Every football fan will tell you their club is the best, but only a select few actually have the proof to back it up.
By proof, talkSPORT means club football’s holy grail – silverware. But which sides around the world are the ones that have the busiest trophy cabinets?
20 clubs stand above the rest when it comes to trophiesGetty
There are a handful of clubs that seem to be winning everything in their respective competitions in recent times, with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City and Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain springing to mind.
But despite their recent dominance, that doesn’t guarantee them a spot in the top 20 most successful clubs ever.
talkSPORT.com has taken a deep dive into who those 20 teams are, using the number of trophies and honours clubs have won in their history to decide the ranking below.
The list could change depending on your own definition of a trophy. No league titles below the top-flight are included here, while Super Cup-style competitions are. Without further ado, here is the list of sides that make it into the coveted top 20 most successful clubs from all around the world.
20. Zamalek (54 trophies and honours)
Giza based Zamalek is one of the most successful sides in Africa and the Middle EastGetty
Egyptian side Zamalek won the most titles in African tournaments in 20th century. That success has carried on, with them winning the CAF Confederation Cup in May 2024.
Zamalek, who play at the Cairo International Stadium, have won 14 Egyptian league titles and 28 Egyptian Cups. They also have a fierce rivalry with noisy neighbours Al Ahly… more on them later.
19. Deportivo Colo-Colo (55 trophies and honours)
Colo Colo, who are based in Macul, Santiago, have 33 Chilean league titles to their name, the most of any team in the country.
The 2022 Campeonato Chileno champions were the first Chilean team to win a continental tournament, too, winning the 1991 Copa Libertadores.
18. Club Olimpia & Boca Juniors (56 trophies and honours)
Boca Juniors have played in the Primera Division since 1913AFP
From one South American giant to another, Paraguay’s Club Olimpia have won a record 46 Primera Division titles, including a unique record run of winning the league six consecutive times.
Meanwhile, Argentinian side Boca Juniors, who produced ex-Man City star Carlos Tevez and Diego Maradona, have won 35 Primera Division titles and 17 domestic cups. Boca are also ranked third in the world in terms of number of complete international titles, after Real Madrid (28) and Egyptian side Al Ahly (25).
17. Anderlecht & FCSB (60 trophies and honours)
FCSB has spent its whole history in Romanian’s top tierGetty
Anderlecht are the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions, with five of those trophies to their name. They’ve won 34 top flight league titles wins, nine Belgian Cups and also hold the record for most consecutive Belgian championship titles, winning five between the 1963/64 and 1967/68 seasons.
Romania’s FCSB have won the league 27 times, starting in 1951 and the last title coming in 2024, a competition record. They’ve also won the Supa Romaniei 24 times, the Cupa Ligii two times, and the Supercupa Romaniei seven times, also all competition records.
16. Liverpool (63 trophies and honours)
Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions in 2020getty
Premier League giants Liverpool have won the most European Cups of any British club (6). They’ve also won a phenomenal 19 top-flight league titles. Trophies in the FA Cup, League Cup and Super Cups lead the Reds to be the second most successful club in England.
Their most recent success came in the Carabao Cup in early 2024.
15. Galatasaray (64 trophies and honours)
Galatasaray now have a big lead over Fenerbahce in terms of tiles wonGetty
Turkish giants Galatasaray boast 24 Super Lig titles, five more than rivals Fenerbahce, amongst their other successes.
They sealed the 2023/24 title in style with a 102-point haul.
14. Man United (66 trophies and honours)
Man United completed the treble in 1999 to cap a dominant decade at home and abroadGetty
Six years without winning a trophy hasn’t stopped Man United from being the most successful club in England.
With a record breaking 20 Premier League titles to their name, Man United’s Carabao Cup win in 2023 marked their first bit of silverware since the Europa League in 2017. The Red Devils are also into the FA Cup final for the 2023/24 campaign, so could add to their honours list.
13. Juventus (68 trophies and honours)
Juve are Italy’s most successful clubGetty
Juventus hold the record number of trophy wins in a number of competitions with 36 Serie As, 15 Coppa Italias and nine Supercoppa Italiana titles.
The ‘Old Lady’ won consecutive league titles from 2011/12 to 2019/20, the longest winning streak ever recorded in Serie A before claiming Coppa Italia glory in May 2024.
12. Ajax (73 trophies and honours)
Van de Beek won three trophies during his time at AjaxGetty
Considering Ajax’s dominance in the Eredivisie, it’s no surprise they appear in the top 20 most successful clubs when it comes to silverware.
But it’s not just their 36 league titles that have them in the list. They have won the European Cup/Champions League four times, and are one of three clubs that have won the competition three times consecutively (1970 through to 1973).
