Wednesday 1 June 2016

Most Decorated Active Players No 1 Would Shock You

 
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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