Colombian superstar Shakira and FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique announced Saturday they were calling time on their relationship of more than a decade.

The 45-year-old "Hips don't Lie" songstress is one of the biggest names in the global music industry and has sold more than 60 million albums.

Spanish football hero Gerard Pique, 35, won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship, and is a three-time Champions League winner with Barcelona.

The couple share two sons and had been living together for years on the outskirts of Barcelona.

"We regret to confirm that we are separating. For the well-being of our children, who are our upmost priority, we request respect for (our) privacy," they said in a statement.

With her mix of Latin and Arabic rhythms and rock influence, three-time Grammy winner Shakira is one of the biggest stars from Latin America, scoring major global hits with songs such as "Hips don't Lie" and "Whenever, Wherever".

In 2020, she performed with Jennifer Lopez at the halftime show of the NFL's Super Bowl championship final in Miami, typically one of the most-watched half-hours in US television.

The couple announced their separation just over a week after Spanish court documents inched Shakira closer to standing trial in Spain for tax fraud after a Barcelona court dismissed an appeal from the singer.

Spanish prosecutors accuse her of defrauding the Spanish tax office out of 14.5 million euros ($15.5 million) on income earned between 2012 and 2014.

They say she moved to Spain in 2011 when her relationship with Pique became public but maintained official tax residency in the Bahamas until 2015.

Her defence lawyers say she moved to Spain full time only in 2015 and insist that her "conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries she had to pay taxes".

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 (36 trophies)

Arguably one of the greatest players in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo has 36 trophies in his cabinet at the moment. The Portuguese legend won his latest trophy for Portugal, as he lifted the UEFA Nations League 2025 for his country.

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 European Cup with Portugal in 2016. Besides 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.

The Champions League has always been a huge honour for any team. Teams like Real Madrid have won the trophy as many as 15 times while AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Ajax and Bayern Munich have won found success in Europe's biggest club competition. 

As a result, the players from such elite teams as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Ajax, and AC Milan dominate the charts of players with the most Champions League titles.

Also Read: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

Players who have won the most Champions League titles

Iconic Real Madrid left-winger Paco Gento used to hold the record for the most Champions League titles by a player. He has won six trophies in his 18 years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Real Madrid legends Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Nacho have equalled his record and became the only players to win six Champions League titles in the UCL era. 

Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is tied up at 5 UCL titles with players like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Larence Seedorf as well as other Real Madrid giants in Hector Rial and Marquitos, Lucas Vázquez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and a few others.

Also Read: Top 5 Defenders with the Most Champions League Goals

Former Barcelona superstars, Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, and Gerard Pique won four titles as a player. 

List of Players who have won more than four UCL titles:

Football history is full of teams that have had great success, but certain teams etch their names in gold, not merely for their victories but for the artistry they brought to the beautiful game. Among these names, you will find one, a team that transcended excellence, redefining the very essence of football – FC Barcelona during their golden era or shall we say the era of tiki-taka.

From the early 2000s to the early 2010s, Barcelona was the epitome of footballing perfection. Led by great managers during the time, but the best of which has to undoubtedly be said was Pep Guardiola. The Catalan club mesmerized the world with their tiki-taka style of play, a symphony of quick, intricate passes and fluid movement that left opponents chasing shadows as reported by Sports Loci sports news.

Also Read: 10 players who have won the most trophies in football history

How did it happen?

How did they do it? Through homegrown talent, which made it even more special. La Masia was at the time a breeding ground of sorts for talent, and today it continues to be so. Producing footballing maestros like Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and Lionel Messi that were part of the reason that Barcelona's golden era was what it was. These players, along with other luminaries like Carles Puyol, Gerard Piqué, and Sergio Busquets - more La Masia players - formed the core of the team that dominated European football like never before.

Barcelona's Success 

Why is it called the golden era? Their unprecedented success on the pitch is why. The Blaugrana captured an astonishing 14 trophies in just four years, including three La Liga titles, two Champions League crowns, and numerous domestic cups. But their crowning achievement came in 2009, when they completed the sextuple, winning all six major trophies in a single calendar year—a feat still unrepeated in the history of football to this day.

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

Style of Play

But Barcelona's dominance wasn't merely defined by their trophy haul; it was their style of play that captivated fans around the globe. Watching Xavi orchestrate the midfield with his metronomic passing, witnessing Iniesta glide past defenders with effortless grace, and marveling at Messi's otherworldly talents as he danced through entire defenses—these were moments that went beyond the trophy case of the sport that compared to the beauty of their play seems almost vain to talk about.

Let's describe Barcelona's playing style of the time. They would often dominate possession, patiently probing their opponents' defenses until an opening presented itself. Once found, they would strike with surgical precision, exploiting the smallest gaps in the opposition's defense with swift, incisive passing and intricate movement off the ball.

And they never gave it up. They were true to their philosophy, unwavering. And that stubbornness that back then served them so well, many would say is their pitfall today. They played the same way against minnows as they did against giants, never compromising on their principles even in the face of adversity.

However, like all good things, Barcelona's golden era eventually came to an end. As players aged and managers moved on, the team began to lose some of its luster. The departure of Guardiola in 2012 marked the end of an era, and while subsequent managers have enjoyed varying degrees of success, none have been able to replicate the magic of those glory days.

Yet, despite the passage of time, the memories of Barcelona's golden era continue to linger, a testament to the enduring legacy of one of football's greatest teams. The images of Messi lifting trophies aloft, Xavi dictating play from midfield, and Iniesta weaving his magic on the pitch remain etched in the minds of fans, serving as a reminder of what football can achieve when played with style, flair, and unwavering conviction.

