Argentina's legendary winger Angel Di Maria has taken retirement from International football after Monday's Copa América 2024 final. He has been one of the best players for Argentina of this generation. Di Maria was playing in his fifth Copa America tournament and won the title for the second time. He also helped Argentina win the World Cup in 2022 and the Copa America in 2021 and scored in the finals of both tournaments.

Read Also: Best of Angel Di Maria: 7 times Argentina star stunned opponents.

Angel Di Maria's International Career, Stats and Records

Di Maria made his debut for the Argentina national team in 2008, at the age of 20. He played a key role for the Argentina team that won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as he scored the only goal in the final against Nigeria.

In the 2014 World Cup, Di Maria was one of the main men in the Argentina squad and played a pivotal role in Argentina's journey to the final. He scored the winning goal in the quarterfinal against Switzerland. However, he missed the final due to an injury and Argentina went on to lose the final 1-0 to Germany.

In the 2015 Copa America, Di Maria was named the Player of the Tournament, helping Argentina once again to reach the final. However, they lost to Chile on penalties. He scored a sensational goal against France in a 4–3 defeat which saw Argentina eliminated from the World Cup in the Round of 16 in 2018. Despite giving his best, he wasn't finishing at the winner's end.

Everything turned around under manager Lionel Scaloni. In the 2021 Copa America final, against Brazil, Di Maria scored the only goal of the game to win Argentina their first trophy since 1993. He won another trophy a year later, scoring Argentina’s second goal in a 3-0 victory over UEFA Euro 2020 Champions Italy in the 2022 Finalissima.

He also scored in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar against France. He was an integral part of Argentina. He also won his team a penalty and ultimately won the title with his nation. He started in the 2024 Copa America final against Colombia and La Albiceleste won by 1-0 at the end. Di Maria ended his International career with yet another major title.

Detailed Stats:

Total Appearances: 145

Total Goals: 31

Total Assists: 32

World Cup Appearances | Goals | Assists: 18-3-2

Copa America Appearances | Goals | Assists: 28-5-7

International Friendlies Appearances | Goals | Assists: 46-14-12

Angel Di Maria's best performances in the Major Finals

In 2008, during the Olympics in Beijing, Argentina faced Nigeria, aiming for their second gold medal in history. Lionel Messi's assist and Angel Di Maria scored the winner.

In the 2021 Copa America final, Di Maria became the hero by scoring the only goal against Brazil. He once again chipped the ball to score the winner. Argentina beat Brazil at the Maracana for the first time and lifted the trophy after 28 years of wait.

He also scored a goal in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Italy in the Finalissima 2022 at Wembley. It is the most important year in Angel Di Maria’s International career. Despite not playing most of the games in the World Cup 2022, he delivered in the final. Di Maria scored a goal and also won a penalty for the team. Argentina went on to lift the title after 36 years.

In the 2024 Copa America, he wasn't a regular starter but gave his best whenever got the opportunity. He started against Colombia in the Final and delivered a solid performance. 

Read Also: 7 Most Successful International Football Teams

Angel Di Maria's Awards and Achievements

• Olympic Games Gold Medal: 2008
• FIFA World Cup Champion: 2022
• Copa América Champion: 2021, 2024
• CONMEBOL – UEFA Cup of Champions (Finalissima): 2022
  

Individual Awards: 

• Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2014
• FIFA FIFPro World11: 2014
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
• IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade 2011–2020
  

Football is a sport that often brings limelight to certain footballers but sometimes keeps many at bay. Around football discussions worldwide, these footballers are not mentioned often, even after achieving significant accolades. 

Talking about the underrated footballers in International football, we must understand that it is very different from club football. It is tougher to leave a mark except performing in the continental and World Cup-like tournaments in every four years.

However, these footballers have always performed masterfully well while donning their national kit, bringing noteworthy achievements to their respective nations. Still, they have remained underrated in the consideration of either the fans or the football pundits.

Sportz Point explores the top 20 most underrated players in international football in this special article. This list is not a rank, but a summarisation of some underrated footballers who deserve more praise. 

Top 20 Most Underrated Players in International Football

Angel Di Maria

• National team: Argentina
• Position: Right Winger
• Appearances: 145
• Goals: 31
• Assists: 32

Notable trivia: Angel Di Maria is not given the importance he deserves for the recent successes of the Argentina National team. The 36-year-old winger retired from international football in July 2024, leaving behind an unmatched legacy. 

