The battle to be the Champions League’s leading scorer in 2025-26 is beginning to heat up.
Kylian Mbappe’s prolific campaign in the league phase has the French forward in the lead, having netted 13 goals in just eight games for Real Madrid.
Mbappe has averaged a Champions League goal every 55 minutes this season and is chasing down Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for goals scored in a single season (17), set in 2013-14. However, Mbappe will miss the chance to add to his total tonight when Real Madrid face Benfica, due to a knee injury.
The closest contenders to the Real Madrid superstar are both Englishmen. Harry Kane has hit eight goals for Bayern Munich in Europe this season, though the England captain trails Three Lions’ teammate Anthony Gordon.
The Newcastle winger has scored 10 goals in the Champions League this season, including four in one half against Qarabag during the play-off round.
4 – Anthony Gordon is only the second player in UEFA Champions League history to score four goals in the first half of a game, after Luiz Adriano for Shakhtar Donetsk against BATE Borisov in October 2014. Another. pic.twitter.com/wPmYvPSCDb
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 18, 2026
He’s already Newcastle’s highest-ever Champions League goalscorer, surpassing Alan Shearer (7). Remarkably, despite his European exploits, Gordon has scored only three goals in the Premier League all season.
Champions League top scorers 2025-26
- Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid (13)
- Anthony Gordon – Newcastle United (10)
- Harry Kane – Bayern Munich (8)
- Erling Haaland – Manchester City (7)
- Jens Petter Hauge – Bodo/Glimt (6)
- Victor Osimhen – Galatasaray (6)
- Gabriel Martinelli – Arsenal (6)
Read –Â Unforgettable Debuts: A baby-faced Rashford announces himself to the world with Europa League brace
See more –Â The Relegation Battle: Which Premier League teams will go down?