In the history of football, only two teams have won everything in the same season. Pep Guardiola's legendary Barcelona team of 2009 and Hansi Flick's Bayern Munich of 2020. Let's give a look at their statistics to determine which side was the better team.

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

League: Laliga & Bundesliga

Barcelona finished 1st with 87 points, nine more than second-placed Real Madrid. On the other side, Bayern Munich ended their league with 82 points, 13 more than runners-up Borussia Dortmund.

Barcelona won 27, drew six, and lost five matches in the Laliga. They scored 105 goals and conceded only 34 in a 20-team division. Bayern were seventh in the Bundesliga after 14 games. Then they woke up and won 19 among the remaining 20 games to finish 1st in the league.

Cup: Copa del Rey & DFB-Pokal

The Blaugranas won seven games and drew two, scoring 15 and conceding eight, to win the Copa del Rey. On the other side, Bavarians won all six ties of the DFB-Pokal dominantly, where all ties are one-off games. They scored 16 and conceded eight goals on their way to the title.

UEFA Champions League

Barcelona

Barcelona had to play in the qualification round of the Champions League because they finished third in the La Liga 2007-08 season. They defeated Wisla Krakow 4-1 on aggregate and qualified for the Group stage. The Cules then won their first five games and lost the last one in Group C.

Group Stage:

Guardiola's men struck 18 goals in the group stage. They kicked off their campaign with a 3-1 win over Sporting Clube de Portugal at Camp Nou and after that, they never looked back. The high points of their group stage campaign were a 5-0 victory at FC Basel 1893 and a 5-2 rout of Sporting in Lisbon. A largely inexperienced side lost Barcelona's final game 3-2 to UEFA Cup finalists FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

Knock-Out stages:

After playing a draw in the first leg of the Round of 16, Barcelona tore apart Olympique Lyonnais in the second leg. Barcelona qualified for the quarter-final to face Bayern with a 5-2 aggregate victory over Lyon.

The Blaugranas toyed with Bayern's defense in the first leg and scored 4 goals to almost secure their semi-final spot. Bayern then played a draw in the second leg but Barca easily qualified for the Semi-Final against Chelsea.

Chelsea were the opponent, with whom Barcelona struggled the most. It was a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in the first leg. Michael Essien scored a beautiful goal to give the lead to the Chelsea side in the second leg. Iniesta then scored one of the best goals of his career to draw the result. Barcelona were sent to the final depending on the away goals rule.

The Final:

In the Final, Barcelona faced one of the toughest Teams to face at that time in Europe. Alex Ferguson's Manchester United was just brilliant and more importantly they were the mentality monsters. It was not an easy job for the cules to score past Van der Sar on a stage like this. It was Barcelona's season and no teams were able to get past them. Eto'o delivered early in the game and then Messi killed the game with an outside box finish. The city of Rome turned Red & Blue with Barcelona's 2008/09 Champions League victory.

Bayern Munich

Bayern won all 11 of their fixtures in the tournament. This was Bayern at their best. Their glory was nothing short of breathtaking. An astonishing 43 goals, record-breaking four-goal salvos, and crushing victories over some of the biggest names in Europe. Only the Round of 16 consisted of two legs. On 17 June 2020, UEFA announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the final stages of the competition would feature a format change. The quarter-finals and the semi-finals would be played in a single-leg format at the Estádio da Luz and Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal.

Group Stage:

Bayern started by demolishing Red Star Belgrade with a 3-0 scoreline. Then Gnabry's 4 goals stormed blown Spurs away as Bayern registered a huge 7-2 victory. The Bavarians got off with a close 3-2 victory over Olympiacos. Lewandowski scored 4 goals against Red Star Belgrade in the reverse fixture as Bayern scored past 6 against them. Bayern then defeated Spurs by 3-0 and Olympiacos by 2-0 to finish first in their Group.

Knock-Outs:

Bayern Munich faced Chelsea in the Round Of 16. In the first leg, Bayern won 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, and then they tore apart the Blues by scoring 4 more in the second leg. Bayern qualified for the Quarter-Final to face Barcelona after a 7-1 aggregate victory over Chelsea.

The ruthless Bayern Munich didn't spare the clues too. An 8-2 victory over one of the best clubs in Europe in a stage like the Quarter-Final was very special for Bayern. They were just unplayable as Barca faced their biggest loss in Champions League knockouts.

Bayern easily got past Lyon after scoring 3 goals. Lyon just didn't get a chance after a commendable campaign. Bayern were just too good for them. The Bavarians reached the Final to face PSG for the Champions League title.

Koman's goal gave the lead to the Bayern side and that was enough to fill their cabinet with yet another Champions League title. PSG played better football in the Final but didn't find the answer for Byaern's defense. Bayern scored the deciding goal and came out on top.

Super Cup

There were goals in both cases as Bayern beat Dortmund 3-2 while Barcelona beat Athletic Club 5-1 over two legs.

UEFA Super Cup

Both teams needed extra time to beat the Europa League winners, with Pedro scoring the only goal against Shakhtar Donetsk and Javi Martinez scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over Sevilla.

Overall Result

Guardiola's Barcelona ended the season with 46 wins, 13 draws, six defeats, 163 goals scored and 59 conceded. Bayern, who played 10 games less, ended with 47 wins, four draws, four defeats, 167 goals scored and 51 conceded. Working on averages per game, Bayern scored more and Barcelona conceded less.