Ibrahimović brings up Champions League century

Zlatan Ibrahimović has become the latest player to make 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League in Paris Saint-Germain's Group C game against Olympiacos FC – the 18th man to reach that landmark.

The Sweden forward has played – and scored – for six clubs in the competition proper, following his debut in AFC Ajax's 2-1 home win against Olympique Lyonnais on 17 September 2002. Ibrahimović has since turned out for Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, FC Barcelona and AC Milan before moving to Paris in summer 2012. He has also managed 39 goals in the competition proper, putting him tenth on the all-time list.

The 32-year-old Ibrahimović, who celebrated the achievement by opening the scoring in the ninth minute at Parc des Princes tonight, is therefore the most recent name on an illustrious list of footballers with a century of matches (group stage to final). Víctor Valdés, who got to three figures in Barcelona's semi-final defeat by FC Bayern München last season, was the last to the mark.

Three more of Ibrahimović's former Barça team-mates – Xavi Hernández (136 matches), Carles Puyol (115) and Thierry Henry (112) – also figure on the list though they all trail Raúl González, the ex-Real Madrid CF and FC Schalke 04 forward who has made more UEFA Champions League outings than anyone else: 142. Raúl was also the first to attain this particular milestone, in Madrid's 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal FC on 21 February 2006.

Raúl was followed into the record books by then Madrid team-mate Roberto Carlos, away to Lyon on 13 September 2006. Yet another member of that squad, David Beckham, became the third constituent of the 100 club the next month, with Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn joining them in December 2006 and AC Milan great Paolo Maldini arriving in February 2007.

UEFA Champions League appearances (group stage to final)
142 Raúl González (Real Madrid CF, FC Schalke 04)
138 Ryan Giggs (Manchester United FC)
136 Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona)
131 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF)
125 Clarence Seedorf (AFC Ajax, Real Madrid CF, AC Milan)
124 Paul Scholes (Manchester United FC)
120 Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid CF, Fenerbahçe SK)
115 Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona)
112 Thierry Henry (AS Monaco FC, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona)
109 Paolo Maldini (AC Milan)
109 Gary Neville (Manchester United FC)
107 David Beckham (Manchester United FC, Real Madrid CF, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)
104 Víctor Valdés (FC Barcelona)
103 Oliver Kahn (FC Bayern München)
103 Luís Figo (FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, FC Internazionale Milano)
102 Ashley Cole (Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC)
100 Andriy Shevchenko (FC Dynamo Kyiv, AC Milan, Chelsea FC)
100 Zlatan Ibrahimović (AFC Ajax, Juventus, FC Internazionale Milano, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)
99 Alessandro Nesta (SS Lazio, AC Milan)
99 Petr Čech (AC Sparta Praha, Chelsea FC)
98 Andrea Pirlo (FC Internazionale Milano, AC Milan, Juventus)
98 Edwin van der Sar (AFC Ajax, Juventus, Manchester United FC)
97 Guti (Real Madrid CF)
97 Javier Zanetti (FC Internazionale Milano)
96 Claude Makelele (FC Nantes, Real Madrid CF, Chelsea FC)
96 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC, Real Madrid CF)
96 Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC)