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The European Cup began life in 1956 and has been played every year since. Rebranded as the Champions League in 1992, it is the most prestigious prize in European club football.
Four years after its inception, a continental competition was created for international teams. The European Nations’ Cup kicked off in 1960 and later became known as the European Championship. It is played every four years.
Over time, the Champions League and the Euros have grown in size, with more teams taking part. But if anything, that has made the two tournaments tougher and more competitive than ever before.
Winning one continental crown is often the highlight of a player’s career. Here, a look at some of the footballers in the men’s game who became European champions for club and country…
34. Tarcisio Burgnich
Tarcisio Burgnich was the right-back in Helenio Herrera’s Grande Inter side of the 1960s and helped the Nerazzurri win the European Cup in 1964 and 1965.
Capped 66 times by Italy, Burgnich was in the team which won Euro 1968 and played the full 90 minutes as the Azzurri lost the 1970 World Cup final to Brazil. He featured in three World Cups overall.
33. Fabien Barthez
Fabien Barthez was Marseille’s goalkeeper as OM won the Champions League in 1993, helping the French side keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over AC Milan.
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Years later, Barthez was between the sticks for France in both their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 wins. He picked up 87 caps in total between 1994 and 2006, retiring from France duty after appearing in another World Cup final for Les Bleus.
32. Bixente Lizarazu
Bixente Lizarazu was one of the finest full-backs of his generation and the left-sided defender spent seven seasons at Bayern Munich between 1997 and 2004, later returning for another two. With the Bavarian club, Lizarazu was a Champions League winner in 2001 – when he scored a penalty in the shootout – and a runner-up in 1999.
A French Basque who also played for Athletic Club, Lizarazu picked up almost 100 caps for France and was a key player as Les Bleus won the World Cup in 1998 and Euro 2000 a couple of years later.
31. Peter Schmeichel
Considered the best goalkeeper of his era and one of the greatest of all time, Peter Schmeichel was the last line of defence for Manchester United’s treble-winning team of 1998/99.
Earlier in the decade, Schmeichel was instrumental in Denmark’s Euro 92 win, saving a penalty from Marco van Basten in a semi-final shootout and making a number of key stops in the final as the Scandinavians beat Germany to win the trophy – having only been in the tournament at all due to Yugoslavia’s disqualification.
30. Pedro
Pedro was not always a starter for Barcelona, but the Tenerife-born winger made over 300 appearances for the Catalan club, scored 99 goals and won an array of silverware – including Champions League crowns in 2009, 2011 and 2015. A late sub in the 2009 and 2015 finals, Pedro scored in the 3-1 win over Manchester United in the 2011 showpiece.
The winger also started for Spain in their 2010 World Cup final win against the Netherlands and came off the bench as La Roja retained their continental crown at Euro 2012. He was not involved in Spain’s Euro 2008 win, having made his Barcelona debut later in the year.
29. Uli Hoeness
Uli Hoeness won three European Cups with Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s and scored twice in a replay as the Bavarians beat Atletico Madrid to win the first of those in 1974. The left-sided forward saw his career curtailed following a bad tackle by Leeds United’s Frank Gray in the 1975 final, from which he never fully recovered.
Despite retiring at the age of just 27, Hoeness still picked up plenty of silverware, also featuring in the West Germany teams which won the Euros in 1972 and the World Cup two years later.
28. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 1998 and started for Les Bleus in their Euro 2000 triumph two years later.
The former Arsenal striker had to wait longer to win the Champions League, though. After losing the final against Barcelona in 2006, he moved to the Catalan club a year later and was part of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning team in 2008/09.
27. David Villa
David Villa scored four goals for Spain at Euro 2008, including a hat-trick against Russia, as La Roja picked up a first major trophy since 1964.
Villa signed for Barcelona ahead of the 2010 World Cup – where he hit another five goals en route to the title – and impressed alongside Lionel Messi and Pedro as the Blaugrana beat Manchester United to win the Champions League in 2011. On target in the 3-1 win at Wembley, he suffered a serious injury in December that year and ended up missing out on Euro 2012 as Spain went on to retain the trophy.
