Another season has finished, and with it came the inevitable glut of trophies
and medals to be handed out. Whoever achieves one year may not have won a thing
by the time the last ball of the next season is kicked. However, there are some
players who collect trophy after trophy without much difficulty. There even
seem to be some who may be running out of storage space, given the number of
medals they accumulate.
Today we
take a look at the most decorated active players in world football and put
together a guide to the top 10.
HOW MANY POINTS DID EACH TYPE OF TROPHY RECEIVE?
World Cup – 10 points, International continental
cup – 9 points, Club continental cup (Champions League, Copa Libertadores) – 8
points, League title (any tier) – 7 points , UEFA Cup/Europa League – 6 points,
Domestic cup – 5 points, Minor domestic cup – 3 points, Club World Cup – 3
points Confederations Cup – 3 points and
Any Super Cup (i.e. Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup) - 1
point
Other rules: - Any player included on the list had to win at least
one of the top five domestic titles in the world (Premier League, Bundesliga,
Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1). However, once they had done that, any domestic
league title counted towards their total. Players
had to be active at the time of writing, or at least not officially
retired.
10. Philipp Lahm
Pep Guardiola hailed Philipp Lahm as the most intelligent player he had worked with, and
he is also one of the most successful. The right back has spent his entire
career with Bayern Munich, aside from a two-year loan with Stuttgart, and it is never a bad idea to play for the Bavarian
giants if you want to win trophies. At club level Lahm has won a
staggering eight Bundesliga titles, including the last four in a row
and has also won the German cup in six of the last 11 seasons. He has
one Champions League to his name. The 32years old has been captain of
Bayern since January 2011, which means he has lifted 11 trophies. To cap
it all off, he won the World Cup with Germany in 2014,
HONOURS: Bundesliga: 2002-03, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16. German Cup: 2002-03, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16. German League Cup: 2007 German Super Cup: 2010, 2012 Champions League: 2012-13 UEFA Super Cup: 2013 Club World Cup: 2013 World Cup: 2014
Total points: 118
9. Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets may be one of the most
underappreciated cogs in the all-conquering Barcelona machine. He is the base on which all of their success is
built, providing a continuous safety net across all of the revolutions the team
has undergone. His first honour with the club was La Liga in 2008-09, but that
was followed quickly by the Copa del Rey and the Champions League only weeks
later. Since then he has helped Barcelona win five more league titles,
two more European Cups, the Copa del Rey on three more occasions, the Spanish
Super Cup four times, the UEFA Super Cup three times and three Club World Cups.
Not a bad record, given that he has also fitted in a World Cup and European
Championship with Spain in that time. It's probably good news for Barca that he
has signed a new five-year-deal.
HONOURS: La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16. Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16. Spanish Super Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions League: 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15. UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. World Cup: 2010 European Championship: 2012
Total
points: 121
8. Xavi
There is no
man that embodies everything that Barcelona have done over the last 10 years
more than Xavi. The 36years old is
tiki-taka personified, and gave Guardiola exactly what he needed in the middle
of the park - himself, but nine years younger. The Al Saad midfielder won a
title with Barca as early as 1998-99, making 17 appearances while they captured
La Liga.
However, the
footballing puppet master would have to wait until 2005 for his next senior
trophy, when Barca won La Liga again. With four Champions League crowns
to his name and a total of eight league titles, Xavi was a success both before
and during the Guardiola-era. Of course, Mr Tiki-taka was also incredibly
important for Spain as they won three major international tournaments on the
spin - the 2008 European Championship, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
HONOURS: La Liga: 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10,
2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15. Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15. Spanish
Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15. UEFA Super Cup: 2009,
2011. Club
World Cup: 2009, 2011. World Cup: 2010. European Championship: 2008, 2012
Total
points: 131
7. Bastian Schweinsteiger
The Manchester United midfielder may have
chosen to depart Bayern Munich at
the end of last season but his decision to stay in the mid-2000s is what sees
him rank above his former captain. While Lahm was winning nothing at Stuttgart,
Schweinsteiger picked up another Bundesliga crown with Bayern in 2004-05, along
with an additional German Cup win. Schweinsteiger actually won four league
titles on the spin between 2002 and 2006, including a Regionalliga Sud with
Bayern Munich II in 2004. United may not be as successful as Bayern in recent
years, but their victory in the FA Cup has provided Schweinsteiger with another
medal to add to his already sizeable haul. He was also integral as Germany won
the World Cup in 2014.
HONOURS: Bundesliga: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15. Regionalliga Sud: 2003–04. German Cup: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14. German League Cup: 2004, 2007. German Super Cup: 2010, 2012. Champions League: 2012-13. UEFA Super Cup: 2013. Club World Cup: 2013. FA Cup: 2015-16. World Cup: 2014
Total
points: 133
6. Gerard Pique
Pique had to leave Barcelona to first find
success - and returned with a Premier League title to his name. While Pique
never set the world alight with Manchester United, he did capture the title,
the Champions League and the Community Shield in 2007-08. His time with Barca
has been even more successful - six league titles, three Champions League wins
and four Copa del Rey medals are a good haul for any player. Add in his success
with Spain. He played every single minute of both the 2010 World Cup in South
Africa, a total of seven games, and Euro 2012. Spain kept five consecutive
clean sheets as they won the tournament, an impressive showing that Pique
deserves credit for.
