United's Top 25 Champions League group-stage goals

Thursday 31 August 2023 07:00

Manchester United are preparing for a 25th season in the Champions League group stage and, to mark that milestone, we are counting down our greatest goals at this stage of the competition.

And, yes, you guessed it, there are 25 of them in our list.

A LEGENDARY COUNTDOWN

United and the European Cup go hand in hand, dating all the way back to that historic 1956/57 season under Sir Matt Busby.

But our countdown here focuses specifically on the rebranded Champions League years and from the club's first involvement, back in 1994/95.

Barring the odd blemish, our record in the group stage has been exemplary and there have been some truly magnificent goals scored along the way.

But which have made it into our top 25? Scroll down to see which strikes are included in the first part of our list, from 25 to 11. 

Top group-stage goals: 25 to 11 Video

Top group-stage goals: 25 to 11

Champions League countdown | We have ranked our greatest group-stage goals: watch numbers 25 to 11 here…

FROM 25 TO 11

#25: Ruud van Nistelrooy (2nd) v Deportivo (h), 2001/02

#24: Chris Smalling v Wolfsburg (h), 2015/16

#23: Ruud van Nistelrooy (1st) v Bayer Leverkusen (a), 2002/03

#22: Marcus Rashford v Paris Saint-Germain (a), 2019/20

#21: Juan Sebastian Veron v Olympiakos (a), 2002/03

#20: Roy Keane v Sturm Graz (a), 1999/00

#19: Cristiano Ronaldo (1st) v Atalanta (a), 2021/22

#18: Wayne Rooney (2nd) v Fenerbahce (h), 2004/05

#17: Paul Scholes v FC Copenhagen (h), 2006/07

#16: Juan Mata v Juventus (a), 2018/19 

#15: Lee Sharpe v Barcelona (h), 1994/95

#14: Cristiano Ronaldo v Sporting (h), 2007/08

#13: Juan Sebastian Veron v Olympiakos (h), 2002/03

#12: David Beckham v Nantes (h), 2001/02

#11: Diego Forlan v Rangers (h), 2003/04

Which stage of the Champions League will United reach this season? Share your prediction...poll

Which stage of the Champions League will United reach this season? Share your prediction...

THE TOP 10

#10: Ryan Giggs v Juventus (h), 1997/98

#9: David Beckham v Barcelona (h), 1998/99

#8: Alex Telles v Villarreal (h), 2021/22

#7: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer v Lille (a), 2001/02

#6: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer v Sturm Graz (h), 1999/00

Top group-stage goals: 10 to 1 Video

Top group-stage goals: 10 to 1

Champions League countdown | We have ranked our greatest group-stage goals: here's numbers 10 through to one...

#5: Andy Cole v Marseille (h), 1999/00

#4: Ryan Giggs (2nd) v Juventus (a), 2002/03

#3: Ruud van Nistelrooy (2nd) v Basel (a), 2002/03

#2: Andy Cole v Barcelona (a), 1998/99

#1: Paul Scholes (2nd) v Panathinaikos (h), 2000/01

FOLLOW THE GROUP-STAGE DRAW

After three years away, the draw for the 2023/24 Champions League will take place at Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, from 17:00 BST on Thursday, revealing which three sides we will face. 

One of Europe’s elite is coming, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Feyenoord, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla our possible Pot One opponents. 

United will be in Pot Two, and Pots Three and Four were confirmed on Wednesday evening when the third-round play-offs were concluded. Let us know who you want via the three polls below.

You can follow live coverage and reaction via the United App. 

United
Who do you want to draw from Pot One? Here are our options, in alphabetical order...poll

Who do you want to draw from Pot One? Here are our options, in alphabetical order...

دوري الأبطال
Who do you want to draw from Pot Three? Listed alphabetically, the possibilities are...poll

Who do you want to draw from Pot Three? Listed alphabetically, the possibilities are...

كأس الأبطال
Who do you want to draw from Pot Four? Here's the list in alphabetical order...poll

Who do you want to draw from Pot Four? Here's the list in alphabetical order...

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