Six players who have won more trophies than Messi and Ronaldo

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo need no introduction, they are two of the most recognisable faces anywhere on the planet owing to their immense popularity and career achievements.

The pair has dominated the footballing landscape in a manner not seen before or possibly ever again, rewriting history and record books almost at will and the both of them are rightly considered seriously among the greatest players of all time.

They have also won personal accolades, turning all individual awards over the last decade into a duopoly between them.

They have shared each of the last 10 Balon d'Or awards equally among themselves, and most of the Golden Boots in this period has gone to one of them.

They have a trophy collection to match their extraterrestrial talents, as their teams have benefited from their immense talents by winning trophies.

Though Ronaldo has won 26 trophies across his spells with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Portugal national team, while his rival Messi has won 32 trophies at Barcelona, they are not the most decorated players in football.

Here are six players who have more career trophies than Messi and Ronaldo.

---

#6 Vitor Baia 33 trophies won; Porto(27), Barcelona(6)

We kick off the list with legendary Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Vitor Baia in 6th place. The iconic shot-stopper was a permanent fixture in the Porto line-up for over two decades bar a brief two-year spell which he spent at Barcelona, winning 6 trophies at Camp Nou.

He was a regular in the Porto teams which dominated Portuguese football, winning multiple league and domestic cup titles.

He also tasted European success, triumphing in the UEFA Cup of 2003, before helping Porto defy all odds by going all the way to lift the UEFA Champions League in 2004 under Mourinho's guidance.

He won a total of 33 trophies during a glittering career for Porto and Barcelona, and was also an international regular, winning 80 caps for Portugal.

#5 Kenny Dalglish- 34 Trophies won (Celtic 9, Liverpool 25)

Kenny Dalglish was a part of Liverpool's dominance in the 1970s

Nicknamed 'King Kenny' due to his overwhelming influence on Liverpool during his trophy-laden stay there.

Kenny Dalglish arrived at Anfield in 1977 after impressing in his native Scotland with Celtic. Under the guidance of legendary manager Bill Shankly and later Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, he led Liverpool to its most successful period till date.

He won a total of 25 trophies during his 23-year stay at the Kop, including three European Cups (now UEFA Champions League), six First Division Championships (now Premier League) and four League Cups, in addition to the nine trophies he won at Celtic, bringing his total trophy count to 34. He finished as runner-up in the 1983 Balon d'Or to Michel Platini

#4 Ryan Giggs- 34 Trophies won (Manchester United)

Ryan Giggs is one of the most successful players in history

A thorough one-club man, Ryan Giggs spent the whole of his professional career with his beloved Manchester United.

The precociously talented winger was handed his debut by the iconic Sir Alex Ferguson in 1991, and was present throughout the club's most successful era, playing a crucial role from when it began in 1992 till when it ended in 2013 with Fergie's departure.

During this glorious period, Manchester United and Ryan Giggs won a plethora of trophies, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League Crowns, four FA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup, one FIFA World Club Cup and four League Cups among others. He, unfortunately, didn't have any international success, failing to win or participate in a major tournament with his country Wales.

He retired from football in 2014 a year after Ferguson left and is the most decorated player in English football history. He has since gone into managerial duties and is currently the head coach of the Wales national team.

#3 Andres Iniesta- 35 trophies won: Barcelona(32), Spain(3)

Iniesta achieved multiple success with Spain and Barcelona

One of the most talented midfielders of all time, Andres Iniesta was a mainstay in the golden periods of Barcelona and the Spain national team, contributing immensely with his innate ability to dictate the tempo of a game from midfield and incisive passing.

His midfield combination with Xavi at the height of their powers for both Spain and Barcelona is considered one of the greatest of all time and was a crucial factor in the success enjoyed by both sides.

He spent 16 years in the Barcelona first team setup and won 33 titles, including nine La Liga crowns and four Champions League titles. He was also instrumental in ending Spain's 'perennial underachievers' tag and the 44-year wait for an international trophy with their EURO 2008 triumph.

The 2010 World Cup winning goal was also scored off the boot of Iniesta while he put in a man-of-the-match performance in Spain's 4-0 victory over Italy in the EURO 2012 final.

He ended his spell at Barcelona with a transfer to Vissel Kobe in Japan at the end of the just concluded season, and even though his personal accolades are not as much as his immense talents deserve due to the presence of Ronaldo and Messi, there is no denying that Iniesta is one of the greatest players of all time.

#2 Dani Alves 36 trophies won; Sevilla(5), Barcelona(23), Juventus(2), PSG(3), Brazil(3)

Dani Alves is a multiple time Champions League winner

The standout right-back over the last 15 years, Dani Alves has treated football fans to some impressive displays with his explosive forays down the right wing, combing brilliant attacking runs and crosses with astute defending.

Alves has maintained a high level of consistency throughout his professional career, and at 35 years is still the first choice right-back for club and country.

He has won numerous titles in different leagues, but his most successful spell was undoubtedly at Barcelona, as he was one of the first players signed by Pep Guardiola and he helped usher in the golden era between 2008 and 2015, winning 23 titles in that seven-year period including three Champions League crowns.

Trophies have also been won at Sevilla, in Italy with Juventus, with PSG in France and with the Selecao of Brazil.

#1 Maxwell 36 trophies won; Cruzeiro(1), Ajax(5), Inter Milan(5), Barcelona(10), PSG(15)

Maxwell is the joint-most decorated player in European history

A surprising inclusion given that he is not the most popular of players, Maxwell was the most decorated player in European footballing history for a long time before he was equalled by compatriot Alves at the end of last season.

Maxwell wasn't the most gifted of players but was an extremely dependable footballer who discharged his duties without any fuss.

He played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, and his spells there usually coincided with the golden periods of that club, including Inter Milan in the mid-noughties, Barcelona towards the end of the last decade and beginning of this one and PSG under their new ownership.

He went on an incredible run of winning the league title in nine out of 10 seasons (bar 2012) in 3 different countries for three different clubs from 2007 until his retirement in 2016; Inter Milan (2007-2009), Barcelona (2009-2011) and PSG(2012-2016).

He also tasted league success in the Netherlands with Ajax and was a Champions League winner with Barcelona in 2011.