These 25 players are the greatest to ever grace the Champions League – see if your favorite made the list!

Welcome to our list of the top 25 football players who have made a significant impact in the UEFA Champions League. The Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in European football, and has been graced by some of the greatest players in the history of the game. From all-time top scorers to record-breaking goalkeepers, these players have left their mark on the competition and will be remembered as some of the best to ever play in the Champions League.

1. Lionel Messi: The Argentine forward has scored a record 115 goals in the Champions League, making him the competition’s all-time top scorer. He has won the tournament four times with Barcelona, and has also won the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the competition on three occasions.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo: Another all-time great, Ronaldo has scored a total of 136 goals in the Champions League, including a record 17 goals in a single season. He has won the tournament five times, four with Real Madrid and once with Manchester United.
3. Andres Iniesta: The Spanish midfielder is best known for his time at Barcelona, where he won the Champions League four times. Iniesta was a key part of the team’s attacking play, and was known for his vision, passing ability, and dribbling skills.
4. Xavi Hernandez: Another Barcelona midfielder, Xavi won the Champions League four times and was an integral part of the team’s midfield for many years. He was known for his ability to dictate the pace of the game and his exceptional passing accuracy.
5. Zinedine Zidane: The French midfielder is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament three times as a player and three times as a manager. He was known for his exceptional technique and creativity on the ball.
6. Thierry Henry: The French striker was a key part of the Arsenal team that reached the final of the Champions League in 2006. He was known for his pace, technical ability, and goalscoring prowess, and finished as the top scorer in the competition twice.
7. Gerard Pique: The Spanish center back has won the Champions League four times, three with Barcelona and once with Manchester United. Pique is known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and passing ability, and has played a key role in some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
8. Luka Modric: The Croatian midfielder has won the Champions League four times, three with Real Madrid and once with Tottenham Hotspur. Modric is known for his technical ability, vision, and passing range, and was an integral part of the Real Madrid team that won the tournament three times in a row.
9. Arjen Robben: The Dutch winger was a key part of the Bayern Munich team that won the Champions League in 2013. He was known for his pace, dribbling skills, and goalscoring ability, and scored some crucial goals for Bayern in the competition.
10. Sergio Ramos: The Spanish center back has won the Champions League four times with Real Madrid and is known for his leadership, defensive ability, and goalscoring threat from set pieces. He has scored a record 15 goals in the Champions League, making him the highest scoring defender in the history of the competition.
11. Raul: The Spanish striker is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament three times with Real Madrid. He is the competition’s all-time leading scorer for a single club, and was known for his goalscoring prowess, technical ability, and leadership on the pitch.
12. Roberto Carlos: The Brazilian left back was a key part of the Real Madrid team that won the Champions League three times in the early 2000s. He was known for his pace, defensive solidity, and attacking threat from set pieces, and was widely regarded as one of the best attacking full backs of all time.
13. Marcel Desailly: The French center back was a key part of the Marseille team that won the Champions League in 1993, and he also won the tournament twice with AC Milan in the 1990s. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and versatility, and was a key part of some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
14. Philipp Lahm: The German right back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament five times, four with Bayern Munich and once with Barcelona. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and attacking threat from the back, and was widely regarded as one of the best right backs of his generation.
15. Samuel Eto’o: The Cameroonian striker is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament three times with Barcelona and Inter Milan. He was known for his pace, goalscoring ability, and technical ability, and was a key part of some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
16. Alessandro Nesta: The Italian center back was a key part of the AC Milan team that won the Champions League twice in the 2000s. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and ability to read the game, and was widely regarded as one of the best center backs of his generation.
17. Frank Lampard: The English midfielder is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Chelsea. He was known for his goalscoring ability, technical ability, and leadership on the pitch, and scored a record 91 goals in the competition, making him the highest scoring midfielder in the history of the competition.
18. John Terry: The English center back is another player who has won the Champions League twice with Chelsea. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and ability to score goals from set pieces, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
19. Thiago Silva: The Brazilian center back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with AC Milan and twice with Paris Saint-Germain. He is known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and ability to read the game, and has played a key role in some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
20. Mario Mandzukic: The Croatian striker has won the Champions League four times, three with Bayern Munich and once with Juventus. He is known for his physicality, aerial ability, and goalscoring prowess, and has scored some crucial goals in the competition.
21. Nemanja Vidic: The Serbian center back was a key part of the Manchester United team that won the Champions League in 2008. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and aerial ability, and was widely regarded as one of the best center backs of his generation.
22. Petr Cech: The Czech goalkeeper has won the Champions League four times, three with Chelsea and once with Arsenal. He is known for his shot-stopping ability, leadership, and reliability, and has made many crucial saves in the competition.
23. Sergio Aguero: The Argentine striker has won the Champions League twice with Manchester City, and is known for his pace, goalscoring ability, and technical ability. He has scored some crucial goals for Manchester City in the competition, and is widely regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation.
24. Eden Hazard: The Belgian winger has won the Champions League twice with Chelsea, and is known for his pace, dribbling skills, and goalscoring ability. He has scored some crucial goals for Chelsea in the competition, and is widely regarded as one of the best attacking players of his generation.
25. Xabi Alonso: The Spanish midfielder is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament three times, twice with Liverpool and once with Real Madrid. He was known for his passing ability, vision, and leadership on the pitch, and was an integral part of some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.

