Lionel Messi holds the record for most goals in the group stage of the world's elite club competition, his tally of 80 leaving him seven clear at the top of the standings  no prizes for guessing his nearest competitor at the pinnacle of international club goalscoring.

Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024-16\n\n The superstar forward scored 11 goals in the group stage of the 2024-16 edition, which is a record by a single player in a UEFA Champions League campaign.