Most importantly, Di Maria won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles in 2020 and 2024, and the Finalissima 2022, as he scored in each of the finals for Argentina except for the 2024 Copa, showing his towering presence for the national team. 

Di Maria remained underrated for the gigantic presence of Lionel Messi as his teammate, but nothing can belittle his huge contribution to Argentina's recent success of winning four trophies in four years.

Thomas Muller 

• National team: Germany
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 131
• Goals: 45
• Assists: 41

Notable trivia: Thomas Muller has 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 World Cup appearances for Germany. The attacking midfielder registered 5 goals and 3 assists in his first-ever World Cup campaign in 2010, earning him the Golden Boot.

In the following World Cup, Muller was pivotal in Germany's World Cup glory, having scored 5 goals and 3 assists. Although he lost the Golden Ball to Lionel Messi that year, Muller was undoubtedly the best player of the German team, along with Manuel Neuer and Miroslav Klose.

Muller won the 2014 World Cup and finished third in EURO 2012 with Germany, as he retired in July 2024 after Germany's elimination from the EURO 2024.

Olivier Giroud

• National team: France
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 137
• Goals: 57
• Assists: 15

Notable trivia: Despite playing for a country that produced goalscorers such as Thierry Henry, Michel Platini, Karim Benzema, and David Trezeguet, Olivier Giroud tops the list of the all-time top scorers for the France national team with 57 goals.

Giroud's achievements are often overlooked both at the international and club levels, though he is one of the best French footballers of this generation. Giroud finished the EURO 2016 as the joint second-highest scorer, with 3 goals and 2 assists. 

Giroud was also part of the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League-winning France team, providing significant contributions to the team. He also scored 4 goals for France in the 2022 World Cup. However, the striker retired from international football in July 2024.

Davor Šuker

• National team: Croatia
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 68
• Goals: 45
• Assists: 6

Notable trivia: Davor Šuker is arguably the greatest Croatian footballer ever, leaving an unparalleled legacy behind him for the national team.

The year 1998 is popularly known as the 'Davor Šuker Year' among football fans, as the forward led the Croatia team to a third-place finish in the 1998 World Cup. He also scored 6 goals in 7 appearances in the tournament to earn the Golden Boot. 

Šuker also won the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament in 1998 WC. He is the top Croatian goalscorer of all time as well, bagging 45 goals in 68 official appearances before retiring in 2002.

Antoine Griezmann

• National team: France
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 137
• Goals: 44
• Assists: 38

Notable trivia: Antoine Griezmann achieved innumerable honours with the France national team, but sadly, is often not regarded as one of the greatest international footballers ever. 

Griezmann led France to a second-place finish in EURO 2016, scoring 6 goals and 2 assists to win the Golden Boot. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in that edition.

However, Griezmann achieved his first senior international silverware in 2018, when France won the World Cup in Russia. The attacking midfielder was crucial for the team with a tally of 4 goals and the tournament-most of 4 assists, also being named the third-best player of the tournament.

Apart from the 2021 UEFA Nations League title, Girezmann orchestrated the French attack in the 2022 World Cup, providing three assists to be the joint-top assist provider. However, he retired from international football in September 2024.

Sergio Busquets

• National team: Spain
• Position: Defensive Midfielder
• Appearances: 143
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 9

Notable trivia: We all are yet to see a central-defensive midfielder in modern football who has such a high IQ in reading the game, such as Sergio Busquets. 

Busquets was popularly called 'Octopus' for his immaculate passing ability and intimidating defensive screening without breaking a sweat most of the time. the Spanish midfielder became the heart of Barcelona but his contribution was often overlooked at the national team level.

In a star-studded midfield with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, Busquets emerged as the only one of his kind, making significant contributions to Spain's World Cup glory in 2010 and EURO 2012 victory. Busquets retired from international football in December 2022.

Hugo Lloris

• National team: France
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Appearances: 145
• Clean sheets: 68

Notable trivia: It is said in football, that being a goalkeeper is a 'thankless job'. Goalkeepers are always the last guardian of a team, but their contributions are hugely overlooked. Hugo Lloris, the former French goalkeeper is a burning example of that sensation.

