The five footballers who have won the most trophies ever

It took Lionel Messi less than a month and just seven games to win his first trophy for Inter Miami.

The World Cup winner joined David Beckham’s MLS outfit in the summer after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired, making his US debut in July.

The team were a rabble in the opening months of the season, but have been transformed by the arrival of Messi as well as former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

On Saturday, Miami contested the Leagues Cup final against Nashville and took the lead through the main man himself. The Tennessee side equalised before the hour mark however, and took the game to penalties.

Messi, Busquets and Alba all found the mark from 12 yards to win the penalty shootout 10-9 and win the third ever edition of the competition.

It won’t be the prized addition to Messi’s trophy cabinet, but it does bump up his impressive haul of medals, which he could add to before the campaign is out. But where does he stand in the all-time list of trophies won by footballers? Let’s find out.

The five footballers who have won the most trophies ever:

5. Andres Iniesta – 37

One of the greatest midfielders of all time, Andres Iniesta was absolutely pivotal to the golden age of not just Barcelona’s success, but Spain’s too. A four-time UEFA Champions League winner, he also won a FIFA World Cup and the European Championship twice.

Iconic Duos: Tiki-Taka’s royal pair, Xavi and Iniesta

4. Maxwell – 37

When it came to collecting trophies, Maxwell joined the right clubs at the right time. The Brazilian left-back won something at every club for which he played and he won a lot. A Champions League winner with two different clubs, he also picked up a boatload of league titles with Ajax, Inter Milan, Barcelona and PSG.

3. Hossam Ashour – 39

Not one of the most well-known figures in football, Hossam Ashour is certainly one of the most successful. The Egyptian won a whopping 39 trophies over the course of 17 years with Al-Ahly, but only won 15 international caps during his career.

The nine players to win the World Cup, European Cup and the Ballon d’Or

=1. Dani Alves – 44

The Brazilian full-back stood on his own at the top of this list for a very long time, hoovering up medals for fun during a long and successful career at clubs such as Sevilla, Barcelona and PSG. Alves most recently lined out for Mexican side UNAM, but was released by the club following his arrest for a sexual assault allegation.

=1. Lionel Messi – 44

Messi won his first major trophy just months after making his Barcelona debut and he continued racking up the wins to become the winningest player of all time. After winning everything at club level, the Argentine won the Copa America and the Finalissima with his national team in recent years before securing his position as the GOAT by leading La Albiceleste to World Cup glory last December.

🏆 Congrats to Leo Messi for becoming the joint most decorated footballer of all time!

44 Trophies. Proud to be part of this incredible story. 🐐💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/ELt30oZxsb

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 20, 2023