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The UEFA Champions League is football biggest club competition and has continued to grow in stature since adopting the name in 1992. Previously referred to as the European Cup, the prized trophy is on offer every year, as Europe's cream of the crop battle it out to create history.
Since the competition's rebranding, several high profile players have graced the Champions League and got their hands on the trophy, while some genuinely iconic names have somehow missed out on the prize.
Usual suspects dominate Champions League era
In the UEFA Champions League era, the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have all been regular features of the competition, while there have also been teams who have enjoyed underdog runs over the years.
Only 12 players have won the Champions League with multiple clubs, while there is just one player who has done so with three clubs in the modern era. On that note, here is the exhaustive list of all the players who have got their hands on the prize more than once since the competition's rebranding in 1992 in no particular order.
#12 Marcel Desailly | Marseille 1993, AC Milan 1994
Marcel Desailly is one of the greatest defenders of his generation and enjoyed a remarkable career for club and country. Having represented the likes of Marseille, AC Milan, Nantes and Chelsea, the central defender won a handful of trophies and was got his hands on the World Cup and the European Championships with France.
With regard to the Champions League, the Frenchman became the first player in the history of the competition to win it with multiple clubs, as he won it two seasons in a row with Marseille first and then with AC Milan.
Desailly retired in 2006 as one of the finest defenders France has ever produced.
#11 Paulo Sousa | Juventus 1996, Borussia Dortmund 1997
Paulo Sousa had quite the time in the late 90s, as he made a name for himself a reliable midfielder in the heart of a resolute Juventus team. The Portuguese international was one of the most underrated players of the Bianconeri team at the time, as they beat Ajax in the 1996 final to win the Champions League.
In the same summer, Sousa moved to Borussia Dortmund, where he would make history with the Bundesliga outfit again. He found himself playing in the Champions League final once again and became one of four players to win the competition back-to-back with different clubs.
Dortmund beat Sousa's former club Juventus in a historic game which saw Zinedine Zidane's marked out of the game by Paul Lambert. The 49-year-old is currently the manager of Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux.
#10 Didier Deschamps | 1993 Marseille, 1996 Juventus
Teammates with Marcel Desailly in 1993 with Marseille and Paulo Sousa in 1996 with Juventus, Didier Deschamps also won the Champions League with two different teams in the modern era.
Having represented several top clubs including the likes of Valencia and Chelsea, the Frenchman made a name for himself as a reliable presence in the heart of the midfield and was also lauded for his leadership qualities.
Deschamps featured in a staggering four Champions League final's with Marseille and Juventus and was also part of the Valencia squad that lost out to Bayern Munich in the 2001 final.
The 51-year-old is currently the manager of the French national team and won the World Cup as coach in 2018, having done so as a player in 1998.
#9 Edwin van der Sar | Ajax 1995, Manchester United 2008
Hailed as one of the great goalkeepers of his generation, Edwin van der Sar waited 13 years between his two Champions League victories — a fact that happens to shed light on his incredible longevity in the top level.
The Dutchman was a central figure of Louis van Gaal's impressive Ajax side that unearthed the likes of Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert amongst others, as he produced the goods consistently for the Eredivisie outfit.
Thirteen years after his first Champions League victory, Van der Sar was the hero on the night against Chelsea in the 2008 final. Nicolas Anelka's decisive spot-kick was saved by the Dutchman, as Manchester United prevailed in the all-English final at Moscow.
Also Read: Greatest UEFA Champions League XI of all-time
#8 Clarence Seedorf | Ajax 1995, Real Madrid 1998, AC Milan 2003 & 2007
Another member of Louis van Gaal's famous Ajax side from the mid-90s, Clarence Seedorf is one of the most versatile midfielders of his generation and enjoyed a playing career spanning over two decades.
The influential midfielder is the only player in Champions League history to have won the competition with three different clubs, as he accomplished the feat with the star-studded AC Milan team of the early 2000s.
The Dutchman lost the 2005 Champions League final to Liverpool but still managed to get his hands on the trophy twice with the Serie A side after sealing a controversial move from arch-rivals Inter.
Seedorf finished his career with four Champions League medal and multiple league titles across Europe, with his fitness and longevity earning praise globally.
#7 Deco | FC Porto 2004, Barcelona 2006
Brazilian born Portuguese midfielder Deco was one of the crown jewel's of Jose Mourinho's stunning Champions League winning squad with FC Porto in 2004. Under the guidance of his compatriot, Deco became a key player for the club and soon outgrew the Liga NOS side, as he sealed a move to Barcelona.
With Ronaldinho in the forefront of Frank Rijkaard's star-studded team, Deco was also one of the important players in Barcelona triumph in the 2006 final against Arsenal.
