Ajax)

Minutes played: 1,080 (180 mins per goal)

5: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim)

Minutes played: 481 (96.2 mins per goal)

5: Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Minutes played: 518 (103.6 mins per goal)

5: Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)

Minutes played: 532 (106.4 mins per goal)

5: Edin Džeko (Roma)

Minutes played: 570 (114 mins per goal)

5: Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur)

Minutes played: 725 (145 mins per goal)

Harry Kane celebrates a goal against Dortmund

5: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

Minutes played: 778 (155.6 mins per goal)

5: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

Minutes played: 871 (174.2 mins per goal)

5: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Minutes played: 1,058 ( 211.6 mins per goal)

UEFA Champions League top scorers by season (group stage to final)

2018/19: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 12

2017/18: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 15

2016/17: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12

2015/16: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 16

2014/15: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 10

2013/14: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 17

2012/13: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12

2011/12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 14

2010/11: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 12

2009/10: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 8

2008/09: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 9

2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 8

2006/07: Kaká (AC Milan) 10

2005/06: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) 9

2004/05: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 8

2003/04: Fernando Morientes (Monaco) 9

2002/03: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 12

2001/02: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 10

2000/01: Raúl González (Real Madrid) 7

1999/2000: Mário Jardel (Porto), Rivaldo (Barcelona), Raúl González (Real Madrid) 10

1998/99: Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv), Dwight Yorke (Manchester United) 8

1997/98: Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) 10

1996/97: Milinko Pantić (Atlético Madrid) 5

1995/96: Jari Litmanen (Ajax) 9

1994/95: George Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) 7

1993/94: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona) 5

1992/93: Franck Sauzée (Marseille) 5

source: uefa.com