Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski has become the third player in history to pass the 100-goal mark in the Champions League.
Lewandowski netted a first-half penalty to reach the milestone and give Barcelona the lead in their group-phase match against Brest, before adding his 101st goal as the hosts went on to win 3-0 on Tuesday.
The 36-year-old joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the list of players with a century of European Cup goals.
“I’m very content, very happy,” he told Movistar. “Sometimes I didn’t believe I would reach this impressive figure in the Champions League.
“Now I’m in good company with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Ronaldo scored 140 times in 183 games for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, while Messi notched 129 goals in 163 matches for Barcelona and Paris St-Germain.
Lewandowski reached the milestone in his 125th game – slower than Messi (123rd) but faster than Ronaldo (137th). However, the Poland striker’s current scoring rate of 0.8 goals a game is slightly better than either Ronaldo or Messi’s career marks.
Lewandowski has played in every Champions League campaign since 2011-12.
The vast majority of his goals in the competition have come inside the box – 97, including 17 penalties after the one he added against Brest. Only Ronaldo (19) and Messi (18) have scored more from the spot.
Lewandowski scored his first 17 goals in the competition for Borussia Dortmund, adding another 69 for Bayern Munich and has so far netted 15 for Barcelona.
Getting better with age?
Lewandowski has scored 22 goals in 19 games in all competitions this season, nine more than any other La Liga player, including 15 in 14 league matches.
Lewandowski is also only four goals shy of his total tally for last season, when he scored 26 times in 49 games for the Catalan giants.
And when you look at Europe’s top five leagues, it is a similar story to the Champions League for Lewandowski.
He is the third top goalscorer across La Liga, the Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A and Ligue 1 since joining Dortmund from Lech Poznan in 2010.
Behind, of course, Messi on 408 and Ronaldo with 385.
Lewandowski’s 368 goals put him more than 100 clear of fourth place – Bayern Munich’s England striker Harry Kane, on 263.
Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who now plays alongside Messi at Inter Miami, is next on 248.
Lewandowski shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, since turning 30 on 21 August 2018, he is the top scorer in any of Europe’s top five leagues with 188 goals.
Kylian Mbappe, now at Real Madrid, has scored 166 – mostly for PSG – with Kane, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah completing the top five.
Some 55 of Lewandowski’s Champions League goals have come since his 30th birthday. Only Ronaldo – with 68 – has scored more aged 30-plus.