HONOURS : Premier League: 2007–08. FA Community Shield: 2007. Champions League: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15. La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16. Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16. Spanish Super Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. World Cup: 2010 European Championship: 2012.
Total
points: 137
5. Maxwell
The
Brazilian is famous for being Zlatan
Ibrahimovic's friend but it would not be to the striker's liking to know
that Maxwell has comprehensively outstripped him for honours throughout his
career. It began with a Copa do Brasil with Cruzeiro in 2000. A spell with
perennial trophy winners Ajax followed,
during which time Maxwell won two Eredivisie titles, and spells with Inter Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain understandably
brought medal after medal after medal. If anything, it is to Maxwell's benefit
that he has never had Ibrahimovic's combustible attitude. Zlatan famously fell
out with Guardiola and took himself to AC
Milan shortly after. Maxwell stayed with Barca and the following season he
captured the one title that has always eluded his Swedish friend - the
Champions League.
HONOURS: Copa do Brasil: 2000 Eredivisie: 2001-02, 2003-04. Dutch Cup: 2001-02, 2005-06. Dutch Super Cup: 2002, 2005. Serie A: 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09. Italian Super Cup: 2006, 2008. La Liga: 2009-10, 2010-11 Spanish Super Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011. Champions League: 2010-11. UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011. Club World Cup: 2009, 2011. Ligue 1: 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16. French Cup: 2014-15. French League Cup: 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16. French Super Cup: 2013, 2014, 2015.
Total
points: 140
4. Lionel Messi
Globally
regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, it should be no real
surprise to see Messi rank so highly on this list. Compared to some Barcelona
contemporaries, he actually started winning trophies relatively late, although
only shortly after his debut - his first came in 2004-05. Since then he has won
a further seven league titles, four Champions Leagues and the Copa del Rey four
times. Messi does have one black mark against his otherwise spectacular career
- a lack of international trophies, with an Olympic Gold Medal the height of
his offerings on that scene. He is bolstered by an impressive haul of five
Ballon d'Or wins, an individual honour that no one else on this list of genuine
greats possesses.
Honours: La
Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16. Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12,
2014–15, 2015–16. Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions
League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15. UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Club
World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Ballon d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015
Total
points: 151
3. Dani Alves
Alves looks likely
to depart Barcelona this summer for Juventus, and he will have a staggering
trophy haul to present the Old Lady of Turin with on arrival. It did not begin
at the Nou Camp, with Alves one of few players not to have been schooled in La
Masia. His time at Bahia brought the Campeonato Baiano and the Campeonato do
Nordeste, before Sevilla brought him over from Brazil. With them he won the
UEFA Cup on two occasions and the Copa del Rey before Barca snapped him up.
Unsurprisingly there is a significant trophy haul from that eight-year spell
with the club - 23 in total, including a double last season. Alves has also
been a success internationally, winning the Copa America and two Confederations
Cups with Brazil.
HONOURS : Campeonato
Baiano: 2001. Campeonato
do Nordeste: 2001, 2002. Copa del Rey: 2006–07, 2008–09,
2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16. Spanish Super Cup: 2007, 2009, 2010,
2011, 2013. UEFA
Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07. UEFA
Super Cup: 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015. La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11,
2012–13, 2014–15, 2015-16. Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11,
2014–15. Club
World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Copa America: 2007 Confederations
Cup: 2009, 2013.
Total
points: 152
2. Andres Iniesta
For the last
decade Iniesta has been there for all of football's big moments. He is not the
metronome that Xavi is, nor is he an out-and-out forward like Messi. He is of
the best midfielders of his generation, and he has the medals to prove it.
Over the
last 11 years Iniesta has won a staggering eight league titles. He also has
four Copa del Rey victories to his name, and a hugely impressive four Champions
League wins. The 32-year-old is quite simply a mainstay of one of the best club
sides of all time, and has been relied upon by four consecutive managers to be
a key member of the first team. Iniesta had a telling impact on the 2010 World
Cup win for Spain, scoring the winning goal as his nation triumphed ahead of
Holland in the final. Either side of that key individual contribution were two
victories in European Championships with his national team.
HONOURS :La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16. Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16. Spanish Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013. Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15. UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015. World Cup: 2010 European Championship: 2008, 2012.
Total
points: 154
1. Julio Cesar
While Julio
Cesar might be a surprising name at the top of the list, it has to be
remembered that the Brazilian goalkeeper spent years with Inter Milan during
their absolute dominance of the Italian game, and when they won the Champions
League under Jose Mourinho in
2009-10. He also picked up three Italian Cups and five Serie A crowns in that
same spell, along with a Club World Cup and three Italian Super Cups. It was a
slight improvement on his time with Queens Park Rangers. Cesar has been aided
in his position by an impressive haul of medals brought over from Brazilian
football while he was in goal for Flamengo. The 36-year-old is still winning
titles to this day, picking up the Portuguese league twice in two seasons with
Benfica. He also won the Copa America with Brazil in 2004.
HONOURS: Copa Mercosul: 1999. Champions' Cup (Brazil): 2001. Campeonato Carioca: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004. Taca Guanabara: 1999, 2001, 2004. Taca Rio: 2000. Serie A: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10. Coppa Italia: 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11. Italian Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010. Champions League: 2009-10. Club World Cup: 2010 Portuguese Premier Division: 2014-15, 2015-16. Portuguese Cup: 2014-15. Copa America: 2004. Confederations Cup: 2009, 2013.
Total points: 155
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