Deco was hailed as one of the very best players in his position and remained a key player for Barcelona, before moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2008.
#6 Samuel Eto'o | Barcelona 2006 & 2009, Inter Milan 2010
Samuel Eto'o is widely regarded as the greatest African footballer of all time and the Cameroonian international enjoyed a remarkable club career in his prime.
Part of two Champions League-winning squad under Pep Guardiola and Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona, Eto'o was a goal machine in the competition and scored in both finals for the Catalan club.
Having been part of Guardiola's all-conquering side in 2009, the prolific striker was sold to Inter Milan in a swap deal which saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic arrive at the Camp Nou. At Inter, Eto'o was once again in the thick of the action, as he spearheaded Jose Mourinho's side to an unprecedented treble in the 2009-10 season.
Eto'o is the only player in the history of the game to win back-to-back trebles in two different countries, having done so with Barcelona and Inter Milan just over a decade ago.
#5 Gerard Pique | Manchester United 2008, Barcelona 2009, 2011 & 2015
Despite being a fringe player at Manchester United, Gerard Pique was part of their Champions League-winning squad in 2008. In the summer that followed, the Spanish defender sealed a return to Barcelona to get regular game time under his belt.
Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, Pique became one of the best players in the world in his position and formed a formidable partnership with compatriot Carles Puyol. In the season that followed, Pique was in the Champions League final once again and faced former club Manchester United.
Barcelona emerged victorious that year and beat the same opponents again in 2011, as they began to scale new heights under Guardiola. Pique got his hands for the fourth time in his career in 2015, as a Luis Enrique led Barcelona side completed the treble that season.
Also Read: 10 most expensive signings in Premier League history
#4 Xabi Alonso | Liverpool 2005, Real Madrid 2014
Xabi Alonso is amongst the most respected midfielders of his generation, as the Spaniard conducted himself with utmost dignity and class throughout his career. The elegant midfielder joined Liverpool in the summer of 2004 and quickly became a key player for Rafa Benitez, as he formed a formidable partnership with Reds captain Steven Gerrard.
The pair were both on target in the "Miracle of Istanbul" against AC Milan in 2005, as Liverpool sensationally came back from 3-0 down to win the Champions League final.
Alonso enjoyed a fruitful spell with the Reds and sealed a return to Spain and was an indispensable member of Carlo Ancelotti's La Decima winning side. He retired aged 35 in 2017 and currently serves as the manager of Real Sociedad B in the Segunda Division.
#3 Daniel Sturridge | Chelsea 2012, Liverpool 2019
Daniel Sturridge made history in the summer of 2019, as he became the first player to win the Champions League with two different English clubs. Having been part of Chelsea's unlikely triumph in 2012, Sturridge did not feature in the final that year against Bayern Munich despite being in good form that season.
Seven years later, the England international was once again an unused substitute for Liverpool, as the Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Sturridge, however, played a key part in Liverpool's road to the final, as he left the club in the summer of 2019 and joined Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Liga.
#2 Toni Kroos | Bayern Munich 2013, Real Madrid 2016, 2017 & 2018
Widely regarded as one of the finest technicians of his generation, Toni Kroos is also amongst the most decorated players of the modern era. The German maestro burst onto the scene at Bayern Munich and joined a fruitful loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen, where he honed his skill and finally came of age.
Bayern Munich finally got their hands on the Champions League title in 2013 in the all-German final against Borussia Dortmund, as they put their past disappointments behind them.
Kroos remained with the Bundesliga side for a year after their European triumph and sealed a cut-price move to Real Madrid after failing to agree a new deal with Bayern.
In the years that followed, the German midfielder went from strength to strength and cemented his status as one of the greats of the modern era, as Real Madrid completed an unprecedented Champions League three-peat.
Kroos remains a key player for Los Blancos and is also hailed as a legend for the German national team for his exploits in the 2014 World Cup.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United 2008, Real Madrid 2014, 2016, 2017 & 2018
In the Champions League era, no player has won the competition more times than Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese superstar is the highest goalscorer in the league's history, with a staggering 128 goals to his name so far in his stints with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
While Ronaldo made a name for himself with the Red Devils and won the Champions League under the leadership of Sir Alex Ferguson, it is at Real Madrid where he confirmed his status as one of the all-time greats.
Los Blancos broke the world-record fee to land the Portuguese talisman in the 2009 and their decision was vindicated in some style. Ronaldo became one of the most feared attackers in the world at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he helped oversee a new era by spearheading them to four Champions League titles.
In the summer of 2018, Ronaldo announced his decision to leave the club and sealed a stunning switch to Juventus. The former Manchester United man will look to become the first player since Clarence Seedorf to win the competition with three different clubs by getting his hands on the trophy with the Serie A side.
Also Read: Top 10 Juventus players of all-time