Lloris kept three clean-sheets in all 7 appearances for France in the World Cup 2018, leading the team to the final glory. The French custodian has kept a staggering 68 clean-sheets overall for France in 145 appearances.

He also captained the Les Bleus in three World Cup editions from 2014 to 2022. Lloris retired from the national team in January 2023, being the most-capped player for France in history.

Edin Džeko

• National team: Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 139
• Goals: 67
• Assists: 29

Notable trivia: Edin Džeko is not often mentioned as one of the best international footballers in the modern era, only because he represents a country like Bosnia, that mostly fail to apear in big tournaments.

Yet Džeko, the greatest Bosnian footballer, led the Bosnia team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 2014 after scoring a whopping 10 goals to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round.

He also scored 9 goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying round to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round as well. Džeko also ranks sixth among the active footballers with most international goals.

Michael Laudrup

• National team: Denmark
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 103
• Goals: 37
• Assists: 14

Notable trivia: Michael Laudrup is often considered the greatest Danish footballer of all time, yet he doesn't always receive the full recognition that his remarkable talent deserves. He delivered outstanding performances for Denmark, scoring 37 goals in 103 appearances.

Laudrup won the 1995 Confederations Cup with Denmark, providing commendable performances throughout the tournament. German legend Franz Beckenbauer praised the Danish midfielder in the best possible way, saying, “Pele was the best in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s, and Laudrup in the 90s.”

Gabriel Batistuta

• National team: Argentina
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 56
• Assists: 14

Notable trivia: Gabriel Batistuta was nicknamed 'Batigol' for his ability to score from almost anywhere on the pitch with unmatched power and precision.

Batistuta was mostly recognized for his inhuman performance in the 1991 Copa America, as Argentina won the title and he was the highest goalscorer of the tournament with 6 goals. He won his second Copa with Argentina in 1993, scoring a brace in the final.

Although he could not achieve the coveted success in the World Cups, Batistuta was one of the greatest footballers for Argentina in the World Cups, with 10 goals in 12 appearances.

Andrea Pirlo

• National team: Italy
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 116
• Goals: 13
• Assists: 25

Notable trivia: Current UEFA vice-president and former Polish footballer Zbigniew Boniek praised Andrea Pirlo by saying something that probably best defines the Italian midfielder. He stated, "To pass the ball to Andrea Pirlo is like to hide it in a safe."

Andrea Pirlo is inarguably one of the most prolific playmakers who ever graced the football pitch. Famous for his outstanding passing and free-kick skills, Pirlo was essential to Italy's victory in the 2006 World Cup. Pirlo won three man of the match awards in the tournament, most by any player in that edition. 

Retiring in 2017, Pirlo remains one of the supreme players who played exceptionally well at international levels, but the recognition was never enough to praise the midfied maestro.

Ronald Koeman

• National team: Netherlands
• Position: Defender
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 14
• Assists: 10

Notable trivia: Ronald Koeman is often overlooked, but he was a top-tier central defender known for his exceptional passing ability and masterful free-kick skills. With a record of 238 goals across club and international levels, Koeman is the highest-scoring defender in football history. 

However, the defender was a crucial part of Rinus Michels' formidable Netherlands team in the 90s, which won the 1988 European Championship. He also won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award twice in 1987 and 1988.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

• National team: Netherlands
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 76
• Goals: 42
• Assists: 12

Notable trivia: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is often overlooked among the contemporary Dutch stars of his generation. The forward is the third-highest goalscorer for the Dutch national team, with 42 goals.

Although he had a brief appearance in the 2010 World Cup, Huntelaar proved himself crucial for the team, scoring the most goals (12) in the 2012 European championship qualification round.

However, he was also a part of the Netherlands squad that finished third in the 2014 World Cup. He retired in 2021 but never got the recognition he deserved.

George Best

• National team: Northern Ireland
• Position: Winger
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 9
• Assists: 0

Notable trivia: "Maradona Good, Pele Better, George Best" is the greatest quotation that can define how good George Best was. The Irish winger is also considered as the greatest footballer who never played in a World Cup. 

Despite having immense talent and potential, he is often overlooked in the discussion of the greatest footballers. He was named European Player of the Year in 1968, delivering consistent performance for his club and national team.

If he did not struggle with his self-destructing lifestyle, he may have achieved more accolades with Northern Ireland before retiring in 1982.

