Messi remains the 'king' of the Champions League

Kylian Mbappe has outpaced Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in a Champions League achievement, but he remains behind Lionel Messi.

Kylian Mbappe was the standout star for Real Madrid in their 5-0 victory over Kairat in the Champions League with a hat-trick, solidifying his place in the competition's history. The French forward surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at a notable milestone, although he still ranks below Lionel Messi, who holds the top position.

By scoring three goals against Kairat, Mbappe joined an elite group of six players who have reached 60 goals in the Champions League. The 1998-born superstar achieved this feat in just 89 matches, fewer than Ronaldo, Benzema, and Raul Gonzalez.

Real Madrid legend Raul took the longest to reach 60 goals, needing 115 matches. Karim Benzema required 111 games, while Cristiano Ronaldo hit the mark in his 98th match. With his recent hat-trick, Mbappe entered the top three fastest players to reach this milestone. Robert Lewandowski ranks second with 85 matches, and Lionel Messi is the fastest, needing only 80 matches to score 60 goals.

Not only did Mbappe raise his Champions League goal tally to 60, but his hat-trick also placed him in a special group alongside Ronaldo Nazario, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo. These are the legends of Los Blancos who have scored a hat-trick in away Champions League matches, rather than at Santiago Bernabeu.

The 2018 World Cup winner also climbed to sixth place on the all-time Champions League scoring list with 60 goals, surpassing Thomas Muller (57 goals).

The race for the Champions League top scorer crown is still led by Cristiano Ronaldo with 140 goals. However, the Portuguese striker is likely to no longer participate in this prestigious tournament, opening opportunities for others to challenge the record.

Currently, Lewandowski has the best chance to catch up, with 105 goals and still active. But given Mbappe's achievements at such a young age, he is fully capable of competing with Barcelona’s striker for many years to come.

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