Winning trophies in football is never easy. Most players would be lucky to lift a couple of league titles or a cup or two in their careers.
But then, there’s the rare few who treat silverware as though they’re collecting stamps, casually racking up title after title, year after year. These aren’t just great players; these are serial winners, those kinds that make their trophy cabinets groan under the weight of their success.
If football is a game of glory, then these 10 players are certainly its undisputed kings, with careers overflowing with trophies, medals, and memories.
Let’s take a look at the legends whose trophy cabinets are bursting at their seams.
1. Lionel Messi – 46 Trophies
- La Liga: 10x
- Champions League: 4x
- Copa America: 2x
- World Cup : 1x
One cannot talk about football trophies without mentioning Lionel Messi. To many, he is considered the best player to have ever played the game, and he has built a legacy that shall be remembered for ages.
As incredible as Messi’s stats and awards are, headlined by a record eight Ballon d’Or, it’s his collective silverware that cements him as the king of the game.
During his 21-year stints with Barcelona, Messi won everything there was to take: 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies, and a spate of domestic cups.
His spell at Paris Saint-Germain added two Ligue 1 titles to that haul, and there was no slow change of pace into Inter Miami. He won the first-ever trophy for the MLS club in the form of the Leagues Cup in 2023.
The most poetic chapter of Messi’s life came in 2022 when he lifted the World Cup, making sure once and for all that the little magician was assured a place among the all-time greats.
As if that was not enough, in 2024, Messi led Argentina to their second straight Copa América win and nets in two goals as Inter Miami win the Shield Cup, thereby adding two more trophy to his collection. At 37 years old, Messi is not done yet, and heaven knows where this silverware quest will finally end.
2. Dani Alves – 44 Trophies
- La Liga: 6x
- Champions League: 3x
- Copa America: 2x
- Olympic Gold: 1x
For sheer versatility and a long career, Dani Alves has no equal. He is considered as one of the best full-backs ever to play the game and has won 44 trophies, which puts him just one behind his longtime Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi.
Alves made his name for himself at Sevilla when he won a couple of UEFA Cups and then moved on to Barcelona. With Barca, he was an integral part of one of the finest club sides ever as he won 6 La Liga titles and 3 Champions League trophies.
Since leaving Spain, Alves has gone on to have stints with Juventus and PSG, adding to his league title tally.
He won the Copa America twice with Brazil and capped it with an Olympic gold medal in 2021 to become the first in football history to reach a total of 44 trophies.
3. Hossam Hassan – 41 Trophies
- Egyptian Premier League: 14x
- CAF Champions League: 1x
- African Nations Cup: 3x
You probably wouldn’t expect an Egyptian legend to pop up in the global conversation of trophy collectors, but here is Hossam Hassan to tell you that greatness needs no borders.
Hassan is Egypt’s most decorated player and still leads the scorer’s list as their all-time top scorer.
The prolific striker bossed Egyptian football, winning 14 league titles with Al Ahly and Zamalek, and won the CAF Champions League as well.
He also won the African Nations Cup three times, hence sealing his legend at both club and international levels.
4. Hossam Ashour – 39 Trophies
- Egyptian Premier League: 13x
- CAF Champions League: 6x
Another Egyptian legend, Hossam Ashour is one of those players whose name may not ring out internationally but carries enormous weight in African football.
As a one-club man for most of his career, making him one of the most decorated players in football history. Ashour has been a mainstay of Al-Ahly, Africa’s most successful football club.
Over 17 years, he won 13 Egyptian Premier League titles and helped the club boss African competition, raking in six CAF Champions League titles.
His last seasons at Al Ittihad weren’t as prolific, but Ashour’s legacy was already set in stone.
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5. Sergio Busquets – 37 Trophies
- La Liga: 9x
- Champions League: 3x
- World Cup: 1x
- European Championship: 1x
Busquets was the link that glued together both Barcelona’s midfield and Spain’s during their respective periods of dominance.
Rarely appreciated, Busquets’ deep-lying role in midfield was fundamental to his teams’ success, and he has 37 trophies to show for it.
