Countless are the occasions that we see the best players kneel in the finals. There are even those who retire without having achieved the most precious titles, thus leaving with a thorn stuck in their record. Among them, the European Cup, one of the most desired by any footballer. And it is that as MisterChip well informs in one of its data, there is an extensive list of the top scorers in the Champions League who have never won it. More than interesting names come out of it (both active and retired players).
Of course, this list leads it Robert Lewandowski, one of the fashionable names since, precisely, it is only two parties away from being able to disappear from it. The total number of goals scored by the Polish striker is 67, all of them divided between his time at Borussia Dortmund, with whom he reached the final in 2013, but lost it, paradoxically, with his current team, Bayern Munich. In addition, in this edition he has registered 14 goals, that is, three to equal Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 17 goals.
He is followed closely by another gunner who marked an era and who hung up his boots long ago. Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose nickname 'VanGol' already said it all. A devourer of areas, always located in the ideal place, and infallible in the hands to hands. His mark was 60 goals, which only Lewandowski has been able to overcome and, a priori, it seems difficult for them to achieve more in the near future. For its part, that list of targets were distributed among up to three different teams such as PSV, Manchester United and Real Madrid. Definitely, his most prolific stage in European competitions was the one he lived as 'Red Devil', where he made more than half (38).
The podium is completed by one of the most controversial figures in the world of football in the XXI century. And is that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with 49 goals, He has tried wherever he has gone. Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan or Manchester United are some of the clubs he has gone through without being lucky enough to be crowned with the 'Orejona'. It's more, had the “bad luck” of leaving the 'nerazzurro' club in the city of Milan to sign for Barça, so that, later, they would win a historic treble from the hand of José Mourinho (They were even eliminated in the semifinals). Now, at 38 years old and back at Milan it seems that the Swede will follow in the Dutchman's footsteps and will stay with that bittersweet flavor.
Who does seem to be able to beat Ibrahimovic, at least in goals, is Sergio Aguero. The Kun' record 45 points, so the difference is minimal. However, the Argentine has failed again with Manchester City in the Champions League (it is true that he was injured and could not participate) when they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Olympique Lyonnais. There are already nine seasons falling consecutively, four since Pep Guardiola arrived, with which a strong boost to the multi-million dollar project of the 'skyblues' was presupposed.
Agüero, Guardiola and Manchester City, again eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
JASON CAIRNDUFF Action Images via Reuters
Edison cavani is the last active player to complete this list, who is currently without a team after having terminated his contract with PSG. A stage in which the Uruguayan spent up to seven seasons, and adding the previous one of Naples, reaches 35 goals. Instead, it is a situation similar to that of Cavani to that of 'Kun'. Another 'megaproject' with which, for his part, he failed to overcome the quarterfinals. What is striking about the case? At the end of June of this year he left Paris. Two months later, his former team qualifies for the semi-finals of the European Cup. Soccer stuff.
Finally, this Top-8 is completed by other myths such as those of David Trézéguet, who scored 32 points between Monaco and Juventus. Of course, the Frenchman touched the glory in the Champions of 2003, but he missed one of the penalties of the shoot with the 'Vecchia Signora', which led to Milan lifting the crown. The ukrainian Sergiy Rebrov with 31, legend of Dynamo Kiev, with whom he scored all of them. And finally, Roy Makaay with 29 targets between Deportivo and Bayern Munich.