Finding the back of the net in a UEFA Champions League final is the ultimate career milestone. But doing it in multiple finals? That is a feat reserved exclusively for footballing royalty.
Despite Arsenal’s heartbreaking defeat in the 2025/26 climax, Kai Havertz officially etched his name into history with a stunning early goal. Here is the ultimate list of the 9 iconic players – from Cristiano Ronaldo to Havertz – who have conquered Europe’s biggest stage on multiple occasions.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
- Clubs: Manchester United, Real Madrid
- Finals Scored In: 2008, 2014, 2017
- Total Final Goals: 4 Goals
It is no surprise that “Mr. Champions League” tops this list.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in the UCL era to score in three separate finals. He opened the scoring for Manchester United in 2008 against Chelsea with a towering header, sealed the iconic La Decima victory for Real Madrid in 2014 against Atletico Madrid from the penalty spot, and scored a brilliant brace against Juventus in Cardiff in 2017.
2. Gareth Bale
- Club: Real Madrid
- Finals Scored In: 2014, 2018
- Total Final Goals: 3 Goals
The Welshman was built for the grandest occasions.
In 2014, his crucial extra-time header gave Real Madrid their first lead of the night against Atletico. Four years later in Kyiv, Bale came off the bench against Liverpool to deliver one of the most legendary cameos in football history, scoring twice – including a gravity-defying bicycle kick that left Loris Karius helpless.
3. Samuel Eto’o
- Club: Barcelona
- Finals Scored In: 2006, 2009
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
The Cameroonian striker was the big-game catalyst for Barcelona’s modern European dominance.
Eto’o scored a near-post equalizer against Arsenal in the rain in Paris to spark the 2006 comeback. Three years later in Rome, he opened the scoring by delightfully chopping inside Nemanja Vidic and poking past Edwin van der Sar to dismantle Manchester United.
4. Lionel Messi
- Club: Barcelona
- Finals Scored In: 2009, 2011
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
Manchester United suffered at the hands of the Argentine genius in two separate European showpieces. In 2009, Messi scored an iconic header that defied his stature, soaring over the United defense.
In 2011 at Wembley, his low strike from outside the penalty box completely shattered United’s resolve and secured another crown for Pep Guardiola’s legendary side.
5. Sergio Ramos
- Club: Real Madrid
- Finals Scored In: 2014, 2016
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
The only defender to occupy a spot in this elite hall of fame.
Ramos’s legendary header at 92:48 in Lisbon rescued Real Madrid from the jaws of defeat against local rivals Atletico Madrid, forcing extra time and rewriting history. Two years later in Milan, he broke Atletico’s hearts once again by stabbing home a close-range finish from a set-piece to open the scoring.
6. Raúl González
- Club: Real Madrid
- Finals Scored In: 2000, 2002
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
Before the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly, Raúl was the undisputed king of European football. He sealed a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Valencia in the 2000 final by rounding the goalkeeper following a spectacular solo counter-attack from his own half.
In 2002, he caught Bayer Leverkusen napping by latching onto a long throw-in to open the scoring with a trademark deft finish.
7. Mario Mandžukić
- Clubs: Bayern Munich, Juventus
- Finals Scored In: 2013, 2017
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
The relentless Croatian powerhouse is one of the rare players to find the back of the net in a UCL final for two different European giants. He opened the scoring for Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund in the all-German final of 2013.
In 2017, playing for Juventus, he scored an acrobatic chest-and-volley over Keylor Navas against Real Madrid, though the Italian side ultimately fell short.
8. Vinícius Júnior
- Club: Real Madrid
- Finals Scored In: 2022, 2024
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
Carrying on Real Madrid’s rich European legacy, the dazzling Brazilian winger has already cemented himself as a two-time final goalscorer.
Vinícius turned home Federico Valverde’s cross to score the only goal of the game against Liverpool in Paris in 2022. In 2024, he calmly slotted home Jude Bellingham’s pass to seal a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
9. Kai Havertz
- Clubs: Chelsea, Arsenal
- Finals Scored In: 2021, 2026
- Total Final Goals: 2 Goals
The newest inductee into this highly exclusive group.
Havertz famously rounded Ederson to score the lone, title-winning goal for Chelsea against Manchester City in Porto back in 2021.
Proving his incredible knack for showing up on the biggest stage, the German forward struck again early in the 2025/26 Champions League final for Arsenal. Although the Gunners ultimately suffered a painful defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Havertz wrote his name permanently into modern European football folklore.
The European Cup Era: Pre-1992 Legends
If we look back to the European Cup era (prior to the 1992 rebranding), the attacking nature of the game produced mind-boggling goalscoring records dominated by the golden generations of Real Madrid, Benfica, and Ajax.
Here are the notable icons who scored in multiple finals during that classic era:
- Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid): The ultimate European Cup king. Di Stéfano holds an untouchable record, having scored in five consecutive European Cup finals between 1956 and 1960.
- Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid): While he “only” scored in two finals, his numbers are terrifying. The Hungarian icon scored four goals (a poker) against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 and followed it up with a spectacular hat-trick against Benfica in 1962.
- Other Multiple Final Goalscorers: This elite pre-1992 club also includes Francisco Gento and Héctor Rial (Real Madrid); the legendary Benfica trio of Eusébio, José Águas, and Mário Coluna; Sandro Mazzola (Inter Milan); Velibor Vasović (the only player to score in finals for two different clubs in this era: Partizan and Ajax); Tommy Gemmell (Celtic); Gerd Müller (Bayern Munich); and Phil Neal (Liverpool).
FAQ: Champions League Final Goalscoring Records
Q: Has anyone ever scored a hat-trick in a modern Champions League final?
A: No. Since the tournament rebranded to the Champions League in 1992, no player has ever scored a hat-trick in the final.
Q: Who is the oldest player to score in a Champions League final?
A: Italian legend Paolo Maldini holds the record as the oldest goalscorer in a UCL final. The AC Milan captain scored a volley just 50 seconds into the legendary 2005 final against Liverpool in Istanbul at the age of 36 years and 333 days.
Q: Which player has scored the most total goals in European Cup/Champions League final history?
A: The all-time record is jointly held by Real Madrid legends Alfredo Di Stéfano and Ferenc Puskás, who both scored an astonishing 7 goals across their appearances in European Cup finals during the 1950s and 1960s.
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