Regarded as the GOAT of football, Argentine legend Lionel Messi has won a whopping 46 titles - the most trophies by a player in football.

Messi won 35 of his club career titles during his career at Barcelona (2004-2021) while he won six trophies on national duty, including Copa America 2021 and Copa America 2024. The Argentine also won the Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2008.

After joining Paris Saint Germain in 2021, Lionel Messi added three trophies to his cabinet - Ligue 1 (2021-22), (2022-23) and Trophee des Champions (2022). He also won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and became the player with the most trophies in football after winning the Leagues Cup 2023 trophy in America with his new club Inter Miami.

His last trophy with Inter Miami was the MLS Super Shield on October 2, 2024 after he netted a brace in a 3-2 win over Columbus.  

Messi's former teammate Dani Alves is next on the list for most trophies by a player in football having won a whopping 44 titles over the course of his career.

The Brazilian defender Dani Alves won his first professional honours with home town club Bahia. After winning five trophies in six years with Sevilla, Dani Alves made a £23 million move to Barcelona and would go on to win 23 titles - including six La Liga crowns and three UEFA Champions League titles.

Following trophy-laden spells at Juventus (2016-17 - two titles), Paris Saint-Germain (2017-19 - six titles) and Sao Paulo (2019-21 - one trophy), Alves signed for Mexican team UNAM in 2022 after ending his second spell at Barcelona.

On the international front, Dani Alves has won the Copa America and Confederation Cup twice and the men’s football gold medal at Tokyo 2020. The FIFA World Cup is the only trophy that is missing from his collection.

In a 17-year association with Al Hyly (2003-2020), Egyptian midfielder Hossam Ashour won 39 trophies (6 CAF Champions League, 1 CAF Confederation Cup, 5 CAF Super Cups, 13 Egyptian Premier League, 4 Egypt Cups, 10 Egyptian Super Cups). He is the player who has won the most trophies while playing for a single club.

Maxwell and Andres Iniesta are joint fourth for most trophies won by a player in football. The pair, who were once team-mates at Barcelona, have 37 trophies each.

Of the two, Iniesta earned a name for himself as one of the most gifted midfielders of all time and is revered for scoring the winning goal in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Spanish midfielder, who won 32 trophies with boyhood club Barcelona, has two titles (Emperor's Cup and Japanese Super Cup) with current team Vissel Kobe.

Former Manchester United great Ryan Giggs completes the top five. The Welsh legend, one of the few one-club players in history, made 672 appearances for the Red Devils and won an incredible 36 trophies including 13 Premier League titles.

Most trophies won in football

Player	Career Trophies
Lionel Messi	46
Dani Alves	44
Hossam Ashour	39
Andres Iniesta	37
Maxwell	37
Ryan Giggs	36

Featured photo: AFP / FRANCK FIFE

Goals win matches in football and assists lead to goals. So those creative through balls or a killer pass before the final touch into the net could be just as important for the attacking team as the finishing touch that leads to an eventual.

Though five players in English Premier League (EPL) have managed 100 or more assists, no one quite comes near the record of Manchester United's former Welsh winger  Ryan Giggs, who holds the record for most assists in the Premier League.

Ryan Giggs is the only player to have made over 150 assists in the Premier League. He tops the list that includes greats of the game like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard. 

This list also has some active players like Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and James Milner of Liverpool FC in it. 

Most assists in English Premier League

Player (Nationality)	Clubs	Assists
Ryan Giggs (Wales)	Manchester United	162
Cesc Fàbregas (Spain)	Arsenal, Chelsea	111
Wayne Rooney (England)	Everton, Manchester United	103
Frank Lampard (England)	Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham United	102
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)	Manchester City, Chelsea	100
Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)	Arsenal	94
David Silva (Spain)	Manchester City	93
Steven Gerrard (England)	Liverpool	92
James Milner (England)	Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Leeds United	87
David Beckham (England)	Manchester United	80

Ryan Giggs (Wales) - 162 assists

Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs has made the most assists in the English Premier League. The Welsh winger made a total of 162 assists in the EPL and spent his entire senior club career with the Red Devils. 

During his time at Old Trafford from 1992 to 2014 in the Premier League, Ryan Giggs made 632 appearances for Manchester United. 

He was a key member of the dominant Manchester United side under Sir Alex Ferguson and won 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles during his playing days. Giggs also scored a total of 109 goals for Manchester United. 

Cesc Fabregas (Spain) - 111 assists

Spain’s 2010 FIFA World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas, with a tally of 111 assists, ranks second for most assists in the English Premier League. He made his league debut for Arsenal in the 2003-04 season and made a move to Barcelona in La Liga eight years later. 

Fabregas, who preferred playing as a central midfielder, returned to the Premier League for a stint with Chelsea in 2014 and played his last game for the club in 2019. During his stay at Chelsea, Fabregas won two EPL titles in 2014-15 and 2016-17. He played a total of 350 matches - 212 for Arsenal and 138 for Chelsea - in the English Premier League career and also scored 50 goals. 

Wayne Rooney (England) - 103 assists

Wayne Rooney was a prolific striker who could also feed in assists with precision. He is the only player to feature in both the lists of top three goal-scorers and top-three assists in the EPL.

The English forward made a total of 103 assists during his time in the English Premier League. He started his EPL career at Everton during the 2001-02 season before moving to Manchester United after playing four seasons for his boyhood club on the blue side of Merseyside.

Rooney spent the bulk of his club career with Manchester United and also netted 208 goals in the league. He was part of a Manchester United side that won five of the seven EPL seasons between 2006-07 to 2012-13. Rooney returned to Everton in the 2017-18 campaign and scored 10 goals in his farewell season in the league.

Photo credit: Alamy

A footballer’s career is a short one with normal players averaging 10-15 years at best on the field. Only a select few talents spend their entire careers at the top level of football due to a variety of reasons. Whether it’s injuries, loss of form, or lack of motivation, being a modern-day footballer comes with its own set of challenges.

Some players even drop down to lower leagues to extend their career during its fag end. And it’s easy to understand why when considering the wear and tear one’s body is put through while competing for top honours at the highest level. Add to that the physical demands that are associated with the Premier League - the best and most grueling league in the world - and you can understand why only a select few manage to play their whole career in English football’s top flight.

That said, over the years there has been a fair share of players who have defied the odds and gone on to rack up record appearances, making them a part of a select club of individuals who feature in the most appearances in the Premier League bracket. Former England midfielder Gareth Barry is the player on top of this list of most appearances in the Premier League.

Most appearances in Premier League

Player	Clubs	Appearances
Gareth Barry	Aston Villa, Manchester City, Everton, West Bromwich Albion	652
Ryan Giggs	Manchester United	632
James Milner	Leeds United, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool	610*
Frank Lampard	West Ham United, Chelsea, Manchester City	609
David James	Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, Portsmouth	572
Gary Speed	Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton Wanderers	535
Emile Heskey	Leicester City, Liverpool, Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa	516
Mark Schwarzer	Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester City	514
Jamie Carragher	Liverpool	508
Phil Neville	Manchester United, Everton,	505

*Player still active

Gareth Barry - 652 appearances

After joining Aston Villa from Brighton as a trainee, Gareth Barry made his debut for the Villans in the 1997-98 season. He went on to represent Villa in the Premier League for more than a decade before moving to Manchester City and winning the 2011-12 league campaign with them. Following his spell at City, Barry also represented Everton and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League before finally retiring. Primarily a defensive midfielder, Barry wasn’t shy to get forward and make his mark as his 53 goals and 64 assists in the Premier League suggest.

Ryan Giggs - 632 appearances

The most decorated British player of all time, Ryan Giggs was already an established star at English giants Manchester United before the inception of the Premier League. A pacey and tricky winger during his playing days, Giggs is one of the few one-club men in league history. The Welsh winger stayed with the Red Devils throughout his career and was a key component of the Manchester United dynasty that Sir Alex Ferguson created for two decades. He finished his more than 20-year-long career with 13 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League crowns, to name a few of his achievements. He’s also the leading assist-maker (162) in Premier League history and also found the back of the net 109 times in the league.

James Milner - 610* appearances

The only player still active on this list, James Milner made his Premier League debut for Leeds United aged 16 years and 309 days to become the second-youngest ever to play in the league. He also became the then-youngest player to ever score in the league after netting in a 2-1 win for Leeds against Sunderland on boxing day 2002. Following Leeds' relegation from the top flight, Milner went on to represent Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Liverpool in the Premier League. He’s a three-time Premier League winner, a two-time FA Cup champion, a two-time League Cup winner, and has also won the UEFA Champions League once.

Photo Credit: Alamy

English footballer James Milner and former Portugal forward Luis Figo share the record for most assists in a single UEFA Champions League season, with nine assists.

Milner, who joined Liverpool in 2015, achieved the feat in the first leg of the 2017-18 Champions League semi-final against AS Roma, when Roberto Firmino headed his 69th-minute corner kick past now Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker to make the score 5-0.

Most assists in a single #UCL campaign:

17/18 - James Milner [9]
16/17 - Neymar [8]
13/14 - Wayne Rooney [8]
21/22 - Bruno Fernandes [7]*

Going for the record. pic.twitter.com/FvXg8Y3PAa

�?Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) February 23, 2022

The Englishman matched Luis Figo’s tally of assists which the Portuguese great first achieved in the 1999-00 season. As per transfermarkt.co.uk, Figo racked up nine assists in 13 matches for FC Barcelona in the campaign and repeated it in the following season - nine assists in 14 games - while representing Real Madrid.

Neymar and Wayne Rooney sit joint-second on the list for most assists in a single UEFA Champions League campaign with eight assists.

Rooney, Manchester United’s all-time top scorer, notched eight assists in the 2013-14 Champions League campaign.

Neymar matched Wayne Rooney’s record in the 2016-17 season, when he provided eight assists for FC Barcelona. The Brazilian played a role in four goals in the Blaugrana’s 7-0 win over Celtic, and it remains one of his best performances in the competition.

Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes notched his seventh UCL assist in a single campaign in the ongoing 2021-22 campaign, when his 80th-minute pass enabled Anthony Elanga to equalise for the Red Devils in their 1-1 first leg draw against Atletico Madrid.

6 - Bruno Fernandes is the first player in Champions League history to assist in six consecutive appearances while playing for an English club, breaking the record held by David Beckham (for @ManUtd) since 1998. Creator. pic.twitter.com/y92qBMZas8

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 23, 2022

By doing so, Bruno also set a new record as the first player in Champions League history to assist in six consecutive games for an English club. 

Furthermore, the Portuguese playmaker’s tally of seven assists puts him joint-third on the list for most assists in a single UEFA Champions League campaign alongside Roberto Firmino (2017-18), Ryan Giggs (2006-07), Zlatan Ibrahimović (2012-13) and Xavi Hernández (2008-09).

Most assists in a single UEFA Champions League campaign

Player	Assists	Season
Luis Figo	9	1999-00, 2000-01
James Milner		2017-18
Wayne Rooney	8	2013-14
Neymar		2016-17
Ryan Giggs	7	2006-07
Xavi Hernández		2008-09
Zlatan Ibrahimović		2012-13
Roberto Firmino		2017-18
Bruno Fernandes*		2021-22

*indicates an active player who could break the record

Author: William Paul

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Featured photo: AFP / PETER BYRNE

Last season, Mason Greenwood could do no wrong. The teenage forward who bagged a goal seemingly every game at the youth level was touted to be the best prospect to emerge out of Manchester United's famed academy since Paul Pogba and lived up to his hype in his full debut campaign, scoring 17 goals in 49 matches, just six shy of club topscorer Anthony Martial's tally of 23.

Greenwood's ability to finish with either foot and score goals from near-impossible angles make him one of the deadliest teenage forwards in Europe, and following his stellar first full season, the youngster was handed Manchester United's famed #11 jersey, donned by the club's highest appearance maker and one of the most decorated footballers in history, Ryan Giggs.

But things haven’t panned out the way Greenwood or Manchester United would have expected.

The 19-year-old made the headlines for all the wrong reasons when he, along with Manchester City's teenage starlet Phil Foden, invited a couple of girls to their hotel rooms while on international duty, breaking quarantine protocol, which prompted coach Gareth Southgate to send them back home.

Greenwood and Foden were heavily chastised by the English media, but both seemingly weathered the storm with good performances for their respective clubs. However, the Manchester United star has been caught up in another controversy this past week, prolonging his rough spell since the start of the season.

Greenwood was absent from Manchester United's 3-1 victory over Everton, with the club citing injury as the reason but reports suggest that the 19-year-old was dropped from the side owing to his lack on intensity in training, which prompted coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to drop him from the squad.

The youngster has reportedly sleeping late and performing sluggishly in training, raising concerns about his commitment to the game. All these are pretty reminiscent of another Manchester United academy superstar who burst onto to the scene and was handed the #11 jersey only to flame out spectacularly in just a couple of seasons.