And some extra:

26. Andrea Pirlo: The Italian midfielder is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with AC Milan and once with Juventus. He was known for his passing ability, vision, and creativity on the ball, and was an integral part of some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
27. Paul Scholes: The English midfielder is another player who has won the Champions League twice with Manchester United. He was known for his passing ability, vision, and goalscoring threat from long range, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
28. Karim Benzema: The French striker is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament four times with Real Madrid. He is known for his goalscoring ability, technical ability, and link-up play, and has scored some crucial goals for Real Madrid in the competition.
29. Didier Drogba: The Ivorian striker is another player who has won the Champions League twice with Chelsea. He was known for his physicality, aerial ability, and goalscoring prowess, and scored some of the most important goals in the history of the competition for Chelsea.
30. Kaka: The Brazilian playmaker is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with AC Milan. He was known for his dribbling skills, technical ability, and goalscoring threat, and was an integral part of the team’s success in the competition.
31. David Beckham: The English midfielder is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Manchester United. He was known for his passing ability, technical ability, and goalscoring threat from set pieces, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
32. Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The Swedish striker has won the Champions League twice, once with Inter Milan and once with Barcelona. He is known for his physicality, aerial ability, and goalscoring prowess, and has scored some crucial goals in the competition for his teams.
33. Ryan Giggs: The Welsh winger is another player who has won the Champions League twice with Manchester United. He was known for his pace, dribbling skills, and technical ability, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
34. Roy Keane: The Irish midfielder is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Manchester United. He was known for his leadership, physicality, and determination, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
35. Ronaldinho: The Brazilian playmaker is another player who has won the Champions League twice, once with Barcelona and once with AC Milan. He was known for his dribbling skills, technical ability, and flair, and was a key part of some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
36. Fabio Cannavaro: The Italian center back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Real Madrid. He was known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and ability to read the game, and was widely regarded as one of the best center backs of his generation.
37. Edwin van der Sar: The Dutch goalkeeper is another player who has won the Champions League twice with Manchester United. He is known for his shot-stopping ability, leadership, and reliability, and has made many crucial saves in the competition.
38. Roberto Baggio: The Italian forward is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Juventus. He was known for his technical ability, creativity, and goalscoring prowess, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
39. Hernan Crespo: The Argentine striker is another player who has won the Champions League twice, once with Inter Milan and once with AC Milan. He is known for his goalscoring ability, physicality, and aerial ability, and has scored some crucial goals in the competition for his teams.
40. Dani Alves: The Brazilian right back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament three times with Barcelona and once with Paris Saint-Germain. He is known for his attacking threat from the back, defensive solidity, and leadership, and has played a key role in some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
41. Wesley Sneijder: The Dutch midfielder is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament twice with Inter Milan. He was known for his passing ability, vision, and goalscoring threat from long range, and was a key part of the team’s success in the competition.
42. Alisson Becker: The Brazilian goalkeeper has won the Champions League twice with Liverpool, and is known for his shot-stopping ability, leadership, and reliability. He has made many crucial saves in the competition, and has played a key role in Liverpool’s success in recent years.
43. Gerard Moreno: The Spanish striker is one of the most in-form players in the Champions League at the moment, having scored a number of crucial goals for Villarreal in the competition. He is known for his goalscoring ability, technical ability, and movement off the ball, and has helped Villarreal reach the knockout stages in consecutive seasons.
