10 Football Stars Who Scored On Their Champions League Debut | OneFootball

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As the best teams across Europe prepare for a new UEFA Champions League campaign this September, there will be plenty of sides looking to dethrone Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Last season’s treble winners secured a long-awaited first UCL title after defeating Inter Milan 1-0 in the final, having already swept aside the star-studded sides of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Europe’s leading club competition is watched by millions of people all over the world, providing the perfect platform for players to make a name for themselves at the pinnacle of the sport.

The tournament has seen incredible debuts over the years, with several of the world’s top stars making an immediate impact through spectacular goals and stand-out performances.

So, buckle up and join GIVEMESPORT as we take a look through some of the most iconic goalscoring debuts in the competition since its rebranding in 1992.

1 Faustino Asprilla - Newcastle United (1997)

Despite scoring just nine goals in two years at St James’ Park, Faustino Asprilla wrote his name into Newcastle United folklore with an astonishing hat-trick against Barcelona on his European debut.

Asprilla netted his first from the spot before converting with two close-range headers to seal a remarkable treble, firing the Magpies to a famous 3-2 triumph over Louis van Gaal’s side.

Those three strikes would be Asprilla’s only goals in the competition, with the former Colombian international going scoreless in Newcastle’s remaining group matches.

2 Didier Drogba - Marseille (2003)

Best known for his trophy-laden career and goalscoring exploits at Chelsea, Didier Drogba showed no signs of nerves on his Champions League bow for Marseille back in 2003.

Coming up against a star-studded Real Madrid outfit, the striker fired his side ahead at the Santiago Bernabeu, directing a clinical finish beyond Iker Casillas into the bottom corner.

Despite going on to lose 4-2 and finishing a disappointing third in their UCL group, Drogba netted 11 times across Europe that campaign (via Transfermarkt), as the French side reached the UEFA Cup Final.

3 Sebastien Haller - Ajax (2021)

Sebastien Haller made sure his debut in Europe’s top club competition was a night to remember, as the Côte d’Ivoire forward scored four goals in Ajax’s 5-1 thumping win over Sporting.

Haller became only the second player to net a quadruple in their first Champions League match, joining legendary Dutch striker Marco van Basten who achieved the feat in 1992 (more about that later).

It didn’t take long for the Ajax frontman to set the ball rolling, scoring twice inside the opening 10 minutes before completing his hat-trick early in the second half.

Not content with that achievement, Haller netted a fourth late on, wrapping up a comprehensive away victory for the four-time tournament winners.

4 Marcus Rashford - Manchester United (2017)

A 19-year-old Marcus Rashford made his mark in the Champions League by netting a goal in his first-ever appearance in the prestigious competition.

Having already found the net four times in the Europa League during his first two seasons at the club, the England international scored a well-taken third as Manchester United defeated Basel 3-0 at Old Trafford.

That goal marked the sixth competition that Rashford had scored in on his first appearance, following debut strikes for both England and England Under-21s, as well as debut goals in the Premier League, Europa League and EFL Cup.

5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - Ajax (2002)

Photo Credit: UEFA.com

Despite never winning the Champions League, Zlatan Ibrahimovic enjoyed plenty of individual success in the competition, scoring 48 times for the likes of Juventus, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (via Transfermarkt).

In true Zlatan fashion, the big Swede netted a brace on his UCL debut for Ajax as the Dutch giants defeated Lyon 2-1, and his first goal was a thing of beauty.

Receiving the ball on the left side of the box, Ibrahimovic tricked his way through a couple of challenges before unleashing a stunning strike into the far corner.

6 Erling Haaland - Red Bull Salzburg (2019)

Erling Haaland took to Europe’s premier club competition like a fish to water when the then 19-year-old scored a classy treble in Salzburg’s 6-2 demolition of Genk.

The Norwegian powerhouse became the third-youngest player to net a Champions League hat-trick, behind only Real Madrid’s Raul and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney.

Manchester City, Haaland is already up to 35 goals in the competition in just 30 matches.

7 Marco van Basten - AC Milan (1992)

Photo Credit: Sky Sports

AC Milan legend Marco van Basten was the first player to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut, netting all four goals in a commanding 4-0 victory for Milan over Swedish side IFK Goteborg.

In what was the UCL’s first-ever campaign following its rebranding in 1992, van Basten joined compatriot Juul Ellerman as the only Dutchman to net a treble in the competition.

Following van Basten’s dream debut, it would be eight years before another player - Simone Inzaghi - scored four goals in a single Champions League match.

8 Mohamed Salah - Basel (2013)

Having netted against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the third qualifying round to help Basel reach the Champions League group stage, Mohamed Salah went one step further with a debut goal in the tournament proper.

The Egyptian forward scored a superb equaliser against future club Chelsea on matchday one, curling a clinical first-time effort into the far corner beyond Petr Cech.

That goal inspired the Swiss side to a famous victory at Stamford Bridge, with Salah finding the net once again in the return tie two months later.

9 Wayne Rooney - Manchester United (2004)

Wayne Rooney became the first Englishman to score a hat-trick on his Champions League debut, netting three superb strikes in Manchester United’s 6-2 victory over Fenerbahce.

The then 18-year-old marked his first appearance for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side with a ruthless display in front of goal - immediately vindicating his big-money move from boyhood club Everton.

Surprisingly, that would be Rooney’s only hat-trick in the competition, although United’s record goalscorer still found the net 27 more times in the UCL during his legendary spell at Old Trafford (via Transfermarkt).

10 Jack Grealish - Manchester City (2021)

Despite an underwhelming first season at the club, Jack Grealish showed glimpses of the form that convinced Man City to splash out £100 million for his services - none more so than a brilliant debut Champions League goal against RB Leipzig.

Picking up the ball wide on the left flank, the English international powered his way past a couple of defenders and into the box, before curling a sumptuous strike into the top corner.