Lionel Messi confirmed highest goal scorer in UEFA Champions League 2018/19
Lionel Messi has toppled Cristiano Ronaldo’s six-year reign as the highest goal scorer in the UEFA Champions League.
Although Messi did not play at Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday, he was confirmed the top scorer for UEFA Champions League 2018/19 season.
Ronaldo held sway from 2012/13 to 2017/18, but shared the Golden Boot with Neymar and Messi in 2014/15.
Messi, whose Barcelona club crashed out in the semi-finals against Champions Liverpool, had 12 goals to his credit , ahead of Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski’s eight. Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah had only five goals to his credit, along with Tottenham’s Lucas Moura and Harry Kane.
Notably, Messi scored a hat-trick against PSV in the group stage and a brace against Liverpool in the first leg of the semi-final at the Camp Nou.
It was the sixth time the Argentine won the Golden Boot of the most lucrative club competition.
Messi also won it in 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12.
Overall, Messi bagged a total of 51 goals in 50 games in 2018/19.
UEFA Stats: How all the players fared:
12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), 8: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern München), 6: Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Moussa Marega (Porto) Dušan Tadić (Ajax),
5: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), Edin Džeko (Roma), Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
UEFA Champions League Top scorers since 2000:
2018/19: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 12
2017/18: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 15
2016/17: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12
2015/16: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 16
2014/15: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 10
2013/14: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 17
2012/13: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 12
2011/12: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 14
2010/11: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 12
2009/10: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 8
2008/09: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 9
2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 8
2006/07: Kaká (AC Milan) 10
2005/06: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) 9
2004/05: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 8
2003/04: Fernando Morientes (Monaco) 9
2002/03: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 12
2001/02: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) 10
2000/01: Raúl González (Real Madrid) 7
