Champions League 40-goal club: Lionel Messi closes gap to Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi edged ever closer to Cristiano Ronaldo's all-time Champions League goalscoring record courtesy of his strike against Benfica on Wednesday night.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward continued his fine start to the season with a brilliant curling effort into the top corner - Champions League goal number 127 of his glittering career to move to within 13 of Ronaldo's record total.

In doing so, the Argentine also extended a competition record of his own as he became the first player to score against 40 different teams in the Champions League, creating an entirely new take on the 40-goal club which he now boasts sole membership of.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the all-time Champions League scoring list looks after Messi's latest goal.

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus)

Goals: 140 Appearances: 183 Ratio: 0.77

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2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Goals: 127 Appearances: 159 Ratio: 0.80

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3. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona)

Goals: 89 Appearances: 109 Ratio: 0.82

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4. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)

Goals: 86 Appearances: 144 Ratio: 0.6

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5. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke 04)

Goals: 71 Appearances: 142 Ratio: 0.50

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6. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid)

Goals: 56 Appearances: 73 Ratio: 0.77

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7. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Goals: 52 Appearances: 136 Ratio: 0.38

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8. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)

Goals: 50 Appearances: 112 Ratio: 0.45

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9. Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)

Goals: 49 Appearances: 58 Ratio: 0.84

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10. Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea)

Goals: 48 Appearances: 100 Ratio: 0.48

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11. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)

Goals: 48 Appearances: 124 Ratio: 0.39

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12. Eusebio (Benfica)

Goals: 46 Appearances: 65 Ratio: 0.71

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13. Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus, AC Milan)

Goals: 46 Appearances: 81 Ratio: 0.57

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14. Didier Drogba (Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray)

Goals: 44 Appearances: 92 Ratio: 0.48

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15. Neymar (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Goals: 42 Appearances: 78 Ratio: 0.54

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16. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)

Goals: 42 Appearances: 89 Ratio: 0.47

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17. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, Manchester City)

Goals: 41 Appearances: 79 Ratio: 0.52

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