He was vital for Barcelona in the tiki-taka era as he won 9 La Liga titles and 3 Champions League titles. On the international scene, he helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.
Just recently with Inter Miami, he added the Leagues Cup to his collection.
6. Maxwell – 37 Trophies
- Serie A: 3x
- La Liga: 2x
- Champions League: 1x
- Ligue 1: 4x
A more surprising entry on this list, Maxwell often gets overlooked. Not quite a household name like Messi or Ronaldo, this Brazilian left-back most definitely knew how to pick his teams.
Success in multiple leagues bespeaks his talent just as much as it does his impeccable timing in joining winning squads.
Starting his career with Ajax, Maxwell moved through the biggest clubs in Europe: Inter Milan, Barcelona, and PSG, winning league titles in each club.
His consistency at every level netted 37 trophies in total, making him one of football’s quiet achievers.
7. Andres Iniesta – 37 Trophies
- La Liga: 9x
- Champions League: 4x
- Championship: 2x
- World Cup: 1x
Few players are as universally respected and admired as Andres Iniesta.
With the ball at his feet, he was a sight to behold, and what he did for Barcelona and Spain’s golden generation is spectacular.
The Spanish midfielder is also remembered for his technical brilliance and clutch performances in major finals including the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final.
The attacking midfielder won everything on offer in a glittering 16-year spell, including four Champions Leagues and nine La Liga titles.
Well into his twilight years playing in Japan and now the UAE, Iniesta has continued to win, proving class is indeed permanent.
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8. Gerard Pique – 37 Trophies
- Premier League: 1x
- La Liga: 8x
- Champions League: 4x
- World Cup: 1x
Gerard Piqué’s story is that of a homecoming hero.
He spent some time with Manchester United, a time in which he won a Premier League and a Champions League title, only then to return to his beloved Barcelona, where he would soon become one of the bulwarks of their defense over more than a decade.
Piqué won everything with Barca, from La Liga to the Champions League, not once but twice as part of a treble-winning side in 2009 and 2015.
Not to be outdone, his international honors read just as impressively too, having won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012.
9. Ryan Giggs – 36 Trophies
- Premier League: 13x
- Champions League: 2x
- FA Cup: 4x
No player is a living embodiment of loyalty and longevity the way Ryan Giggs is. The winger played his entire career at Manchester United, winning 34 trophies, including 13 Premier League titles.
Giggs was part of United’s famed Class of ’92 and went on to play over 900 games for the club. His trophy cabinet has about 2 Champions League trophies and a bunch of domestic cups, which only confirm his status as one of football’s greatest-ever winners.
10. Cristiano Ronaldo – 35 Trophies
- Premier League: 3x
- Champions League: 5x
- European Championship: 1x
- Serie A: 2x
The Portuguese superstar has had unbelievable longevity and consistent excellence alongside the best players of all time at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.
While his goalscoring feats make the headlines, his trophy collection is equally as impressive.
At Manchester United, Ronaldo won three league titles and a Champions League before moving to Real Madrid, and with five Champions League trophies, his reputation was firmly sealed.
Not satisfied with his winning in Europe, Ronaldo added two Serie A titles with Juventus and a hand of domestic cups to his account. He also led Portugal to victory in the 2016 European Championship and the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019.
His move to Saudi Arabia may smell like a victory lap but don’t count him out yet, as Ronaldo still wins titles now in Asia..
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Honorable Mentions
While these players listed above are the undisputed kings of collecting trophies, others have come close to joining the elite group:
Kenny Dalglish (34 trophies) – The Scottish forward enjoyed immense success with both Celtic and Liverpool, winning league titles, European Cups, and domestic cups throughout his career.
Zlatan Ibrahimović (33 trophies) – The enigmatic Swede, known for his towering presence and goalscoring ability, has won league titles in Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands.
Wrapping it up
Trophy counts are one way to measure a player’s success, but they don’t tell the full story. The players on this list were not only fortunate enough to play in successful teams, but they were also the architects of that success.
As football continues to evolve, future generations will try to surpass the incredible achievements of these icons, but one thing is for sure—this list represents the best of the best, the players who made winning their business, and business was booming.
