The 10 Most Decorated Footballers in Football History

Winning trophies is supposed to be difficult. For these players, however, lifting silverware became almost a yearly tradition.

And after Paris Saint-Germain’s latest European triumph, there is now a new name threatening the established order near the top.

Marquinhos captained PSG to another UEFA Super Cup victory in August 2026, taking his extraordinary career haul even higher and moving him firmly among the most decorated footballers the game has ever seen.

From Lionel Messi and Dani Alves to legendary winners from Egypt and Barcelona’s golden generation, here are the 10 most decorated footballers in history.

Note: Trophy totals can vary between sources depending on whether competitions such as the Olympic Games, youth tournaments, regional championships or certain Super Cups are included. The figures below follow the most commonly reported official career totals available as of August 2026.

10. Cristiano Ronaldo – 35 trophies

For a player whose career is so heavily associated with individual records, Cristiano Ronaldo has also accumulated a remarkable collection of team trophies.

His success has stretched across Portugal, England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo won three Premier League titles and his first Champions League with Manchester United before moving to Real Madrid, where he became one of the central figures in one of European football’s greatest dynasties.

He lifted four more Champions League trophies in Madrid, including three consecutively between 2016 and 2018, before adding two Serie A titles with Juventus.

His international career brought perhaps the most emotional trophies of all. Portugal won Euro 2016 before Ronaldo helped his country claim the UEFA Nations League in both 2019 and 2025.

Five Champions Leagues and three major international trophies would represent a dream career for almost anyone. On this list, they are only enough for tenth place.

7=. Gerard Piqué – 37 trophies

Gerard Piqué spent much of his career surrounded by serial winners.

After collecting early honours at Manchester United, the Spanish defender returned to Barcelona in 2008 and immediately became part of Pep Guardiola’s legendary side.

His first season back ended with a historic Treble.

Over the following decade, Piqué collected league titles, domestic cups, Champions Leagues and Club World Cups while establishing himself as one of the defining centre-backs of Barcelona’s greatest era.

His success extended to international football as well. Piqué was a key member of Spain’s 2010 World Cup-winning team and later lifted Euro 2012.

7=. Andrés Iniesta – 37 trophies

Few footballers have made winning look as elegant as Andrés Iniesta.

At Barcelona, he formed one of the greatest midfield units in football history alongside Xavi and Sergio Busquets, helping the Catalan club dominate both Spain and Europe.

Iniesta won nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues during his time at Camp Nou.

But the most unforgettable moment of his career came in Johannesburg in 2010.

His extra-time goal against the Netherlands secured Spain’s first World Cup, adding to a remarkable international run that also included victories at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012.

Even after leaving Barcelona, Iniesta continued collecting trophies with Vissel Kobe in Japan.

7=. Maxwell – 37 trophies

Maxwell is probably the least famous player near the top of this list, but his trophy cabinet belongs among football’s elite.

The Brazilian represented Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain during an extraordinary European career.

At almost every stop, he joined a team capable of dominating its domestic competition.

His Barcelona years brought La Liga titles, the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, before his move to PSG placed him at the beginning of another era of dominance.

Maxwell rarely attracted the attention enjoyed by some of his superstar teammates, but few players in football history have been as consistently surrounded by silverware.

6. Sergio Busquets – 38 trophies

Sergio Busquets was rarely the most spectacular player on the pitch. He might have been one of the most important.

The holding midfielder became the tactical foundation of Barcelona’s greatest teams, providing the intelligence and positioning that allowed the stars around him to flourish.

With Barcelona, Busquets won nine La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies and three Champions Leagues.

He also formed part of Spain’s historic generation, winning the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

His move to Inter Miami reunited him with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and later other former Barcelona teammates. More silverware followed in the United States, adding another chapter to one of football’s most decorated careers.

5. Hossam Ashour – 39 trophies

European football dominates the global conversation, but Hossam Ashour’s career is a reminder that some of football’s greatest winners built their legacies elsewhere.

The Egyptian midfielder spent almost his entire career with Al Ahly, Africa’s most successful club.

During nearly two decades with the Cairo giants, Ashour accumulated Egyptian Premier League championships, domestic cups and continental titles at an extraordinary rate.

He became synonymous with Al Ahly’s dominance and remains one of the most successful one-club players football has ever seen.

His presence this high in the ranking is no accident. It reflects one of the longest sustained periods of dominance in African club football history.

4. Hossam Hassan – 41 trophies

Another Egyptian legend sits even higher.

Hossam Hassan was not simply a serial winner. He was also one of the most prolific goalscorers African football has produced.

His club career brought huge success with both Al Ahly and Zamalek, Egypt’s two biggest rivals, as he collected league titles, domestic cups and continental honours.

Hassan was equally successful with his country.

He won the Africa Cup of Nations three times, including the 2006 tournament late in his playing career.

For years, his extraordinary total placed him alongside the most decorated players football had ever seen.

3. Marquinhos – 42 trophies

This is the name that has completely changed the ranking.

Marquinhos may not receive the same global attention as Messi, Ronaldo or many of Barcelona’s legendary stars, but the PSG captain has quietly built one of the greatest trophy collections in football history.

His latest success came on August 12, 2026, when Paris Saint-Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup.

It was Marquinhos’ 40th trophy with PSG alone.

The Brazilian has been part of almost the entire modern era of PSG dominance, winning league title after league title in France while accumulating domestic cups and Super Cups.

The arrival of European success transformed his legacy even further.

After years of Champions League disappointment, Marquinhos captained PSG to their first European Cup in 2025. They then successfully defended the Champions League in 2026 before winning another UEFA Super Cup.

Add his Copa Libertadores triumph with Corinthians and the 2019 Copa América with Brazil, and Marquinhos now has 42 senior career trophies.

At 32, there may still be plenty more to come.

2. Dani Alves – 44 trophies

Before Lionel Messi eventually passed him, Dani Alves was widely recognised as the most decorated footballer of his generation.

And it is easy to understand why.

Alves won almost everywhere he went.

His European collection began at Sevilla, where he won consecutive UEFA Cups before moving to Barcelona in 2008.

That transfer placed him at the heart of one of football’s greatest teams.

Alongside Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and others, Alves collected six La Liga championships and three Champions League titles, as well as numerous domestic and international cups.

Further success followed with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and São Paulo.

Brazil also provided Copa América titles, Confederations Cups and Olympic gold.

For years, Alves’ trophy record looked untouchable.

Only one of his former Barcelona teammates eventually managed to go beyond it.

1. Lionel Messi – 47 trophies

At the top stands Lionel Messi.

The Argentine’s career is usually measured in goals, assists, Ballon d’Or awards and moments of individual genius, but his ability to win may be just as remarkable.

Barcelona provided the foundation.

Messi spent the majority of his career at Camp Nou and became the central figure in the most successful period in the club’s history, winning 10 La Liga championships, seven Copa del Rey trophies and four Champions Leagues.

More silverware followed after his move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Then came Inter Miami.

Messi helped transform a young MLS franchise into a trophy-winning team, beginning with the 2023 Leagues Cup before further success followed in the United States.

But the final missing piece of his legacy was completed with Argentina.

After years of painful defeats in international finals, Messi led his country to the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima and ultimately the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Argentina then successfully defended the Copa América in 2024.

His trophy count now stands above every other superstar on this list under the most widely used career tallies.

And after almost two decades of winning at the highest level, Messi remains the benchmark everyone else is chasing.

Most Decorated Footballers in History

Could Marquinhos Eventually Catch Messi?

This is where the ranking suddenly becomes much more interesting.

Unlike almost every other player near the top, Marquinhos is still playing for a team currently dominating both domestically and in Europe.

PSG have won back-to-back Champions League titles and began the 2026/27 campaign by lifting another UEFA Super Cup.

Marquinhos is therefore no longer simply an unexpected name in the top 10. He has a realistic opportunity to continue climbing.

The gap to Messi remains significant, and trophy-counting methods mean the exact distance can vary depending on the source.

But one thing is undeniable.

One of the greatest trophy races in football history now has a new contender.