Ranking the 5 oldest PSG goalscorers in UEFA Champions League history

PSG fell short in their quest to become the newest Champions League winners when they lost to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final. Last season, they eliminated holders Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals before falling to Manchester City in the last four.

They finished second in their 2021-22 Champions League group, and will now take on 13-time winners Real Madrid in a blockbuster Round of 16 clash. The form of new arrival Lionel Messi - five goals in five games - gives them hope that the final frontier can be conquered this year.

The 34-year-old is one of the oldest scorers in the Champions League for PSG. However, Le Parisiens have also had other 'old' scorers in the competition over the years.

On that note, here's a look at the five oldest PSG players to have scored in the UEFA Champions League:

#5 Angel Di Maria - 32 years, 264 days (2020)

Manchester City vs Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Semi Final: Leg Two

Angel Di Maria has been a key player for PSG since arriving from Manchester United in the summer of 2015.

The four-time Ligue 1 winner has bagged over 200 goal contributions (91 goals, 119 assists) for PSG, with 35 of them coming in the Champions League. He has scored in the competition in each of his six seasons with PSG, except the ongoing one.

The 2014 Champions League winner's last strike in the competition came in a 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the 2019-20 group stage. He has not scored in ten subsequent games, including three this campaign, but has provided six assists during this period.

#4 Edinson Cavani - 32 years, 300 days (2019)

Paris Saint-Germain vs RSC Anderlecht - UEFA Champions League

Edinson Cavani is PSG's all-time record goalscorer, netting exactly 200 times across competitions in over 300 games. Thirty of these strikes have come in the Champions League.

The Manchester United striker scored in the competition in each of his seven seasons with PSG. His last strike in the Champions League - in a group game in 2019 - was his 200th and final goal for the Ligue 1 giants.

Cavani has not scored in the competition in seven games for United. His five other Champions League strikes came with Napoli in 2011-12.

#3 Lionel Messi - 34 years, 167 days (2021)

Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Lionel Messi has been on a tear for PSG in the Champions League. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has netted five times in as many games for his new club since arriving from Barcelona this summer.

His first of two goals against Club Brugge made Messi only the second player ever to score against 38 different opponents in the Champions League.

If the Argentine nets in the knockout round, he'll become PSG's oldest goalscorer in Champions League history. Messi will now hope to replicate his imperious Champions League form in Ligue 1, where he has scored just once in 11 games.

#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 34 years, 167 days (2016)

Manchester City FC vs Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final: Second Leg

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the top strikers to have graced the game, especially since the turn of the century.

The AC Milan forward is one of only two players to score over 150 goals for PSG. Twenty of these strikes came in the Champions League. His last strike in the competition was against Manchester City in the 2015-16 quarter-finals.

With Ibra drawing a blank in the return leg, PSG fell to a 1-0 defeat at City to bow out 2-3 on aggregate.

Interestingly, the 40-year-old hasn't scored in the competition in five subsequent games, including four this season with Milan.

#1 Dani Alves - 34 years, 201 days (2017)

Paris Saint-Germain vs Celtic FC - UEFA Champions League

Dani Alves is arguably one of the best attacking full-backs in the game's history. The three-time Champions League winner enjoyed a short two-season stint at PSG in the late 2010s. During his first season with them in 2017-18, Alves netted twice in the competition.

His second strike - against Celtic in a 7-1 home win - made the legendary Brazilian full-back the oldest PSG player to score in the Champions League.

Now back at Barcelona, the 38-year-old hasn't featured in the competition since 2018-19.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande