Arsenal took the lead against Paris Saint-Germain thanks to a Kai Havertz goal in the opening minutes of the match. In doing so, the German striker matched Lionel Messi‘s tally of goals in UEFA Champions League finals, though Cristiano Ronaldo remains ahead.
Havertz‘s goal against PSG on Saturday was his second in a Champions League final. His first came while playing for Chelsea, when he scored the winner in the Blues’ 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2021 final.
Messi, meanwhile, also scored two goals in Champions League finals, both for Barcelona. In 2009, he headed home one of the goals in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in Rome. In 2011, again against the Red Devils and this time at Wembley, he found the net in a 3-1 victory.
It is worth noting that despite winning four Champions League titles during his career, the Argentine forward played in only three finals. In addition to the two mentioned above, he featured in the 2015 final, when Barcelona defeated Juventus. His other Champions League title came in 2006, when the Spanish side beat Arsenal. On that occasion, Messi was unable to play because of a hamstring injury.
Ronaldo won his first Champions League title with Manchester United in 2008.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals in Champions League finals
As the all-time leading scorer in UEFA Champions League history, it is no surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo also produced impressive numbers in finals. The Portuguese star played in six Champions League finals between Manchester United and Real Madrid, scoring four goals.
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The first of those goals came in 2008, when the Red Devils drew 1-1 with Chelsea before prevailing in a penalty shootout. A year later, Ronaldo came up short in his head-to-head battle with Messi, who lifted the trophy with Barcelona.
After joining Real Madrid, Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot in the 2014 final against Atletico Madrid. Three years later, he netted a brace against Juventus. His final Champions League appearance came in 2018, when Los Blancos defeated Liverpool 3-1, although he did not get on the scoresheet.
The top scorers in Champions League finals
Ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo on the all-time list are two Real Madrid legends. Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas remain the highest scorers in Champions League finals, with seven goals each.
Di Stefano holds the record for scoring in five different European Cup/Champions League finals, having played in seven overall. No player before or since has matched that feat. Puskas, meanwhile, boasts an even more remarkable scoring rate, recording seven goals in just three Champions League finals.
