Ronaldo, Messi or Haaland: Which striker has the best goals-per-game ratio in Champions League?

On Wednesday night, Erling Braut Haaland scored the game-winning goal for Manchester City once again. The sensational Norwegian striker scored an incredible goal late in the squad's Champions League group stage match against his former team Borussia Dortmund to secure a 2-1 victory. 

Haaland's astonishing athleticism to successfully convert Joao Cancelo's cross was further evidence that, at the age of 22, he was already among the finest in the game. 

With 26 goals in the Champions League, the future Ballon d'Or winner has one more than Robin van Persie scored in his whole career.

Also read: Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland? Arsenal legend Thierry Henry chooses between two young sensations

If this stat freaks you out, how would you react if we told you that Haaland is the player with the best goals-per-game ratio in the history of Europe's elite competition. Believe it or not, even legendary strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi pale compared to the Norway international.

While Haaland has a ratio of 1.24 goals-per-game, the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and former Barcelona icon is at 0.80 goals-per-game and the Manchester United and former Real Madrid legend stands at 0.77 goals-per-game in Champions League.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's FIFA 23 player ratings cause massive outrage

Here's a look at 30 players among the 50 leading scorers in Champions League history with the best goals-per-game ratio:

30. Robin van Persie - Arsenal, Manchester United, 25 goals, 0.42 goals-per-game

29. Jose Augusto - Benfica, 24 goals, 0.43 goals-per-game

28. Thierry Henry - AS Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona, 50 goals, 0.45 goals-per-game

27. Alessandro Del Piero - Juventus, 42 goals, 0.47 goals-per-game

26. Roy Makaay - Deportivo La Coruna, Bayern Munich, 29 goals, 0.48 goals-per-game

25. Didier Drogba - Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray, 44 goals,  0.48 goals-per-game

24. Andriy Shevchenko - Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea, 48 goals, 0.48 goals-per-game

23. David Trezeguet - AS Monaco, Juventus, 29 goals, 0.50 goals-per-game

22. Raul Gonzalez - Real Madrid, Schalke, 71 goals, 0.50 goals-per-game

21. Edinson Cavani - Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, 35 goals, 0.51 goals-per-game

20. Mohamed Salah - Basel, AS Roma, Liverpool, 37 goals, 0.51 goals-per-game

19. Marco Simone - AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, AS Monaco, 24 goals, 0.52 goals-per-game

18. Sergio Aguero - Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, 41 goals, 0.52 goals-per-game

17. Mario Jardel - FC Porto, Galatasaray, 25 goals, 0.54 goals-per-game

16. Neymar - Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, 42 goals, 0.55 goals-per-game

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15. Filippo Inzaghi - Juventus, AC Milan, 46 goals, 0.57 goals-per-game

14. Mario Gomez  - VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, 26 goals, 0.59 goals-per-game

13. Karim Benzema - Lyon, Real Madrid, 86 goals, 0.60 goals-per-game

12. Kylian Mbappe - AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, 36 goals, 0.65 goals-per-game

11. Eusebio - Benfica, 46 goals, 0.71 goals-per-game

10. Jean-Pierre Papin - Marseille, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, 28 goals, 0.76 goals-per-game

9. Ruud van Nistelrooy - PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid, 56 goals, 0.77 goals-per-game

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi? Barcelona's Pedri chooses between the two G.O.A.T.s

8. Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, 140 goals, 0.77 goals-per-game

7. Lionel Messi - Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, 126 goals, 0.80 goals-per-game

6. Robert Lewandowski - Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, 89 goals, 0.82 goals-per-game

5. Alfredo Di Stefano - Real Madrid, 49 goals, 0.84 goals-per-game

4. Jose Altafini - AC Milan, Juventus, 24 goals, 0.86 goals-per-game

3. Ferenc Puskas - Budapest Honved, Real Madrid, 36 goals, 0.88 goals-per-game

2. Gerd Muller - Bayern Munich, 34 goals, 0.97 goals-per-game

1. Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, 26 goals, 1.24 goals-per-game

Also read: UCL 2022-23: 'Was quite sure I was going to be followed' - Haaland on City's winner vs Dortmund