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The UEFA Champions League is one of the most prestigious tournaments in football. Elite clubs from all over Europe come together to compete in the tournament, facing each other until a winner emerges. The tournament was first conducted as the European Cup from 1955 until it was reformed in 1992.
The world's best players play in the Champions League
Since its inception, the UEFA Champions League has had most of the best players in the world participate in it. Spanish side Real Madrid have won the tournament a record 13 times, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul, Sergio Ramos, Zinedine Zidane and many others the standout performers for them.
Others such as seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, Kaka, Gianluigi Buffon and Frank Lampard have also excelled in the tournament. From these listed greats, here is a list of the five players who have won the most matches in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
#5 Lionel Messi (91 wins)
Argentine great Lionel Messi is in a league of his own in a lot of categories, but he is only fifth in this one. The Paris Saint-Germain forward has won 91 matches in the UEFA Champions League since making his debut in the competition.
Messi first appeared in the competition in December 2004 as a 17-year-old. The youngster played as a centre forward for FC Barcelona under the tutelage of Frank Rijkaard in a dead-rubber group stage match against Shakhtar Donetsk. He was unremarkable in the match as his side lost 2-0 on the night.
Messi has since gone on to win the competition four times and is the second highest scorer in its history with 125 goals. He has played in the competition for FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
#4 Xavi (91 wins)
FC Barcelona manager Xavi enjoyed a successful playing career at the club. He captained the club to glory in the UEFA Champions League and won a total of 91 matches in the competition.
Xavi made his Champions League debut in September 1998 in a 3-3 draw away to Manchester United. He was 18 years old at the time, and had only made his senior debut about three weeks earlier. He was introduced as a substitute by manager Louis Van Gaal in place of Brazilian midfielder Giovanni.
Xavi went on to win the tournament four times in his career as a player. The Spaniard is currently manager of his boyhood club, having been appointed in 2021.
#3 Thomas Muller (92 wins)
German forward Thomas Muller has tasted a great deal of success in the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich. The attacker holds a number of records in the competition as a Bayern Munich player. Playing for one of the most dominant teams in Europe, he has won 92 matches in the Champions League.
Muller made his debut in the competition on March 10, 2009 as a substitute in the Round of 16 second leg clash against Sporting Lisbon. He scored the last goal in a 7-1 win for Bayern Munich in the match. He replaced fellow Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger in the 72nd minute of the match.
Muller has won the competition twice in his career, in 2013 and 2020. He holds the record for most appearances and most goals by a German player in the competition. He has scored 50 goals in 131 appearances in the competition.
#2 Iker Casillas (101 wins)
Legendary Spanish shot-stopper Iker Casillas has won the second highest total number of matches in the history of the Champions League. The retired goalkeeper won 101 matches in his career in the UEFA Champions League.
Casillas first made a Champions League matchday squad as a 16-year-old in 1997 when Real Madrid traveled to Rosenborg. He had to wait until he turned 18 before he made his debut in the competition in a 3-3 draw against Olympiacos. Welsh manager John Toshack handed him his debut in the competition.
Casillas went on to win the competition three times in his career, in 2000, 2002 and 2014. He was in goal for the 2002 and 2014 finals, while he came on as a substitute in 2002 against Bayer Leverkusen. He played for Real Madrid and FC Porto in his career, making 177 appearances in the competition.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (115 wins)
Mr. Champions League himself, Cristiano Ronaldo holds more records in the competition than any other player. He has won 115 games in the competition as a player, more than any other player in the history of the competition.
Ronaldo made his debut in the competition in 2003 in a 2-1 defeat away to Stuttgart in the group stage as a Manchester United player. He was 18 years old at the time, and had newly joined from Sporting Lisbon, where he had played in the qualifying rounds of the competition.
Ronaldo has won the competition five times as a player for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. He holds the record for most appearances and most goals in the competition, having scored a mind-boggling 140 goals in 182 appearances.
