List of the Top 10 Most Decorated Football Players Ever

Lionel Messi has added more trophies to his impressive collection and remains the top player in men's professional football.

The Argentine star has gathered a stunning number of trophies throughout his club and international career, pulling further ahead of his long-time rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi's recent success with Inter Miami has brought in another trophy to his already shining collection.

At 38 years old, he continues to win trophies late in his career, following an amazing time with Barcelona, a short stint at Paris Saint-Germain, and now a successful time in Major League Soccer.

But how does Messi stack up against Ronaldo, and who are the other legends in the list of football’s most decorated players?

Here is the top 10 according to Planet Football on Wednesday. This list is based on senior trophies won with clubs and national teams. Individual awards like the Ballon d'Or are not included.

1. Lionel Messi, 46 trophies

Messi is at the top with 46 trophies. The bulk of his success came at Barcelona, where he won 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four Champions League titles.

His collection from Barcelona also has seven Spanish Super Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups.

After leaving Barcelona, Messi won two Ligue 1 titles and a Trophée des Champions with Paris Saint-Germain.

His move to Inter Miami has also brought success. He has won the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup, and Campeones Cup with the American team.

On the international stage, Messi has two Copa América titles, the 2022 World Cup, the 2022 CONMEBOL, UEFA Cup of Champions, and Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008.

This puts Messi 12 trophies ahead of Ronaldo on this list.

2. Dani Alves, 42 trophies

Before Messi moved ahead, Dani Alves, his former Barcelona teammate, was seen as the most decorated player in football.

The Brazilian right-back won 42 trophies during a fantastic career that saw him play for Bahia, Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and São Paulo.

His time at Barcelona was the highlight, where he won 23 trophies, including six La Liga titles and three Champions League titles.

He also won important trophies with Brazil, including two Copa América titles, two FIFA Confederations Cups, and Olympic gold.

3. Hossam Hassan, 40 trophies

Egyptian football legend Hossam Hassan is in third place with 40 trophies.

He won many trophies at club and international levels, having great success with Al Ahly and Zamalek.

Hassan won 24 trophies with Al Ahly and 10 with Zamalek, along with silverware from Al Ain.

With Egypt, he won three Africa Cup of Nations titles, the Arab Nations Cup, and the All-Africa Games.

4. Hossam Ashour, 38 trophies

Another Egyptian star, Hossam Ashour, has 38 trophies.

He won all of them at Al Ahly, where he spent most of his career.

Ashour claimed 13 Egyptian Premier League titles, six CAF Champions League crowns, and nine Egyptian Super Cups.

His consistent performance at Al Ahly made him one of the most successful players in African club football history.

5. Sergio Busquets, 37 trophies

Sergio Busquets is also from Barcelona’s legendary era and features in the top 10.

The former midfielder won 32 trophies with Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, and seven Copa del Rey titles.

After joining Inter Miami, Busquets added the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield, and MLS Cup to his trophy cabinet.

He also won the World Cup and European Championship with Spain.

6. Gerard Piqué, 36 trophies

Gerard Piqué comes next with 36 trophies.

The Spanish defender started his senior career at Manchester United before returning to Barcelona, where he became an important part of one of the best teams in football.

Piqué won 30 trophies at Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies.

He also won major international titles with Spain, including the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

7. Andrés Iniesta, 35 trophies

Andrés Iniesta, another Barcelona legend, ended his career with 35 trophies.

He won 29 trophies at Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles and four Champions League titles.

His success continued in Japan with Vissel Kobe, where he won the J1 League, Emperor’s Cup, and Japanese Super Cup.

Iniesta also added international success with Spain, winning Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012.

8. Ryan Giggs, 35 trophies

Manchester United great Ryan Giggs is tied with Iniesta at 35 trophies.

Unlike most players on this list, Giggs won all his trophies with one club.

The Welshman won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, and two Champions League trophies during his time at Manchester United.

He also lifted nine Community Shields, the UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo, 34 trophies

Cristiano Ronaldo is level with Robert Lewandowski at 34 trophies.

The Portuguese star started his trophy collection with Sporting CP before having successful times at Manchester United and Real Madrid.

He won nine trophies in his first spell at Manchester United, including three Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

At Real Madrid, Ronaldo collected 15 trophies, including two La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.

He added five trophies at Juventus and two with Al Nassr, plus the European Championship and UEFA Nations League with Portugal.

Ronaldo’s four Champions League titles with Real Madrid were key moments in his career.

10. Robert Lewandowski, 34 trophies

Robert Lewandowski rounds off the top 10 with 34 trophies.

The Polish striker has won trophies in Poland, Germany, and Spain, shining the most at Bayern Munich.

He won 19 trophies with Bayern, including eight Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokals, and the 2019, 20 Champions League.

Lewandowski later added La Liga titles and other domestic trophies with Barcelona.

Messi and Ronaldo: a 12-trophy gap

The figures show the amazing careers of both Messi and Ronaldo.

By this count, Messi leads Ronaldo 46 to 34, a gap of 12 trophies.

Both players also had great international careers, with Messi winning the World Cup and Copa América with Argentina, while Ronaldo won the European Championship and Nations League with Portugal.

Their rivalry goes beyond goals and personal awards. They have built decades of success in domestic, continental, and international football.

This list also shows the strong dominance of Barcelona's golden generation. Messi, Alves, Busquets, Piqué, and Iniesta all made the top 10, highlighting the incredible success of the Barcelona teams they were part of.

The top 10 at a glance:

Lionel Messi, 46
Dani Alves, 42
Hossam Hassan, 40
Hossam Ashour, 38
Sergio Busquets, 37
Gerard Piqué, 36
Andrés Iniesta, 35
Ryan Giggs, 35
Cristiano Ronaldo, 34
Robert Lewandowski, 34