From desperation to jubilation, Argentina icon Lionel Messi experienced it all in the 2024 Copa America final on Sunday night, July 14. After leaving the pitch in the second half with a nasty ankle injury, the Inter Miami superstar broke down on the bench, knowing he would not be able to help his team against the determined Colombia.
Luckily, La Albiceleste managed to win even without their talisman, with Lautaro Martinez striking late in the second half of extra time to seal a 1-0 victory for Argentina. Minutes later, captain Messi lifted the trophy in front of a sold-out Hard Rock Stadium — his 45th since he stepped into the world of professional soccer.
Needless to say, very few in the world can hold a candle to Messi’s trophy cabinet. But where does he rank among the all-time greats? Does Messi have more trophies than his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo? We answer both of these questions and a few more below.
Here are the 10 most decorated players in the history of the sport:
#10 Cristiano Ronaldo – 35 Trophies*
Cristiano Ronaldo is easily one of the best players the game has ever seen. However, with 35 trophies won, he is only the 10th most decorated player in soccer history.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner won his first trophy, the Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, with Sporting CP in 2002. At Manchester United, he added seven more to his collection, including three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy. At Real Madrid, he celebrated 15 trophies in nine years. He won four UEFA Champions League trophies and two La Liga titles, amongst others.
After concluding his spell in the Spanish capital, he joined Juventus. During his three-season stay in Turin, Ronaldo won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, and one Supercopa Italiana. Ronaldo has been at Al-Nassr since January 2023 and has so far celebrated the Arab Club Champions Cup with the Riyadh-based outfit.
Coming to international soccer, Ronaldo has won two trophies with Portugal — the European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019.
#9 Ryan Giggs – 35 Trophies
Level with his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs won an admirable 35 trophies during his playing career. Fascinatingly, all of Giggs’ trophies came with his boyhood club Manchester United.
Giggs, who spent his entire 24-year professional career at Old Trafford, helped the Red Devils to a record 13 Premier League titles. He also won two UEFA Champions Leagues, four FA Cups, four EFL Cups, nine FA Community Shields, one UEFA Super Cup, one FIFA World Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup. Unfortunately, he could not replicate his heroics with Wales, failing to take them to even a single trophy.
#8 Kenny Dalglish – 35 Trophies
Breaking the dominance of Manchester United legends, Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish has claimed the eighth spot. Regarded one of Britain’s greatest-ever players, the former Scotland superstar won 35 trophies during his playing career.
He won 11 trophies in eight seasons at Celtic, including four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish Cups, and one Scottish League Cup. Dalglish joined Liverpool with a massive reputation in 1977 and did it no harm over the following 13 years. With him leading the line, the Reds won six English First Division titles, three European Cups, and one FA Cup amongst other honors. He proved his mettle as a manager as well, taking Liverpool to three First Division titles and masterminding Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League title win in 1994-95.
#7 Sergio Busquets – 35 Trophies*
Arguably the best holding midfielder of the 21st century, Barcelona and Spain legend Sergio Busquets has won 35 trophies since making his professional debut. Coming through Barcelona’s famed academy La Masia, Busquets made his La Liga debut in September 2008. In the following 15 years, Busquets won it all, including two Trebles in 2009 and 2015. Before leaving Barcelona for Inter Miami as a free agent, Busquets amassed a whopping 32 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League trophies, and seven Copas del Rey. He enjoyed a fine debut season at Inter Miami as well, winning the Leagues Cup with his friend Lionel Messi in 2023.
Busquets was also a member of the all-conquering Spanish team. He helped La Roja to the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012.
#6 David Alaba – 36 Trophies*
David Alaba may not be one of the greatest players of all time, but he certainly has earned his right to be on this legend-studded list. The Real Madrid defender has won 36 trophies over the course of his storied career, and he may win a few more before hanging up his boots.
Alaba spent six years in Austria Wien’s youth academy before moving to Bayern Munich Youth in 2008. After a loan spell at Hoffenheim, he became a regular member of the Bayern Munich senior team in the 2011-12 season and went on to win 27 trophies with the team over the following 10 seasons. He helped Bayern win 10 Bundesliga titles, two UEFA Champions League trophies, and six DFB Pokals, amongst other honors. Alaba enjoyed his best season in 2019-20, as the Bavarians won the Treble.
