Roberto Carlos, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Edinson Cavani: Who are South America's top UEFA Champions League performers?

vendredi 20 décembre 2024

Which South American players have the most appearances and goals in Europe's leading club competition?

Roberto Carlos, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Edinson Cavani ©Getty Images

In 2024, Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior earned his second Champions League title with Real Madrid, scoring in the final as he had done in 2022, when he joined the list of South American talents to taste glory in this club competition. Brazilian pair Casemiro and Marcelo lead the way with four Champions League final wins, while Lionel Messi has been triumphant in three.

Last updated: 20/12/2024

Most appearances by South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**

South American Champions League stars

163: Lionel Messi (ARG – Barcelona, Paris)
120: Roberto Carlos (BRA – Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe)
113: Angel Di María (ARG – Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
111: Dani Alves (BRA – Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris)
105: Thiago Silva (BRA – AC Milan, Paris, Chelsea)
103: Fernandinho (BRA – Shakhtar, Manchester City)
102: Marcelo (BRA – Real Madrid)
97: Marquinhos (BRA – Paris)
97: Javier Zanetti (ARG – Inter)
96: Javier Mascherano (ARG – Liverpool, Barcelona)

Top-scoring South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**

129: Lionel Messi (ARG – Barcelona, Paris)
43: Neymar (BRA – Barcelona, Paris)
41: Sergio Agüero (ARG – Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
35: Edinson Cavani (URU – Napoli, Paris, Manchester United)
30: Kaká (BRA – AC Milan, Real Madrid)
27: Rivaldo (BRA – Barcelona, AC Milan, Olympiacos)
27: Luis Suárez (URU – Ajax, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid)
26: Vinícius Júnior (BRA – Real Madrid)
25: Hernán Crespo (ARG – Parma, Lazio, Inter, Chelsea, AC Milan)
25: Giovane Elber (BRA – Bayern München, Lyon)
25: Jardel (BRA – Porto, Galatasaray)

Most appearances by South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

Javier Zanetti with the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2010©Getty Images

168: Lionel Messi (ARG – Barcelona, Paris)
160: Javier Zanetti (ARG – Inter)
155: Dani Alves (BRA – Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris)
151: Angel Di María (ARG – Benfica, Real Madrid, Paris, Juventus)
147: Fernandinho (BRA – Shakhtar, Manchester City)
144: Roberto Carlos (BRA – Inter, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe)
132: Taison (BRA – Metalist, Shakhtar, PAOK)
127: Luisão (BRA – Benfica)
126: Willian (BRA – Shakhtar, Anji, Chelsea, Arsenal, Olympiacos)
123: Nicolás Otamendi (ARG – Porto, Manchester City, Benfica)

Top-scoring South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

132: Lionel Messi (ARG – Barcelona, Paris)
63: Sergio Agüero (ARG – Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona)
55: Edinson Cavani (URU – Palermo, Napoli, Paris, Manchester United)
50: Alfredo Di Stéfano (ARG – Real Madrid)
48: Radamel Falcao (COL – Porto, Atlético de Madrid, Monaco, Galatasaray)
48: Claudio Pizarro (PER – Bremen, Bayern München, Chelsea)
48: Luis Suárez (URU – Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid)
43: Neymar (BRA – Barcelona, Paris)
43: Vágner Love (BRA – CSKA Moskva, Beşiktaş, Kairat Almaty)
40: Sonny Anderson (BRA – Servette, Monaco, Barcelona, Lyon, Villarreal)

Nation-by-nation: South American nations' UEFA record holders

Bolivia's Erwin Sánchez in action for Boavista©Getty Images

Argentina
UCL appearances: 163 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
UCL goals: 129 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
UEFA club appearances: 168 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)
UEFA club goals: 132 – Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris)

Bolivia
UCL appearances: 12 – Erwin Sánchez (Boavista)
UCL goals: 3 – Erwin Sánchez (Boavista)
UEFA club appearances: 36 – Erwin Sánchez (Benfica, Boavista)
UEFA club goals: 6 – Erwin Sánchez (Benfica, Boavista)