26. Matthias Sammer
Matthias Sammer played as a sweeper or a central midfielder and is best remembered for his time at Borussia Dortmund, where he was key in helping the club win their first Champions League crown in 1997.
At international level, Sammer won 23 caps for East Germany but later represented the unified team. At Euro 96, he scored for Germany against Russia in the group stages and a winner versus Croatia in the quarter-finals en route to the trophy. He was named Player of the Tournament after Germany beat the Czech Republic in the final and won the Ballon d’Or later in the year.
25. Sandro Mazzola
One of the stars in the Grande Inter team of the 1960s, Sandro Mazzola helped the Nerazzurri win back-to-back European Cups in 1964 and 1965.
Mazzola spent his entire career with Inter and won 70 caps for Italy, scoring 22 goals. He was part of the Azzurri side which won Euro 1968 and finished as a runner-up in the 1970 World Cup.
24. Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly won the Champions League two years in a row, with two different clubs, in two different positions – as a centre-back with Marseille in 1993 as OM beat AC Milan and as a central midfielder for the Rossoneri in a 4-0 win over Barcelona the following year.
At international level, Desailly started at centre-back for France in their 1998 World Cup win and again in Les Bleus’ Euro 2000 triumph. He won 116 caps in total.
23. Ronald Koeman
Ronald Koeman won the European Cup twice, with PSV and Barcelona, scoring in the shootout as the Dutch side beat Benfica 6-5 on penalties in the 1988 final and netting a free-kick winner as the Blaugrana defeated Sampdoria in 1992. It was the first European Cup for both clubs.
And the big sweeper helped his national team to a first-ever major trophy in men’s football as well, starting for the Netherlands at Euro 88 as the Oranje went all the way, beating the Soviet Union 2-0 in the final.
22. Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps won the European Cup with two different clubs, captaining Marseille to victory over AC Milan in 1993 and taking home the title again as Juventus beat Ajax on penalties three years later. He was also a runner-up with Juve in the 1997 and 1998 finals.
At international level, Deschamps was French captain and a fixture in midfield as Les Bleus won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later. He retired from international duty after Euro 2000 and led France to another World Cup win as coach in 2018.
21. Giacinto Facchetti
A legendary left-back for Inter and Italy, Giacinto Facchetti spent his entire career with the Milan giants and won 94 caps for the Azzurri between 1963 and 1977.
Facchetti was part of the great Inter team which won back-to-back European Cups in 1964 and 1965. He was also Italy’s captain in their Euro 1968 triumph, which featured a win over the Soviet Union on a coin toss in the semi-finals and a replay victory over Yugoslavia in the final. Facchetti was also Italy’s skipper in 1970 as the Azzurri reached the World Cup final, losing 4-1 to Brazil.
20. Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit was one of the best players in the world in the late 1980s. The former Dutch forward was instrumental as AC Milan won back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990, scoring twice in the 1989 final against Steaua Bucharest.
Gullit was also on target in the final of Euro 88 as the Netherlands beat the Soviet Union 2-0 to claim a first-ever international trophy. And as captain, he got to lift the trophy in Munich.
19. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge joined Bayern Munich in 1974 and featured in two of the Bavarians’ three European Cup triumphs in the mid-1970s, although he was an unused substitute against Leeds United in the 1975 showpiece.
A European Championship winner with West Germany in 1980, the versatile forward also helped his nation to back-to-back World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986, but was on the losing side both times and retired from international football after Mexico 86.
18. Marco van Basten
One of the greatest strikers of all time, Marco van Basten claimed the Ballon d’Or three times and was a two-time European Cup winner with AC Milan – in 1989 and 1990. In the first of those finals, he scored twice in a 4-0 victory over Steaua Bucharest.
But in a career which was curtailed by injury, he is probably best remembered for his brilliant volley for the Netherlands in the Euro 88 final against the Soviet Union as the Dutch won a first-ever major honour in men’s football. He was also the top scorer and the tournament’s best player.
