Takumi Minamino etched his name in history, becoming the highest-scoring Japanese player in Champions League history. The Monaco winger’s first-half strike against Benfica took his tally to five goals in the competition, surpassing Shinji Kagawa and Daizen Maeda.
Minamino’s milestone moment came in the 22nd minute of Monaco’s dramatic 3-3 draw in Lisbon. Lurking inside the box, he fired a low, clinical finish past the goalkeeper, keeping his side’s hopes alive in the second-leg playoff. However, despite Monaco’s spirited performance, Benfica advanced to the last 16 with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
This season, Minamino has been in fine form on the European stage. His latest goal adds to the two he scored in Monaco’s dominant 5-1 win over Red Star Belgrade. His first taste of Champions League success came in the 2019-20 campaign with Red Bull Salzburg, where he found the net against Liverpool and Genk.
After a brief stint at Liverpool, Minamino moved to Monaco in 2022, where he has flourished. Though his side fell short against Benfica, his individual achievement would bring him some joy.
