The Argentine is now level with the Real Madrid icon on 71 strikes in Europe's premier club competition, but which of the two has had the greatest impact on the tournament?
Nov 24, 2014 12:45:00
By Ben Hayward & Kris Voakes
Both players are synonymous with the Champions League. Raul Gonzalez won three titles with Real Madrid between 1998 and 2002, while Lionel Messi has also claimed the coveted trophy thrice in his career at Barcelona.
Raul was just 20 when Madrid beat Juventus to win their seventh European Cup crown (their first in the Champions League era) in 1998. The first in colour, as it is often described in Spain, following previous triumphs in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1966.
The striker then scored a memorable breakaway goal in the 3-0 final win over Valencia in 2000 and added another as Madrid claimed the title again in 2002 with a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. And en route to those triumphs, there were also crucial strikes against more of Europe's elite, such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Messi, meanwhile, was still a teenager when Barca were proclaimed champions in 2006 and sat out the latter stages after picking up an injury against Chelsea earlier in the competition.
Nevertheless, the Argentina attacker played a starring role in the 2009 win as he headed home the second goal to seal victory for Barca over Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo in Rome. And two years later, he put Sir Alex Ferguson's side to the sword once again with a superb strike in the 3-1 Wembley win.
Now with 71 goals apiece in Europe's premier club competition and also three titles each, both players have made an indelible impact on the Champions League. But which of the two is the tournament's bigger legend? Here, twoGoalwriters go head to head on the matter ...
"MESSI SAVES HIS BEST FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE"
By Ben Hayward
When his playing days are over, Lionel Messi will be remembered for so many magical moments in a Barcelona shirt - but the Argentine attacker always seems to save his very best for the Champions League.
Although not a pivotal part of Barca's win in 2006, the forward made the world sit up and truly take notice in 2009 as he headed home his side's second against Manchester United in Rome. Before that game, the talk had been focused on his duel with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese, many believed, was the more complete player - yet it was the Argentine who won the match with a rare and brilliant header past Edwin van der Sar.
In 2011, his contribution was even greater. Drawn against Real Madrid in the semi-finals, Messi silenced the Santiago Bernabeu with both goals for Pep Guardiola's side in a 2-0 win and the second is considered by many his best Barca goal as he dribbled past several players before slotting superbly past Iker Casillas.
In the final, he followed up with another special strike as he hit home from long-range against Manchester United in the 3-1 Wembley win to seal a third title for the Catalan club in the space of five seasons.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg. His fantastic four-goal show against Arsenal in 2010 saw him decribed as a "Playstation" player by Arsene Wenger, while his five versus Bayer Leverkusen in 2012 is a competition record and he is also the only player to have hit four hat-tricks in the Champions League.
So while Raul's role in Madrid's success was important, Barca's success in the Champions League under Pep Guardiola would have been unthinkable without Messi.
"Without Leo we would have been competitive," Guardiola once said. "But we wouldn't have been able to achieve all that we did."
That is certainly true and at the age of 27, the Argentine is set to smash Raul's record (along with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is on 70 strikes in the competition) if he stays at Barca for the coming campaigns.
Raul is a Champions League legend, but Messi is on another level. #source goal.com

Leave Raul abeg,he's a flop,has bin playin chplig sins 1997, wit nice midfiders lik redondo ,leta figo n zidane,wit d caliber of players in real den,Raul is sopos2b in position 4 d all tym liga ,chmpionslig scorer

But in ucl Raul have a good record before Messi came

mrdahero:
But in ucl Raul have a good record before Messi came

Wat took him mordan a decade 2achieve ,oke-beke need jus4 6yrs to claim it

derrick333:
Leave Raul abeg,he's a flop,has bin playin chplig sins 1997, wit nice midfiders lik redondo ,leta figo n zidane,wit d caliber of players in real den,Raul is sopos2b in position 4 d all tym liga ,chmpionslig scorer

Please don't tell me you are not kidding with what you wrote up there.

derrick333:

Wat took him mordan a decade 2achieve ,oke-beke need jus4 6yrs to claim it

6years?how?

tuffgongjo:
Please don't tell me you are not kidding with what you wrote up there.

U nt sayin antin,abi u used up ur MB ?

derrick333:

U nt sayin antin,abi u used up ur MB ?

Your comment doesn't make sense that was why I asked if you are kidding saying Raul is a flop.

tuffgongjo:
Your comment doesn't make sense that was why I asked if you are kidding saying Raul is a flop.

Did u watch Raul ? Nt floop,but compared2messi he's a floop

Raul a to striker 4mordan 15yrs for club as big as real, had jus 2pipichi,eto 6season 3pipichi,folan4season 1pipichi,delima 1seaon in baca 1pipichi ,in Madrid 2pipich,nistoory 1pipichii,cristano 2pipichi ,christono will surely brake all his records b4 Leavin liga,wen Madrid sign Owen, de were playin 4-4-2 fomation, Raul n ronaldo upfront,but formation has2 chnge to 4-3-3 cus Owen wil start 4rm bench,stil had more gols Dan Raul, n de dnt wnt 2 bench Raul,Raul plyd more classico Dan ani 1, but messi stil d only play 2 hv hrtrik in a classico game

derrick333:

Did u watch Raul ? Nt floop,but compared2messi he's a floop

How is do you define the word "Flop"$when did Messi became the yard stick for other players success?
All these Messi era of football fans won't cease Amazing me.

tuffgongjo:
How is do you define the word "Flop"$when did Messi became the yard stick for other players success?
All these Messi era of football fans won't cease Amazing me.

Bross wit d caliber of players dat Madrid paraded durin Raul days,he sopos2achiv Bette tinz,plz chek messi scorin ratio to dat of Raul a top striker

tuffgongjo:
How is do you define the word "Flop"$when did Messi became the yard stick for other players success?
All these Messi era of football fans won't cease Amazing me.

N who is messi era futball fan??

derrick333:

Bross wit d caliber of players dat Madrid paraded durin Raul days,he sopos2achiv Bette tinz,plz chek messi scorin ratio to dat of Raul a top striker

And have taken into view the Caliber of Opponents he was up against?

derrick333:

N who is messi era futball fan??

You seriously sound like ONE.

tuffgongjo:
And have taken into view the Caliber of Opponents he was up against?

Wat opponent?Bros wen u start2Wtch activ futball?no vex,gv me Raull statistics,den compare it wit messi

tuffgongjo:
You seriously sound like ONE.

SMH,wat baffles me is dat ,u nt sayin anitin, u jus caveout somtin 4rm my point n post

derrick333:

Wat opponent?Bros wen u start2Wtch activ futball?no vex,gv me Raull statistics,den compare it wit messi

No need arguing with you but I think you should let your sentiments "die" so you can know how to discuss football.ciao

But in messi era he still have xavi iniesta

derrick333:
Leave Raul abeg,he's a flop,has bin playin chplig sins 1997, wit nice midfiders lik redondo ,leta figo n zidane,wit d caliber of players in real den,Raul is sopos2b in position 4 d all tym liga ,chmpionslig scorer

[quote author=mrdahero post=28337788]But in messi era he still have xavi iniesta [/quote
Dats y he's creatin n brakin records here n der