Footballers with most trophies: Lionel Messi on top

Regarded as the GOAT of football, Argentine legend Lionel Messi has won a whopping 46 titles - the most trophies by a player in football.

Messi won 35 of his club career titles during his career at Barcelona (2004-2021) while he won six trophies on national duty, including Copa America 2021 and Copa America 2024. The Argentine also won the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008.

After joining Paris Saint Germain in 2021, Lionel Messi added three trophies to his cabinet - Ligue 1 (2021-22), (2022-23) and Trophee des Champions (2022). He also won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and became the player with the most trophies in football after winning the Leagues Cup 2023 trophy in America with his new club Inter Miami.

His last trophy with Inter Miami was the MLS Super Shield on October 2, 2024 after he netted a brace in a 3-2 win over Columbus.  

Messi's former teammate Dani Alves is next on the list for most trophies by a player in football having won a whopping 44 titles over the course of his career.

The Brazilian defender Dani Alves won his first professional honours with home town club Bahia. After winning five trophies in six years with Sevilla, Dani Alves made a £23 million move to Barcelona and would go on to win 23 titles - including six La Liga crowns and three UEFA Champions League titles.

Following trophy-laden spells at Juventus (2016-17 - two titles), Paris Saint-Germain (2017-19 - six titles) and Sao Paulo (2019-21 - one trophy), Alves signed for Mexican team UNAM in 2022 after ending his second spell at Barcelona.

On the international front, Dani Alves has won the Copa America and Confederation Cup twice and the men’s football gold medal at Tokyo 2020. The FIFA World Cup is the only trophy that is missing from his collection.

In a 17-year association with Al Hyly (2003-2020), Egyptian midfielder Hossam Ashour won 39 trophies (6 CAF Champions League, 1 CAF Confederation Cup, 5 CAF Super Cups, 13 Egyptian Premier League, 4 Egypt Cups, 10 Egyptian Super Cups). He is the player who has won the most trophies while playing for a single club.

Maxwell and Andres Iniesta are joint fourth for most trophies won by a player in football. The pair, who were once team-mates at Barcelona, have 37 trophies each.

Of the two, Iniesta earned a name for himself as one of the most gifted midfielders of all time and is revered for scoring the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Spanish midfielder, who won 32 trophies with boyhood club Barcelona, has two titles (Emperor's Cup and Japanese Super Cup) with current team Vissel Kobe.

Former Manchester United great Ryan Giggs completes the top five. The Welsh legend, one of the few one-club players in history, made 672 appearances for the Red Devils and won an incredible 36 trophies including 13 Premier League titles.

Most trophies won in football

Featured photo: AFP / FRANCK FIFE