Top 5 players with the most goals in a single Champions League season 

Since the inaugural UEFA Champions League edition in 1992, a host of players have notched more than a goal in a game. Scoring a goal, let alone a hat-trick in the Champions League is a special moment for any player, as only a few players have experienced to do so.

To score a hat-trick in at the highest level of European club football is rare but two players, Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano have scored five goals in a single UEFA Champions League game.

However, here, we take a look at 5 players who have scored the most number of Champions League goals in a single season of the competition:

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#5 Mario Gomez (2011/12)

Gomez celebrates FC Bayern Muenchen's UEFA Champions League Final victory in 12-13

Germany and VfB Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez has been one of Germany's most consistent strikers in the past decade. He has played for three German clubs, in Italy and in Turkey and is a very experienced footballer.

Gomez began his career at Stuttgart and after six strong seasons at the club and a Bundesliga title to his name, Gomez moved to German giants Bayern Munich and spent the next four years of his career with the Bavarian giants.

During the 2011-12 Champions League season, Bayern Munich finished runners-up as they lost to Chelsea on penalties at the Allianz Arena. He also notched three hattricks in the same campaign for the club in the group stages against all three opponents in the group. The German scored 12 goals in the 2011-12 Champions League, and finished behind Messi for the golden boot.

#4 Ruud van Nistelrooy

van Nistelrooy during his time at Manchester United

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy managed a career best of 12 goals in the 2002-03 Champions League. The Dutchman enjoyed a fruitful 20-year career and is still the fourth-highest goalscorer in Europe's elite club competition behind, Raul, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Van Nistelrooy began his career at Den Bosch in 1993 and spent four seasons at the club before joining Heerenveen for a year and then moving to PSV. It was at PSV where van Nistelrooy gained prominence for his clinical finishing ability and secured a move to Manchester United three years later.

During the 02-03 season, United claimed the Premier League, and the Dutchman, the golden boot, while the club bowed out of the Champions League in the quarter-final stage of the tournament to Real Madrid.

The Dutch striker then moved to Real Madrid in 2006 and spent four seasons at the club before spending a year each at Hamburg and Malaga, before calling time on his career.

#3 Lionel Messi

Messi will be vital for FC Barcelona in the CL

Widely regarded as the greatest footballer to have graced the game, Lionel Messi accomplished what most footballers never achieve in their careers by the age of 23.

The Argentinian made his Barcelona debut in the summer of 2005 at the tender age of 17 and cemented his place in the team by the age of 18. A multiple-time Champions League winner, Messi has produced some of his best displays in his career in this competition.

Messi is also the competition's second-highest goalscorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo. The Argentine is also tied with the Portuguese as the two players who have scored the most number of hattricks in Champions League history with 7 a piece.

Messi scored 14 goals in the 2011-12 Champions League, as Barcelona were knocked out by eventual winners Chelsea in the semi-final of the tournament.

As Messi and Barcelona prepare to take on Chelsea in the round of 16 this season, another Champions League knockout phase is set to begin for the player and the club. Messi has scored 5 goals this campaign and is 4 away from the leader Ronaldo, who has 9.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid talisman Ronaldo will be raring to face PSG

Portuguese captain and Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo has been in sublime form in the Champions League this season notching 9 goals in 6 games.

The player guided the club to back-to-back Champions Leagues titles in the last two seasons and scored 16 goals in the 2015-16 Champions League, making it the second-highest goal tally hit by a player in a single season.

PSG take on Real Madrid in the round of 16 as Madrid will look to defend their title and progress to the next stage of the competition. Ronaldo will need to be in top form and clinical with his finishing as the Spanish giants face a difficult task against Unai Emery's balanced PSG side.

To add to his tally of 9 and possibly beat his own records, Madrid will first have to deal with the attacking threat of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar and thwart them.

With the addition of Lassana Diarra to the PSG ranks, Emery has experience and youthful energy to beat the reigning champions.

#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - 17 goals 2013/14

Ronaldo celebrates a win for Madrid in the Champions League

5-time Ballon d'Or winner and Real Madrid talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been in sublime form for club and country in the past decade. Ronaldo set the record for being the first person in history to score in all 6 group games in the group stage of the competition this season and is also the competition's all-time leading goal scorer.

From 2010-11 to 2015-16, the attacking player scored over 50 goals in six consecutive season across all competitions. The Portuguese captain has also scored the most number of goals in a single Champions League season, as he scored 17 goals in the 2013-14 Champions League.

Currently, the top scorer of the competition with 9 goals, Ronaldo could match and beat his own record this season, provided Real Madrid get past PSG in the round of 16 ties that will be played in the coming fortnight.

In the 2013-14 campaign, Real Madrid beat rivals and neighbours Atletico Madrid by four goals to one in extra time to claim their 10th Champions League trophy - La Decima, as it has come to be known.