11. Porto (79 trophies and honours)
Porto won the pinnacle of European football 19 years agoGetty
Ex-Chelsea, Tottenham and Man United boss Jose Mourinho‘s success with Porto is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Portuguese giants’ honours.
Porto are the second most decorated team in Portuguese football, winning the top-flight 30 times and the Portuguese Cup on 20 occasions.
10. Olympiacos (80 trophies and honours)
Olympiacos are the Greek gods of world footballGetty
Olympiacos are the most successful club in Greek football history, having won 47 League titles, 28 Cups (18 doubles) and 4 Super Cups, all records.
Olympiacos also won their first European trophy in 2024, as they claimed glory in the Conference League.
9. Bayern Munich & Al-Faisaly (81 trophies and honours)
Bayern take the title of most successful German clubAFP
FC Bayern have won 30 league titles, a record in the German top flight. Since the foundation of the Bundesliga in 1963, Munich have won more than half of the league titles (29 out of 57). With Harry Kane bagging for them now too, they look nailed on to add more trophies to their collection.
Meanwhile, Jordan’s Al-Faisaly have secured 35 Jordanian league titles and are the most successful club in the region.
8. Benfica (83 trophies and honours)
Benfica are the most successful club in PortugalGetty
Benfica are the most decorated club in Portugal, with 2023’s league title win being their 38th, edging fellow Primera Liga side Porto.
They also won back to back European Cups in 1960/61 to 1961/62, beating El Clasico foes Barcelona then Real Madrid in the respective finals.
7. Barcelona (92 trophies and honours)
Barcelona are synonymous with trophy winningGetty
Speaking of El Clasico, LaLiga giants Barcelona come just behind rivals Real Madrid in the silverware rankings.
With 27 top-flight league titles and five Champions Leagues under their belt, former superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Ronaldinho were among those lifting their conveyor belt of trophies. It’s no surprise football icons such as Kane were inspired by them.
6. Real Madrid (98 trophies and honours)
Real Madrid won yet another UCL in 2024Getty
Los Blancos pip their Spanish rivals thanks to their superior tallies in the major tournaments. The club has a whopping record 36 top flight league titles, nine Champions Leagues and 20 Spanish Cups amongst other accolades.
Real Madrid has the highest participation in the European Cup/Champions League (43), holding the overall record for the most wins, most draws and most goals scored in the competition. And after claiming more European glory in 2024, they’ll hope to add another few trophies to their collection.
5. Penarol (110 trophies and honours)
Uruguayan Penarol have never been relegatedGetty
We’re into the over-100 trophies territory now. Uruguayan giants Penarol are the most successful Uruguayan club with 49 league titles.
They are also the third-highest Copa Libertadores winners, with five victories so far. It’s a tight competition between them and rivals Nacional when it comes to silverware.
4. Celtic (115 trophies and honours)
Hart has enjoyed a new lease of life in GlasgowGetty
Coming in fourth are Scottish giants and reigning Scottish Premiership champions Celtic. The club’s greatest season was 1966/67, when Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup, also winning the Scottish league championship, the Scottish Cup, the League Cup and the Glasgow Cup.
With 54 top flight titles and 42 Scottish Cup wins amongst their accolades, it’s crazy to think Celtic aren’t the most successful side in Scotland.
3. Club Nacional de Football (116 trophies and honours)
Uruguayan team Club Nacional de Football also boast 116. 49 league titles, eight Copa de Competencias, seven Copa de Honors and three Copa Libertadores make up their collection of trophies.
They have dominated the Primera Division from its inception often exchanging league titles with Penarol.
Suarez enjoyed a brief stint with NacionalGetty
2. Rangers (117 trophies and honours)
Defoe was part of the last Rangers side to win the Scottish titleGetty
Speaking of the most successful team in Scotland, let’s talk about Rangers. Coming second in the rankings, the Gers just snub their rivals’ tally, winning 55 league titles and 34 Scottish Cups as part of their 117 honours.
They were level with Nacional but their League Cup success in early 2024 just edges them ahead.
1. Al Ahly (124 trophies and honours)
Al Ahly are the kings of world football!Getty
If you didn’t know their name before, now you do! Egyptian side Al Ahly boast the highest number of trophies and honours, totalling a ginormous 123. That must be one big trophy cabinet!
The Egyptian Premier League side has a record of 44 Egyptian Premier League titles, 38 Egypt Cup titles and 14 Egyptian Super Cups among other honours. As a result, they are is the most successful club in both Africa and the world!
All information has been taken from each relevant club’s website.