44. Manuel Neuer: The German goalkeeper is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament four times with Bayern Munich. He is known for his shot-stopping ability, leadership, and ability to play out from the back, and has made many crucial saves in the competition.
45. Mohamed Salah: The Egyptian forward is another player who has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having scored a number of crucial goals for Liverpool. He is known for his pace, dribbling skills, and goalscoring ability, and has helped Liverpool reach the knockout stages of the competition in consecutive seasons.
46. Kevin De Bruyne: The Belgian midfielder has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Manchester City’s success in the competition. He is known for his passing ability, vision, and goalscoring threat from long range, and has scored a number of crucial goals for Manchester City in the competition.
47. Erling Haaland: The Norwegian striker has made a huge impact in the Champions League in his short career so far, having scored a number of crucial goals for Borussia Dortmund in the competition. He is known for his physicality, goalscoring ability, and movement off the ball, and is widely regarded as one of the best young forwards in world football.
48. Frenkie de Jong: The Dutch midfielder is another player who has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Barcelona’s success in the competition. He is known for his technical ability, vision, and passing range, and has helped Barcelona reach the knockout stages of the competition in consecutive seasons.
49. Edinson Cavani: The Uruguayan striker has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having scored a number of crucial goals for Paris Saint-Germain in the competition. He is known for his physicality, goalscoring ability, and aerial threat, and has helped Paris Saint-Germain reach the knockout stages of the competition in consecutive seasons.
50. Harry Kane: The English striker has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having scored a number of crucial goals for Tottenham Hotspur in the competition. He is known for his goalscoring ability, technical ability, and movement off the ball, and has helped Tottenham Hotspur reach the knockout stages of the competition in consecutive seasons.
51. Gerard Pique: The Spanish center back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament five times with Barcelona. He is known for his defensive solidity, leadership, and ability to read the game, and has played a key role in some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
52. James Rodriguez: The Colombian playmaker has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Real Madrid’s success in the competition. He is known for his dribbling skills, technical ability, and goalscoring threat from long range, and has scored a number of crucial goals for Real Madrid in the competition.
53. Toni Kroos: The German midfielder is another player who has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Real Madrid’s success in the competition. He is known for his passing ability, vision, and leadership on the pitch, and has helped Real Madrid reach the knockout stages of the competition in consecutive seasons.
54. Kylian Mbappe: The French forward is one of the most exciting young players in the Champions League at the moment, having scored a number of crucial goals for Paris Saint-Germain in the competition. He is known for his pace, dribbling skills, and goalscoring ability, and has helped Paris Saint-Germain reach the knockout
55. Marcelo: The Brazilian left back is one of the most successful players in the history of the Champions League, having won the tournament four times with Real Madrid. He is known for his attacking threat from the back, technical ability, and leadership, and has played a key role in some of the most successful teams in the history of the competition.
56. Arturo Vidal: The Chilean midfielder has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Bayern Munich’s success in the competition. He is known for his physicality, technical ability, and goalscoring threat from midfield, and has scored a number of crucial goals for Bayern Munich in the competition.
57. Joshua Kimmich: The German midfielder is another player who has made a significant impact in the Champions League in recent years, having played a key role in Bayern Munich’s success in the competition. He is known for his passing ability, vision, and leadership on the pitch, and has helped

We hope you have enjoyed this list of the top 25 football players in the history of the UEFA Champions League. These players have left a lasting legacy on the competition, and their skills and achievements will be remembered for years to come. Whether they were leading their teams to victory with their goalscoring prowess or solidifying their defenses with their leadership and defensive skills, these players have made a significant contribution to the history of the Champions League.