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Who is the football player who won the most number of international titles?

"International" means FIFA/UEFA/CONMEBOL etc. level major club tournaments, like:

  • UEFA Champions league
  • UEFA Europa League
  • UEFA Super Cup
  • CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores
  • CONMEBOL Copa Sudamericana
  • FIFA Club World Cup
  • etc.

or major national team tournaments, like:

  • FIFA World Cup
  • UEFA Euro
  • CONMEBOL Copa America
  • etc.

Please don't include domestic level tournaments, like:

  • domestic leagues (e.g, La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, etc.)
  • domestic cups or super cups (e.g, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, Coppa Italia, etc.)

So far the one I've found with the most titles is Cafu with 18 titles (Copa Libertadores 1992, 1993, Intercontinental Cup 1992,1993, Supercopa Sudamericana 1993, Recopa Sudamericana 1993, 1994 Copa Conmebol 1994, UEFA Cup Winners Cup 1994-95, UEFA Super Cup 2003, 2007, UEFA Champions league 2006-07, FIFA Club World Cup 2007, FIFA World Cup 1994,2002, Copa America 1997,1999, FIFA Confederations Cup 1997). But I'm wondering if there are other players with more international titles. Only counting official titles (not friendlies) and not counting U-20, U-23 etc tournaments.

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    My first thought was Maldini, but he only clocks in at 13 titles. I guess I was forgetting just how many times he's been on the losing side of an international final.
    – Koldito
    Jul 13, 2016 at 6:55
  • This is pretty hard. Even among Real Madrid players which won 4 CL titles in the last 5 years and then went on winning every UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup that they have participated in since then, the best is Sergio Ramos with "only" 13 titles.
    – gdrt
    Aug 2, 2018 at 22:39

1 Answer 1

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Andrea Pirlo comes up with 18 titles if you count only club and international titles. He's won numerous individual awards as well. Also an olympic bronze :)

My second guess would be Thierry Henry, who has had an impressive career of 23 titles, including conference titles from MLS.

While I don't have the energy to check many more players, I'd wager the holder of most titles would be a player who won a lot, not only in clubs but also nationals. Also modern players would likely have more titles, simply because there are more competitions now, compared to what existed in the 50s.

I'd check with the famous names from West German team (e.g. Matthäus, edit: who indeed has 26 titles)

Lastly, Xavi Hernandez had a great career with has gotten him 27 titles, if I didn't count wrong.

So I'll stop there... :)

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    keep in mind that by "international" is intended to say titles among federations (Champions league, europa league, FIFA club world cup, etc.) and at national level Copa America, UEFA Euro, World cup, etc. not intended to count titles at national level (example serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue One, Copa del Rey, FA Cup, Copa Italia etc. wouldnt count)
    – Pablo
    Jul 13, 2016 at 12:22
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    For official titles in general, I believe the player with most titles is Ryan Giggs (35 titles, other stats give him one or two more or less titles)
    – Pablo
    Jul 13, 2016 at 12:24
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    How exactly did you come up to 18 titles for Cafú then?
    – posdef
    Jul 13, 2016 at 12:26
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    official international titles (not friendlies) from Cafu, Copa Libertadores 1992,1993, Intercontinental cup 1992,1993, Supercopa Sudamericana 1993, Recopa Sudamericana 1993, 1994 Copa Conmebol 1994, UEFA cup winners cup 1994-95, UEFA Super Cup 2003, 2007, UEFA Champions league 2006-07, FIFA Club world cup 2007 , FIFA World cup 1994,2002, Copa America 1997,1999, FIFA Confederations Cup - those are official, Umbro Cup and Lunar New Year Cup are international but friendly titles
    – Pablo
    Jul 13, 2016 at 12:30
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    you have international and national titles, which can also be official or friendlies. Official are when they are recognized by the federation entities they belong to (FIFA, Conmebol, UEFA, etc. )
    – Pablo
    Jul 13, 2016 at 12:33

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