An insatiable and innate ambition to be the best in the world and of all time, has led Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to pulverise every footballing record imaginable season after season, though there is still one that both players want to reach first; scoring 100 goals in European competition.

Ronaldo currently has 98 and Messi 97. The Real Madrid striker started the season with 96 and was the odds-on favourite to get to the century quicker.

However, an unusual Champions League campaign, in which he has only scored two goals, means Messi has almost drawn level despite being 10 behind at one stage.

Before these two extraterrestrial players, Raul Gonzalez held the record for top scorer in Europe with 77, and even if we focus solely on the Champions League, both players are still close to achieving the hundred - Cristiano has 96, Messi 94. The Portuguese holds the record of goals scored in a single Champions League campaign - 17 in the 2013/14 season - and has also managed 10 or more in the last five editions of the tournament. Messi has 11 this season whilst his best record is 15, achieved in 2011/12.

To evidence the gap between the pair and the chasing pack, Real's Karim Benzema is sixth in the rankings with 51 - more than 40 away from his club colleague.