Robert Lewandowski reached a historic milestone on Tuesday night as he scored his 100th Champions League goal during Barcelona’s clash with Brest. The Polish striker became only the third player in history to achieve this feat, joining football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the prestigious “century club.”
A Record-Breaking Career in Europe’s Premier Competition
Lewandowski’s journey in the Champions League has been nothing short of extraordinary. The 35-year-old has scored in 14 consecutive seasons in the competition, starting with his first goal for Borussia Dortmund in the 2011-12 season against Olympiakos.
His most prolific campaign came in 2019-20 when he was the tournament’s top scorer with an impressive 15 goals in just 10 matches, helping Bayern Munich secure the title. That season remains one of three where Lewandowski has hit double figures in the Champions League, with the other two being in 2012-13 (10 goals for Dortmund) and 2021-22 (13 goals for Bayern).
Elite Company and a Record Pace
Lewandowski’s achievement cements his place among the greatest players in Champions League history.
He joins Cristiano Ronaldo (141 goals) and Lionel Messi (129 goals) as the only players to score 100 or more goals in the competition.
Lewandowski reached the milestone in just 126 games, faster than Ronaldo (137 games) but slightly slower than Messi (123 games).
With a goals-per-game ratio of 0.794, he holds the best scoring efficiency among players with at least 50 Champions League goals, edging out Messi by the narrowest of margins.
This Season’s Contribution
Lewandowski has been crucial to Barcelona’s European campaign this season. He has scored six goals in their first five group-stage matches, including braces against Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade. His consistent performances have helped elevate Barcelona’s hopes in the competition as they aim to reclaim European glory.
Surpassing Other Icons
Lewandowski’s 100 goals place him ahead of several legendary forwards, including Thomas Müller, Karim Benzema, Raúl, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, despite all having played more games in the competition.
A Legacy Cemented
With this achievement, Robert Lewandowski has solidified his position as one of the greatest strikers in football history. As he continues to lead Barcelona on the European stage, fans and pundits alike will eagerly watch to see how many more records he can break in the twilight of his illustrious career.