17. Pepe
Pepe made over 300 appearances for Real Madrid in a decade at the Spanish side between 2007 and 2017, helping Los Blancos to three Champions League titles in that time – in 2014, 2016 and 2017. He did not take part in the 2017 final, not even from the bench, after an injury-hit final season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Born in Brazil, Pepe opted to represent Portugal at international level after receiving citizenship and the centre-back was a key member of the team which won Euro 2016. The defender continued playing for Porto and Portugal into his 40s.
16. Sepp Maier
Sepp Maier was in goal for Bayern Munich in all three of their European Cup wins in the mid-1970s and made over 700 appearances in a career spent entirely with the Bavarian giants.
Maier won the European Championship with West Germany in 1972 and was a runner-up four years later, when he was beaten by Antonin Panenka’s famous penalty in the shootout against Czechoslovakia. A World Cup winner in 1974, he earned 95 caps for West Germany in total.
15. Gerard Pique
Gerard Pique was part of two treble-winning teams at Barcelona – in 2009 and 2015 – and was also a starter in central defence in a third Champions League triumph for the Blaugrana in 2011.
Pique was not involved for Spain at Euro 2008 as he made his international debut the following year, but was key in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship wins for La Roja and went on to earn over 100 caps.
14. Carles Puyol
Carles Puyol was an inspirational captain for Barcelona and the centre-back was skipper for three Champions League wins with the Catalan club – in 2006, 2009 and 2011. In the last of those, he came on as a late substitute after injury and allowed Eric Abidal to lift the trophy following the French defender’s return from an operation to remove a tumour from his liver.
Puyol was also key for Spain in their Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup wins, featuring in central defence all the way through both tournaments. Always committed and fiercely competitive, the Catalan centre-back won 100 caps for La Roja, but missed Euro 2012 through injury.
13. Sergio Busquets
Promoted from the youth team by Pep Guardiola in 2008, Sergio Busquets quickly became a key player for Barcelona in a memorable midfield alongside Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Busquets went on to make over 700 appearances for the Catalan club and was a Champions League winner in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Having made his Spain debut in 2009, Busquets was not involved at Euro 2008, but the defensive midfielder helped La Roja win the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship in 2012. In total, he won 143 caps for Spain.
12. Dani Carvajal
When Real Madrid won the Champions League in 2024, Dani Carvajal and team-mates Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Nacho all became six-time European Cup winners – along with the club’s legendary winger Paco Gento.
Carvajal made his Spain debut in 2014 and won his first trophy at international level in 2023, scoring the winning penalty as La Roja beat Croatia to claim the UEFA Nations League. And he became a European champion with Spain the following year as La Roja won all seven of their matches at Euro 2024, beating England in the final.
11. Gerd Müller
A lethal finisher who scored over 500 goals for Bayern Munich in the 1960s and 1970s, Gerd Müller was part of the team which won three European Cups in a row between 1974 and 1976. And Der Bomber netted in two of those finals – two in a 4-0 replay win over Atletico Madrid in 1974 and another versus Leeds United in 1975.
At international level, Müller won both the World Cup and the Euros, netting two in the 1972 European Championship final against the Soviet Union and the winner versus the Netherlands in the World Cup showpiece two years later. He was also on target in the final of Euro 1976, but West Germany lost to Czechoslovakia on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
10. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is part of a select group of footballers who won every major honour in the game for club and country, along with the Ballon d’Or.
Zidane led France to World Cup glory in 1998 and to a continental crown at Euro 2000 two years later. He was also instrumental as Les Bleus reached the World Cup final again in 2006, although his last-ever match as a professional footballer ended in disgrace as he headbutted Italy’s Marco Materazzi and was sent off, with the French later beaten on penalties. After losing two Champions League finals with Juventus, his wonderful volley against Bayer Leverkusen sealed a 2-1 win for Real Madrid in the 2002 final. And he later returned as coach to lead Los Blancos to three more Champions League crowns.
9. Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres was never quite the same player after leaving Liverpool for Chelsea in 2011, but the highlight of the Spanish striker’s career came in blue as he helped the west London side win the Champions League in 2012. Torres, who scored a late leveller against Barcelona at Camp Nou in the semi-finals, later reached another final with Atletico Madrid.
