Robert Lewandowski has joined an elite club in the Champions League, becoming only the third player in history to score 100 or more goals in the competition. He now stands alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in this remarkable achievement.
Lewandowski got his 100th goal early on with a penalty kick during Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Brest, a team that had been undefeated until this match. He didn’t stop there—he added his 101st goal in stoppage time at the end of the game. This victory pushed Barcelona up to second place in the Champions League’s new single-league format.
While Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals and Messi follows with 129, neither of them plays in the Champions League anymore. Ronaldo has moved to the Saudi Pro League, and Messi now plays in the MLS.
After the match, Lewandowski shared his excitement:
“I’m really happy. 100 goals is such a big number, and years ago, I never thought I’d get there. Joining Messi and Ronaldo—it feels amazing. They’re pretty good company, right?” he joked. “For me, the most important thing is helping the team win. If I score, that’s the cherry on top.”
It took Lewandowski 125 matches to reach this milestone—slightly more than Messi, who did it in 123 games, but faster than Ronaldo, who took 137 matches.
Barcelona’s coach, Hansi Flick, praised Lewandowski’s achievement, saying, “I’ve seen him break so many records during our time together at Bayern Munich, and now he’s doing the same here. It’s not just about him, though—the team works hard to support him, and they all play a part in his success.”
In addition to Lewandowski’s goals, Dani Olmo also scored in the second half, helping Barcelona bounce back after two disappointing matches in La Liga. Flick was pleased with the team’s performance, saying, “We played well, defended strongly, and dominated the game. Of course, there’s always room to improve, but getting the three points was the most important thing.”
Under the Champions League’s new format, the top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a playoff round. The bottom 12 teams are eliminated. With matches against Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, and Atalanta still to come, Flick is focused on securing a top-eight spot as soon as possible.
“When this new format started, our goal was clear—finish in the top eight. That gives us a little break in February, which is always helpful,” he explained. “Next up is Dortmund, and playing them on their home turf is never easy. But we’re ready and excited to show what we can do.”
With Lewandowski hitting milestones and the team finding its rhythm, Barcelona looks set to keep making waves in the Champions League this season.