Six great Neymar goals

Brazil
UCL appearances: 120 – Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe)
UCL goals: 43 – Neymar (Barcelona, Paris)
UEFA club appearances: 155 – Dani Alves (Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris)
UEFA club goals: 43= Neymar (Barcelona, Paris), Vágner Love (CSKA Moskva, Beşiktaş, Kairat Almaty)

Chile
UCL appearances: 83 – Arturo Vidal (Juventus, Bayern München, Barcelona, Inter)
UCL goals: 17 – Alexis Sánchez (Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter, Marseille)
UEFA club appearances: 107 – Arturo Vidal (Leverkusen, Juventus, Bayern München, Barcelona, Inter)
UEFA club goals: 21 – Iván Zamorano (Real Madrid, Inter)

Colombia

Radamel Falcao celebrates winning the 2012 UEFA Europa League finalGetty Images

UCL appearances: 63 – Juan Cuadrado (Chelsea, Juventus, Inter, Atalanta)
UCL goals: 13 – Jackson Martínez (Porto, Atlético de Madrid)
UEFA club appearances: 92 – Iván Córdoba (Inter)
UEFA club goals: 48 – Radamel Falcao (Porto, Atlético Madrid, Monaco, Galatasaray)

Ecuador
UCL appearances: 45 – Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
UCL goals: 6 – Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
UEFA club appearances: 65 – Christian Noboa (Rubin, Dinamo Moskva, Rostov, Zenit, Sochi)
UEFA club goals: 13= Felipe Caicedo (Basel, Manchester City, Sporting CP, Lokomotiv Moskva, Lazio), Christian Noboa (Rubin, Dinamo Moskva, Rostov, Zenit, Sochi)

Paraguay
UCL appearances: 61 – Roque Santa Cruz (Bayern München, Málaga)
UCL goals: 11 – Óscar Cardozo (Benfica)
UEFA club appearances: 93 – Óscar Cardozo (Benfica, Trabzonspor, Olympiacos)
UEFA club goals: 35 – Óscar Cardozo (Benfica, Trabzonspor, Olympiacos)

Peru
UCL appearances: 73 – Claudio Pizarro (Bayern München, Chelsea, Bremen)
UCL goals: 21 – Claudio Pizarro (Bayern München, Chelsea, Bremen)
UEFA club appearances: 112 – Claudio Pizarro (Bremen, Bayern München, Chelsea)
UEFA club goals: 48 – Claudio Pizarro (Bremen, Bayern München, Chelsea)

Watch five great Luis Suárez goals

Uruguay
UCL appearances: 73 – Luis Suárez (Ajax, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid)
UCL goals: 35 – Edinson Cavani (Napoli, Paris, Manchester United)
UEFA club appearances: 111= Diego Godín (Villarreal, Atlético de Madrid, Inter), Luis Suárez (Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona, Atlético de Madrid)
UEFA club goals: 55 – Edinson Cavani (Palermo, Napoli, Paris, Manchester United)

Venezuela
UCL appearances: 8 – Salomón Rondón (Zenit)
UCL goals: 2 – Salomón Rondón (Zenit)
UEFA club appearances: 48 – Roberto Rosales (Gent, Twente, AEK Larnaca)
UEFA club goals: 18 – Salomón Rondón (Rubin, Zenit)

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*UEFA club competitions means European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, European/South American Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup

**South American means registered with the ten CONMEBOL member nations; thus Surinamese and Guyanan players are not counted

Roberto Carlos, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Edinson Cavani: Who are South America's top UEFA Champions League performers?

Résumé de l'article

Contenu médias de l'article

Corps de l'article

Most appearances by South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**

Top-scoring South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**

Most appearances by South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

Top-scoring South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

Nation-by-nation: South American nations' UEFA record holders

Résumé de l'article

Contenu médias de l'article

Corps de l'article

Most appearances by South American** nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Top-scoring South American** nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)

Most appearances by South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

Top-scoring South American** nationals in UEFA club competition*

Nation-by-nation: South American nations' UEFA record holders

Most appearances by South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**

Top-scoring South American nationals in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)**