Gheorghe Hagi

• National team: Romania
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Appearances: 124
• Goals: 35
• Assists: 23

Notable trivia: Gheorghe Hagi was such a good player that he was nicknamed "Maradona of the Carpathians". The attacking midfielder was also called 'Regele', which translates to 'The King' for his immaculate shooting ability, playmaking skills, and vision on the pitch.

The attacking midfielder was the heart of an exciting Romania team of the 1990s. Hagi put up a memorable performance for Romania in the 1994 World Cup, scoring 3 goals and providing 4 assists to lead the team to the quarter-finals, where they eventually lost against Sweden.

He retired in 2001 but still holds the record for the most goals scored for the Romania national team, alongside Adrian Mutu, with 35 goals.

Günter Netzer

• National team: Germany
• Position: Midfielder
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 6
• Assists: 9

Notable trivia: Günter Netzer played an integral role in Germany's 1972 European Championship victory.
The midfielder provided two assists in the semi-final of the tournament, inspiring a 2-1 win over Belgium.

Netzer was also included in the 1974 World Cup squad for Germany. Although he did not play in the final, Netzer is still regarded as the first World Cup winner who, at the time of his victory, played for a club based outside his home country.

Despite not having many opportunities to represent the national team, he was often considered as one of the best German footballers in the 70s.

Hristo Stoichkov

• National team: Bulgaria
• Position: Winger
• Appearances: 83
• Goals: 37
• Assists: 8

Notable trivia: Hristo Stoichkov was the standout performer in the 1994 World Cup as he inspired Bulgaria to a fourth-place finish and was awarded the Golden Boot for being the top scorer with 6 goals. In the tournament, he scored in the shock wins against Argentina in the Group stage and against Germany in the quarter-finals.

Stoichkov, who re-defined the 'inverted winger' role in world football, scored 37 goals in 83 games for the Bulgarian national team before retiring from international football in 1999.

Gaetano Scirea

• National team: Italy
• Position: Sweeper Defender
• Appearances: 78
• Goals: 2
• Assists: 1

Notable trivia: Despite Franco Baresi's absence, Gaetano Scirea was pivotal in Italy’s victorious 1982 World Cup-winning campaign. The defender, who played mostly as a sweeper, remained underrated due to his contemporary Italian defenders. 

Playing for a country where the best defenders are born and brought up, Scirea always stayed out of the recognition. His untimely death at the age of 36 in 1989 also restricted his legacy.

Rudi Völler 

• National team: Germany
• Position: Forward
• Appearances: 90
• Goals: 47
• Assists: 18

Notable trivia: Rudi Völler was a very dependable player striker at both club and international levels. He came off the bench to equalize in the 1986 World Cup Final after scoring in the semi-final against France. Unfortunately, the Germans lost the final against Argentina. However, after four years, he played a crucial role for Germany that became World Champions in 1990, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists.

His contemporary Jurgen Klinsmann always received the highlight for the Germans, but it can not tear down his achievements with the national team. Völler's international goal-scoring record is impressive with a staggering 47 goals in 90 caps.

Matthias Sammer

• National team: Germany
• Position: Defensive/Central Midfielder
• Appearances: 51
• Goals: 8
• Assists: 3

Notable trivia: Matthias Sammer was sometimes overlooked compared to their contemporary Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. However, he played a crucial role in Germany's victory at the 1996 European Championship, where he was named the tournament's best player. 

The midfielder also won the Ballon d'Or in 1996 and was also named the German Footballer of the Year in 1996, after earning the same accolade in 1995.

Hello and welcome everyone! We are back with UEFA Champions League coverage after a gap of few weeks. Tonight, we'll be covering the thrilling encounters of Benfica versus Barcelona said to be played in Lisbon.

FC Barcelona have been in great firm recently in the Champions League and after winning their first trophy in 2025 they will be confident to take out any team. 

Benfica have struggled a little bit at the tournament so far and will look to start this year on a great note by giving a task challenge to Barcelona.

FC Barcelona are currently placed at number two in the points table while Benfica are at 15th position at the moment. With both teams looking to get a win under their belt we can hope for a trillion match tonight.

So sit back and relax and enjoy the coverage. Don't forget to refrigerate the page after a few minutes to get the latest updates.

Many great players have taken the football pitch and left the fans in awe. However, only a few players have gone on to win various trophies in their careers. In this special article, we will take a look at an elite list of players who have won the most trophies in football as a player. 

