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The UEFA Champions League final is the biggest game in club football which many players dream of playing in throughout their lives. The Champions League final is football's Super Bowl, the biggest stage of all. Only the biggest players are able to make a name for themselves at this stage.
Fast-rising Brazilian superstar Vinicius Jr. announced his arrival as a bonafide top-level talent this year. He scored the winner in the 2021-22 Champions League final for Real Madrid against Liverpool.
The 21-year-old forward has fully embraced the limelight as one of the world's best players, just as many have done on the same stage before him. Scoring in the Champions League final is no mean feat, and scoring multiple times is an even meaner feat.
Without further ado, here is a list of five players with the most goals in the Champions League finals.
#5 Sergio Ramos (2 goals)
Sergio Ramos (yes, the defender) is one of the sport's ultimate big-game players for his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch. The Spaniard has two goals in UEFA Champions League finals, both of which were scored in the white of Real Madrid.
Ramos scored in his first Champions League final appearance as Real Madrid claimed La Decima after a 4-1 win over neighbours Atletico Madrid after extra time in 2014. With his team one goal down in the 92nd minute, they got a corner and Ramos went forward from his position in defense. The Spanish defender powered home a header past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to level the tie in the 93rd minute.
His second goal came against the same opponents in the final two years later as his side won on penalties. He opened the scoring after a goalmouth scramble before Atleti equalised.
Ramos has been involved in four Champions League finals as a player and has won all four. He was one of his side's best performers in each one of those finals. The veteran defender is one of the world's best goalscoring defenders, scoring more than 100 career club goals.
#4 Lionel Messi (2 goals)
Like Ramos, Lionel Messi has scored two goals in the UEFA Champions League finals, with both goals coming against a single opposition. The Argentine forward has won the competition four times and played in three finals in his career.
Messi scored his first UCL final goal in the 2008-09 final, scoring the second in his side's 2-0 win over Manchester United. The diminutive Argentine rose highest to head home a cross from Xavi, one of his most iconic goals.
His second final goal came two years later in the 2010-11 final as Barcelona claimed a 3-1 win over the same opponents at Wembley.
Messi is one of the most iconic players ever to grace the competition. He has scored the second-most goals (125) in the history of the competition behind Cristiano Ronaldo (140). Only 10 players have bettered Messi's tally of four competition wins and all are affiliated with Real Madrid.
#3 Samuel Eto'o (2 goals)
Samuel Eto'o is widely regarded as the greatest African striker of his generation, and possibly of all time. The Cameroonian scored two goals in the Champions League finals in his career, with both goals coming for Barcelona.
Eto'o scored his first final goal in the 2006 final as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Arsenal 2-1. He slotted an effort through the legs of then Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia for his side.
His second goal came three years later against Manchester United in the 2009 final, which Barcelona won 2-0.
Eto'o holds the distinction of being the first and only player in history to win a continental treble with two different clubs in consecutive seasons. He did it with Barcelona in 2008-09 before achieving the feat with Inter Milan the following season.
It is also no surprise that he has scored more goals than any other African in the Champions League finals.
#2 Gareth Bale (3 goals)
Welsh wizard Gareth Bale is certainly one of the most controversial players to have played for Real Madrid in recent years. That did not stop the winger from giving us one of the most iconic performances seen in any Champions League final ever. He scored three goals in finals for Real Madrid in two matches in the competition.
Bale scored his first Champions League final goal in his debut season (2013-14) against Atletico Madrid in extra time as Real Madrid rallied to claim a 4-1 win.
His second and third goals came in a single game, both against Liverpool in the 2018 final. His performance in that match was iconic after he was introduced off the bench in the second half. He went on to score an outrageous overhead kick to give his side a 2-1 lead before scoring his second from 40 yards out.
Bale has won the competition five times, more than any other player in the history of the competition and is joined by nine other players. His performance in the 2018 final was one for the ages, despite having come off the bench in the game.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (4 goals)
Cristiano Ronaldo is by far the most iconic player in the history of the UEFA Champions League. A plethora of records in the competition are held by the Portuguese superstar, including the record for most goals scored in finals. Ronaldo has scored four goals in the finals, with three of them coming for Real Madrid and one for Manchester United.
Ronaldo scored his first Champions League final goal in 2008. Manchester United and Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw in the final before the Red Devils won on penalties.
His second goal came six years later in a Real Madrid shirt from the penalty spot in a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid. He scored his last two goals in the 2017 final against Juventus as Real Madrid defeated the Italian side 4-1.
Ronaldo was the first player to win the competition five times and has managed to score the most goals ever (140) in the competition. He also has the highest number of appearances (183) in the history of the competition.