Alaba switched to Real Madrid ahead of the 2021-22 season and bagged the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Supercopa de Espana. Los Blancos won the three trophies in 2023-24 as well, but Alaba missed the majority of the season due to an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture.
#5 Gerard Pique – 37 Trophies
Former Spain, Manchester United, and Barcelona center-back Gerard Pique hung up his boots midway through the 2022-23 season, signing off as one of the most decorated players in history. During his illustrious career, Pique won 37 trophies, starting with an English League Cup with Manchester United in the 2005-06 season. The following season, he added the FA Community Shield, the UEFA Champions League trophy, and the Premier League title to his collection.
Between 2008 and 2022, Pique served as one of the pillars of Barcelona. He helped the Blaugrana to 30 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions Leagues, and seven Copas del Rey. Pique was equally impactful for Spain, winning the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 2006, the FIFA World Cup in 2010, and the European Championship in 2012.
#4 Andres Iniesta – 37 Trophies*
The most decorated central midfielder to ever play the game, Andres Iniesta has 37 shining trophies in his cabinet. The La Masia graduate, known for his inch-perfect through-balls and unmatched decision-making in the final third, won 29 of those with Barcelona between 2002 and 2018. The former Spain international helped them to nine La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies, and six Copas del Rey amongst other honors. Iniesta also won three major trophies with Vissel Kobe, including the J1 League (2022-23), before switching to UAE Pro League side, Emirates Club at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Iniesta got his first taste of silverware in 2016 when he helped Spain to the U-16 European Championship. A couple of years later, he spearheaded the senior team, helping them to EURO 2008 title. In 2010, Iniesta scored the most memorable goal of his career — dispatching a 116th-minute strike to take La Roja to a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the final. Iniesta proved his mettle once more in 2012, steering Spain to their second consecutive EURO title.
#3 Hossam Ashour – 39 Trophies
The most decorated Egyptian player in soccer history, Hossam Ashour claimed a staggering 39 trophies. The former defensive midfield won all of his silverware with Egyptian outfit Al-Ahly over a trophy-laden 17-season stay between 2003 and 2020.
With him holding the fort in midfield, Al-Ahly won 13 Egyptian Premier League titles, six CAF Champions Leagues, five African Super Cups, and four Egypt Cups, amongst other honors.
#2 Dani Alves – 43 Trophies
Former Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Sao Paulo, and Brazil right-back Dani Alves has claimed the second spot, having won 43 trophies in his career. At Barcelona, Alves won 23 trophies, including six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions Leagues, and four Copas del Rey. He then spent one year at Juventus, winning Serie A and Coppa Italia in 2016-17. In the following two seasons, he amassed five trophies at PSG, including two Ligue 1 titles and one Coupe de France. Sao Paulo gave him the final trophy of his career, the Campeonato Paulista in 2021.
With Brazil, he won the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2003, the Summer Olympics in 2020, Copa America in 2007 and 2019, and finally, two Confederation Cups in 2009 and 2013.
#1 Lionel Messi – 45*
With an eye-popping 45 trophies to his name, Lionel Messi proudly sits at the summit, knowing he will not lose his spot any time soon. Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Inter Miami, and Argentina — he has won silverware in every jersey, earning the right to be called the Greatest of All Time (GOAT).
The La Masia graduate left Barcelona in 2021, having conquered it all in their legendary Red and Blue. He took them to 35 trophies — including 10 La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies, and seven Copas del Rey — emerging as their all-time top scorer. Messi’s two-year spell at PSG was not as legendary, but he still pitched in with important goals and assists to help them to two Ligue 1 titles and one Trophee des Champions. Last summer, he left PSG as a free agent for Inter Miami. He fired his new team to the Leagues Cup in his debut season, ending their wait for a trophy.
Unlike at Barcelona, Messi did not win coveted international honors with Argentina in his prime. The FIFA World Youth Championship (2005) and Olympic gold medal (2008) winner lifted the first major trophy with La Albiceleste in 2021, winning the Copa America. The following year, he guided them to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, emerging as the Player of the Tournament. His 2024 Copa America campaign took a mega hit due to injuries, but thanks to Lautaro Martinez, he managed to get his hands on the Copa America trophy for the second consecutive time.
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