Argentine football star Lionel Messi is the player with most trophies in football history. In his career so far, with club and country, he has won 46 major trophies. Moreover, he is one of the very few players to win FIFA World Cup. Ballon d'Or, and UEFA Champions League in his career. 

But, yes, the below list only counts the major trophies won with teams and only only individual awards. We wanted to be clear with that at the start. With this list of "11 players who have won the most trophies in football history," we will able to judge which player has been a part of a winning team mostly. 

Though, it is not always the case that when you win a trophy, you have a big role to play in that. But, in this list, all the players listed always had big contributions to their team's success. So, without further a due, let's checkout the list. 

Top 11 players with the most trophies in football:

11. Vitor Baia (34 trophies)

Vitor Baia spent most of his career with FC Porto except playing two years for Barcelona. Baia started his career with FC Porto in 1988 and left the club to join Barcelona in 1996. 

Before retiring in 2007, he played for Barcelona in two stints and won the La Liga in 1997-98 season. His most success came his boyhood club FC Porto, where he won the Liga Portugal 10 times.

However, the biggest achievement was to win the UEFA Champions League in 2004 with the Dragons. Under the visionary eyes of Jose Mourinho, they created one of the greatest underdog success stories in European football.

In a total, Baia won 25 trophies with the Porto while adding the rest to his collection of glories for Barcelona. Unfortunately, he was not able to add any trophy while playing for Portugal.

10. Kenny Dalglish (34 trophies)

Scottish legend Sir Kenny Dalglish is Liverpool's one of the most legendary players. Apart from playing 13 years for the Reds, he played for Celtic for 8 years at the start of his career.

For Liverpool FC, he won a club record 8 Premier League titles along with three Champions League titles. He had won 7 English Super Cups and 2 FA Cup titles as well.

While playing for Celtic, he became the Scottish Champion four times.

9. Angel di Maria (35 trophies)

One of the most underrated players in modern football history, Di Maria always had to shine under the shadows of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Di Maria played alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina and then shared club dressing room with Cristiano at Real Madrid.

With his latest trophy for Benfica in the Portuguese Super Cup, he now has won 35 trophies in his career. Di Maria won five Ligue 1 titles with PSG and won his only Champions League title with Real Madrid.

Read Also | Football facts: 10 players who have played most games with Lionel Messi

However, just like Lionel Messi, his international success bloomed late in his career. He won the Copa America twice in 2021 and 2024. But, his major success was to win the FIFA World Cup 2022, where he scored an important in the final.

Di Maria retired from international football after the 2024 Copa America final.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo (35 trophies)

Arguably one of the greatest players in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo has 35 trophies in his cabinet at the moment. The Portuguese legend won his latest trophy for Al-Nassr FC as he helped them win the United Arab Club Champions Cup 2023.

Ronaldo, who started his club career with Sporting CP, won the Portuguese Super Cup with the club in 2003. That was the start to a historical career which gave football fans joy for over two decades.

Read Also: Top 10: Most Free-kick Goals In Football History (Updated)

The Portuguese legend flourished under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He then joined Real Madrid where he won four of his five UEFA Champions League titles. Ronaldo has won a title for every club he has played for so far.

However, one of his biggest achievements as a player was to win the UEFA Euro Cup with Portugal in 2016. Beside scoring over 900 career goals, Ronaldo's success for every team is what makes him a legend.

7. Ryan Giggs (37 trophies)

Ryan Giggs played all his life for one football club; Manchester United. In his 24-year career at the club, he won a total of 37 trophies, a record for the club.

Not only that, with 13 Premier League titles, he is league's most successful player ever. With the Red Devils, he also went on to win two UEFA Champions League title.

For United, he played 963 games and has 168 goals and 265 assists, another record for United.

6. Sergio Busquets (38 Trophies)

Sergio Busquets, the FC Barcelona and Spain legend is one of the most underrated players ever to play. The central defender was part of one of the greatest international team which won 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2010 Euros for Spain.

Read Also: Barcelona team that won "EVERYTHING" in 2009: Busquets to leave as the last man of that team

The former Barcelona captain won 9 La Liga titles. Not only that, he won 7 Spanish Cups and Spanish Super Cups as well for the Catalan club.