Adnan Januzaj, who was sensational under David Moyes, was heavily criticised and often left out of the matchday squad by subsequent manager Louis Van Gaal, who eventually decided to loan him out to Borussia Dortmund.

In Germany, then-Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel was vocal about Januzaj's lack of effort in understanding his tactical demands and the German giants decided to end Januzaj’s loan spell just two months into the six-month deal. Januzaj's performance continued to dwindle and new coach Jose Mourinho decided to ship him to Real Sociedad, where he continues to ply his trade to this day.

Januzaj’s spectacular rise and sensational drop came due to his lack of discipline off the field and in training and Greenwood is trending in the same direction as Belgian winger.

Solskjaer will continue to back Greenwood and give him leeway for as long as he shows improvement, but in his time as Manchester United manager, the Norwegian has already shown that no player is too big to be axed for the betterment of the team and he wouldn’t hesitate to ship Greenwood to football purgatory like Mourinho did with Januzaj.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Loyalty is one of the most difficult qualities to find in the modern-day footballer. The bright lights that accompany top-level football along with the glitz, glamour and money that’s now available make it easy for a player’s head to be turned these days. However, that wasn’t always the case in the past and there was a time when one-club legends weren’t as rare as they are now.

Here, we have a look at a few whose loyalty could not be bought, resulting in them spending their entire career at one club through all the highs and lows.

Xabi Prieto

While Athletic Club are widely renowned for upholding principles and values in Spain’s Basque region, one player from their local rivals Real Sociedad who really stands out for his loyalty is Xabi Prieto. The Sociedad legend joined the club aged 12. After making his debut in 2003, the Spanish midfielder went on to play for the club for 16 years. He took over the captaincy in 2012 and led with a passion for the next six years before calling time on his career, partly due to injuries.

A brave midfielder with the ball at his feet and an expert penalty taker, Prieto retired with a successful strike rate of more than 90 percent from the spot in La Liga �?a better record than both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.  

Paul Scholes

Second only to Ryan Giggs when it comes to most Premier League winners�?medals, Paul Scholes�?11 top-flight successes in England won’t be matched by many in the years to come. Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation by the likes of Xavi and Andrea Pirlo, there aren’t many midfielders today who are blessed with the passing range and vision on the ball that Scholes had. Besides his Premier League medals, Scholes also won three FA Cups, two League Cups, two Champions Leagues and a FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester United.

Interestingly, Scholes hung up his boots after the 2010-11 Premier League season only to come out of retirement the following campaign and help United to their last league triumph in 2013.  

Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher spent all 17 years of his professional career with Liverpool. A backbone and a leader in defence for the Merseyside outfit for almost two decades, Carragher was always a firm fan-favourite because of his unbridled passion and love for the club. He was a mainstay in their backline for most of his career and wasn’t afraid of getting stuck into his opponents when required. He won many trophies with the Reds, including three League Cups, two FA Cups, one UEFA Cup and one UEFA Champions League trophy. 

Tony Adams

One of Arsenal’s most successful captains and a man with his own statue outside the Gunners�?stadium, Tony Adams was a rock at the heart of their defence for two decades. A born leader and a threat from set-pieces, Adams almost won it all with the north London outfit. He won two First Division titles, two Premier Leagues, two League Cups, three FA Cups and a UEFA Cup Winners�?Cup with his beloved Arsenal.

An inspiration for some off the field as well, the former Arsenal skipper is also a role model to many for having overcome his battle with alcoholism during his playing days.   

Paolo Maldini

When he made his debut for Milan, Paolo Maldini was following in his father Cesare Maldini’s footsteps by playing for the club before going on to captain it. Considered one of the greatest defenders to have ever played the game, Italian and AC Milan legend Paolo was a part of perhaps the most successful era in the history of the club. He won 25 trophies with the Rossoneri, including seven Serie A titles and five UEFA Champions League crowns.

Maldini spent 25 years with the first team before retiring in 2009 and when he did call it a day, such is his legendary stature that the club also decided to retire his No. 3 jersey. 

Ryan Giggs

The most decorated player in the history of English football, Giggs holds the record for the most appearances for Manchester United. He almost spent a quarter of a century with the United senior team and was pivotal to their dominance of English football during the nineties. Now the head coach of Wales, Giggs made 963 appearances for the Red Devils and won 13 Premier League, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions Leagues and a FIFA Club World Cup during his time with the club.

He currently holds the record for most assists in the Premier League and was also elected into the PFA Team of the Century in 2007.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Filippo Monteforte