But the most memorable moment of his career was his winner for Spain against Germany in the final of Euro 2008. Four years later, he netted in the final again as La Roja beat Italy 4-0 and despite being a substitute, finished the tournament as joint top scorer on three goals. He was also part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad in 2010.
8. Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard was one of the stars of the Netherlands team which won Euro 88, the first major trophy in the nation’s football history.
The stylish defensive midfielder later won two European Cups at AC MIlan, in 1989 and 1990 (when he scored the winner against Benfica), before adding another – now the Champions League – in his second spell with Ajax in 1995. As coach, he also won it with Barcelona in 2006.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is the Champions League’s all-time top scorer and one of the competition’s legendary players, with four wins at Real Madrid and another with Manchester United. The Portuguese superstar has appeared in six finals overall and scored in three of those – including two in a memorable 4-1 win over Juventus in 2017.
And at Euro 2016, Ronaldo captained Portugal to the title in France, scoring three goals in the tournament. In the final against the hosts, he was injured early on and had to go off, but later returned to bark instructions from the sidelines and was there to lift the trophy in wild celebrations after Eder’s extra-time winner.
6. Xabi Alonso
One of the most stylish midfielders of his generation, Xabi Alonso won the Champions League twice in an impressive career, scoring in Liverpool’s epic comeback from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005 and then helping Real Madrid claim their 10th title, La Décima, in 2014 (although he missed the final through suspension). He was also a runner-up with the Reds in 2007.
Alonso featured prominently for Spain in their back-to-back Euros wins in 2008 and 2012. A substitute in the 2008 final, he started all through the tournament four years later and scored twice against France en route to the trophy. The Basque was also part of Spain’s World Cup-winning side in 2010.
5. Franz Beckenbauer
One of the most legendary and influential figures in football history, Franz Beckenbaeur captained Bayern Munich to three successive European Cup wins between 1974 and 1976.
Often credited with having invented the role of sweeper or libero, Beckenbauer was West Germany skipper for their European Championship triumph in 1972 and again in 1976 as Die Mannschaft were beaten in the final by Czechoslovakia on penalties. He also captained West Germany to the World Cup in 1974, was a losing finalist in 1966 and a winner as coach in 1990. On top of that, Der Kaiser picked up the Ballon d’Or twice in an unbelievable career.
4. Andres Iniesta
Andres Iniesta came off the bench to help Barcelona beat Arsenal in the Champions League final in 2006 and the elegant midfielder was key as the Blaugrana went on to claim the trophy again in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Also a key part of Spain’s special midfield through their period of spectacular success between 2008 and 2012, Iniesta helped La Roja to back-to-back Euros titles in those years and was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2012. He also scored the winner against the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final as Spain secured the trophy for the first time in their history.
3. Xavi
Xavi won the Champions League with Barça in 2006, although he was only on the bench for the game against Arsenal after a recent injury. Instrumental in the 2009 and 2011 wins under Pep Guardiola, the midfielder came on as a substitute to help Barça beat Juventus and win another treble in the 2015 final – his last-ever game for the Catalan club.
Player of the Tournament as Spain won Euro 2008, Xavi remained key through the team’s unprecedented era of success, winning the World Cup in 2010 and then another European Championship crown in 2012.
2. Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos won four Champions League titles at Real Madrid, including three in a row between 2016 and 2018. Club captain for those three, he scored in two finals, including a memorable late leveller against Atletico to force extra time in the 2014 final.
Ramos was also in the Spain sides which won back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012 – as a right-back in Austria and Switzerland and in central defence four years later in Poland and Ukraine. He went on to captain La Roja and won a record 180 caps.
1. Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas won the Champions League three times with Real Madrid, famously coming off the bench to make some heroic saves against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 and captaining the team against Atletico in 2014, when Sergio Ramos saved his blushes with a late leveller after his early error gifted the Rojiblancos the lead.
Spain’s skipper throughout their golden era, Casillas helped Spain win the European Championship in 2008 and 2012, making two key saves in the penalty shootout against Italy in the first of those and not conceding a goal in the knockout games across the two tournaments. He is the only man to have lifted the trophy twice as captain and was also skipper for Spain’s World Cup win in 2010.