However, his biggest achievement in club football was to win three UCL titles for Barcelona. His latest trophy is the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners with Inter Miami CF.

5. Maxwell (38 trophies)

Maxwell, the Brazilian left back might be the only unknown player on this list. The defender achieved most of his success playing for PSG in France.

However, he found success with FC Barcelona as well. But, joined PSG to find more chances as well.

Maxwell's first trophy was with Cruzeiro, winning the Brazilian Cup in 2000. Soon the joined Ajax, wining two Dutch League titles.

His move to Barcelona via Inter Milan and FC Empoli saw him winning the UEFA Champions League title in 2011. But his most success came with PSG, winning the Ligue 1 four times in a row from 2013 to 2016.

Read Also: Messi vs Ronaldo: The hat-trick battle

4. Gerard Pique (39 trophies)

Another player from that legendary Spanish and Barcelona team, who features in this list. Although known for his career at FC Barcelona, Gerard Pique had success with Manchester United as well.

It might be quite revealing for many that, he played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, against whom he had some tough battles later.

Read Also | Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

Pique won 9 La Liga titles for Barcelona to go with 3 UCL titles for the club. But before reaching there he had won the Premier League and Champions League for United in the 2007-08 season.

He was also an integral part of the Spanish team which won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA Euro in 2012.

3. Andres Iniesta (39 trophies)

Probably the best midfielder of the modern era, Andres Iniesta with 41 trophies is the third most successful footballer ever.

Another important player of that iconic Spanish and Barcelona team, Iniesta found success early in his career. He won his first major trophy with Spain U-17 team winning the U-17 Euros in 2000. He followed that up with the U-19 Euro title next year.

His Barcelona career started in 2002 which continued till 2018. In those 17 year at Barcelona, he won 32 trophies. Post that, he joined Japanese club Viseel Kobe where he won three trophies as well.

Read Also | Andres Iniesta: Who has won the most trophies for FC Barcelona?

Along with all club level success, Iniesta's greatest achievement was to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup alongside lifting the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cup. His goal in the 2010 World Cup final to hand Spain their first-ever World Cup, is regarded as one of the greatest World Cup moments.

Iniesta called it a day in 2024 after spending a year at the Emirates Club. 

2. Dani Alves (43 trophies)

Before Lionel Messi took over as the player with most trophies in football history, it was Dani Alves who had the record. The defender won 23 trophies in eight years at Barcelona.

Dani Alves won six La Liga and three Champions League titles with Barcelona. He then won 19 more titles while playing for Juventus, PSG, and Sao Paulo. He won domestic titles in Italy, France, Brazil and Spain as, which makes him one of the greatest of his era.

Read Also: All the FIFA World Cup winners and runners-up since 1930

The defender won six major titles with his national team, Brazil. He started his Brazil career by winning the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2003. Alves then won two Copa America titles in 2007 and 2019. He concluded his international career by winning the Olympic gold in 2021.

Despite the recent off-field controversies, with 43 trophies in his cabinet, Dani Alves is one of the greatest ever to play the game.

1. Lionel Messi (46 trophies)

Leo Messi is the player with the most trophies in football history. With his latest triumph at the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners, the magician from Argentina won his 46th trophy in his career.

Messi won back-to-back four international trophies with Argentina within three years. He won the Copa America 2021 and then went on to win the Finalissima 2022. Then he capped off his greatest achievement by winning FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Argentine maestro has also won the Olympic Gold Medal with his country in 2008. His latest international success came in Copa America 2024.

In club football history, Messi is the most successful player with 41 club trophies to his name. He started his career with his boyhood club Barcelona and played 18 seasons for the club, scoring a record 672 goals.

Read Also | Top 10 La Masia Graduates who ruled football

The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner won four Champions League titles with Barcelona. Alongside European success, he won 10 La Liga titles as well, most for Barcelona. He has also won Spanish Cup seven times.

After his great stint at Barcelona, Messi went to the French League to play for PSG. However, he was unable to bring the UCL to the French giant, he won the French League with them. In addition, he won the French Super Cup for the season 2022-23 with PSG.

Numerous World-Class Stars enlightened the field with goal creation during those famous European nights, without whom such world-class goals would never have been scored. Thus, along with those stunning goals, it's important to know about the players who produce those assists. In this article, we will discuss about the players with most assist in Champions League history.

Most assist in Champions League history

There were many star players on the list, so it's not easy to discuss all of them in one go. But it's possible to discuss some of them. Let's analyze the top ten players with the most assists in the history of the UEFA Champions League:

10. Kevin de Bruyne, 29 Assists

Kevin De Bruyne is known for playing the superb ball into dangerous areas to create high-quality or great chances for his teammates. His quick thinking and passing skills put his name in the 10th position on the list of most assists in the history of the Champions League.

In his Champions League career, he assists 29 times while playing with Manchester City, Chelsea, and KRC Genk. He lifted the Champions League 2022/23 title with Manchester City.

 9. Andres Iniesta, 29 Assists

Like his partner in crime Xavi Hernandez, Iniesta also has his name on the list of most assists in Champions League history, just one behind his former teammate Xavi who had 29 UCL assists. 

The Spaniard became the first man to create a goal in three separate Champions League finals. The Barcelona legend played 130 Champions League matches and won the title four times along with the Sextuple in 2009.

Read Also | Barcelona 2008/09 vs Man City 2022/23 - which Pep Guardiola treble team is better?

8. Karim Benzema, 29 Assists 

Best known for his goalscoring ability, Karim Benzema became the oldest player to score consecutive hat-tricks in the Champions League in 2022/23. The Frenchman made a total of 29 assists in his overall Champions League Career while playing for Olympique Lyon and Real Madrid. 

Benzema played in 152 Champions League games and was part of the famous B-B-C combination which made Real Madrid one of the greatest teams of the modern era. 

Read Also | MSN vs BBC: Rivalry of football's greatest trio in stats

7. Thomas Muller, 30 Assists

Thomas Muller is one of the most consistent performers in Bayern Munich. Regarded as one of the most underrated players in football history, Muller till now has managed 30 assists in the Champions League.

He managed to win the Champions League twice with Bayern Munich in 2012-13 and 2019-20 respectively. Muller holds the 7th position on the list with the most assists in Champions League history. 

Read Also | 5 best Champions League matches between FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich

6. Xavi Hernandez, 30 Assists

A superb youth product of Barcelona like Messi, Xavi Hernandez could be considered one of the all-time best midfielders in Football history.

The Spaniard played a record 767 games for a single club, Barcelona. He is popularly known for his knack for playing crucial passes for his teammates and ended up providing 200 assists, out of which 30 are from the Champions League.

Read Also | Xavi's record and stats as the manager of FC Barcelona

5. Ryan Giggs, 31 Assists

He appeared in the Champions League 145 times and assisted 30 times in his Champions League career. He is the academy product of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United Team and played a key part in the 1999 and 2008 Champions League triumphs.

Gigs is a true legend and could be considered an all-time great in European Football history. Throughout his Champions League Career, he had represented Manchester United only.

4. Neymar, 33 Assists

Neymar is regarded as one of the best players in modern football. He won the treble with Barcelona in the 2014/15 season. Neymar, with his tricky skills, managed to assist 33 times precisely for his teammates in his entire Champions League career.

The Brazilian played for Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League. Neymar is the youngest player on the list and could possibly make a comeback in the European Club football.

3. Lionel Messi, 40 Assists

Messi is undoubtedly one of the greatest passers in world football, but it took seven matches for him to get the first Champions League assist.

In his illustrious Champions League Career, he played for Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain and holds the third position in the list of the top 10 most assists in the history of the Champions League with 40 assists. 

The Argentine great though is the player with the most assists in football history. 

Read Also | Top 10 La Masia Graduates who ruled football

2. Angel De Maria, 41 Assists

Di Maria holds the second position on the list with 41 assists. During his entire Champions League career, he played for top clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, PSG, and Benfica. Although, he managed to win the competition just once.

His most recent goal-creation against AS Monaco for Benfica took him one ahead of his friend Messi. Though he is 36 now, he still has time to claim the top spot because he is just one behind Ronaldo.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, 42 Assists

Discussing the Champions League and "MR Champions League" is not on the list that is not possible! Though Cristiano is popularly known for his goal-scoring ability, the Portuguese International also tops the list in goal creation for his teammates in Europe's most prestigious competition.

Ronaldo tops the list with 42 assists and played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus in the process while winning the title five times. Not to forget he also has the record for most goals in the Champions League (140) as well. 

The final list

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So that concludes the Top 10 List for the Most Assists in the History of Champions League. There are other names that also deserve credit in terms of the best European talents and brilliant assist makers we have ever witnessed like Cesc Fabregas, Luis Suarez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and many more. 

However, they remain just beyond the players mentioned on the list. Who is your favourite assist maker in the world of football? Let me know.

Football has been included in every Summer Olympic Games as a men's competition sport, except in 1896 and 1932. As part of the Paris Olympics 2024 too, the Olympic football events have started before the opening ceremony, due to the large number of matches. Winning the Olympics is in itself a big achievement. But winning the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup for a professional football in their career is something rare and astonishing. In this article, we'll look at the players who have won the Olympics and FIFA World Cup in their careers.

Read Also: Football at Olympics: Knockouts Schedule for Men's Football at Paris Olympics 2024

Football at Olympics: Players who won the Olympics and FIFA World Cup in their career

Uruguay: Paris 1924 and Amsterdam 1928 Olympics | FIFA World Cup 1930

Uruguay won their first gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics after beating Switzerland by 3-0 in the Final. Before qualifying for the final, the South American nation trashed the host nation France 5-1 in the quarter-finals and beat the Netherlands by 2-1 in the semi-finals. teenage sensation Pedro Petrone established himself as the star. He was the top-scorer with seven goals, including one in the final and a brace in the quarter-final.

Four years later, the core of that team took home gold from Amsterdam, where Petrone starred once again alongside Pedro Cea and Jose Leandro Andrade. Uruguay were considered to be the strongest side and they delivered. Uruguay beat the hosts, the Netherlands by 2–0 to progress into the quarter-finals where they beat Germany by 4-1. The South American nation booked its place for the gold medal match against another South American heavyweight Argentina after beating Italy by 3-2 in the semis. 

Uruguay and Argentina played a 1-1 draw in the Final and had to play a replay to decide the winner. In the replay, La Celeste edged past La Albiceleste by 2-1 to win the gold medal for the second consecutive time.

In the inaugural edition of the FIFA World Cup in 1930, Uruguay were crowned the Champions of the World. Jose Nazassi once again led the side out as Uruguay lifted the trophy, defeating Argentina with a 4-2 scoreline in the final. La Celeste topped their respective group and then thrashed Yugoslavia by 6-1 in the semi-final. Pedro Cea scored a hat-trick in that game to send the team into the final.

Read Also: Football facts: Five managers who have coached Club and country at the same time

Italy: Berlin 1936 Olympics | FIFA World Cup 1938

The Azzurri were determined to win their first-ever gold medal in Men's football and they achieved that in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Italy registered a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the round of 16 against the USA to qualify for the quarter-final. It was so easy for the Azzurri as they thrashed Japan by 8-0 to progress to the next round.

Italy beat Norway in extra time in the semi-final to qualify for the gold medal match against Austria. Annibale Frossi, who was the top goal scorer (7 goals) in the Men's Football event in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, scored a brace in the final to help the Azzurri win the gold medal.

Four players of that team represented the Italy team in the FIFA World Cup 1938 to defend the title. Defenders Alfredo Foni and Pietro Rava, as well as midfielder Uglo Locatelli all started the final against Hungary, with forward Sergio Bertoni also in the squad. The Azzurri beat Hungary by 4-2 in the Final to lift the World Cup for the second consecutive time. 

Argentina: Beijing 2008 Olympics | FIFA World Cup 2022

The men's football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and four other cities in the People's Republic of China from 7 to 23 August. Argentina beat Nigeria 1–0 in the final and held the record streak of 12 consecutive wins in football competitions at the Summer Olympics (six wins in 2004, six wins in 2008).

Argentina topped their group with 9 points and beat the Netherlands by 2-1 in extra time. Lionel Messi and Di Maria's La Albiceleste thrashed Brazil by 3-0 in the semi-final to reach the final to face Nigeria. With the help of Messi's assist, Di Maria scored the only goal in the final to help his nation the second-ever football gold medal in the Olympics.

14 years later of that Olympic success, the pair of Messi and Di Maria lifted the FIFA World Cup title. Di Maria netted a goal while Messi scored a brace against France in the Final. But, Kylian Mbappe's France didn't go down easily as he scored a hat-trick to take the game to penalties. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties to lift the World Cup title after 36 years.