For as long as there has been football, there have been trophies. Since the FA Cup, the world’s oldest competitive trophy, was first won by Wanderers in 1872, hundreds of tournaments have been formed around the world.
In this article, we’ll take a look at football’s royalty: the top five clubs with the most trophies in football.
Who has won the most trophies in football? – The top five
#5: Club Atlético Peñarol (Uruguay) – 110 trophies
Formed by railway workers in Montevideo in 1892, Atletico Peñarol not only stand as South American footballing royalty, but also reign supreme in a host of sports. The Uruguayan giants have also had cycling, futsal, basketball and rugby teams, as well as a recent venture into e-sports.
Football is where Peñarol have always thrived though. They have never been relegated from the Uruguayan top-flight, with 53 Primera Division titles and three Intercontinental Cups both being record tallies.
The Intercontinental Cup was the predecessor of the FIFA Club World Cup, and saw Peñarol defeat the likes of Benfica and Real Madrid.
A totally unique honour belonging to Peñarol is the ‘South American Club of the Century’, awarded in 2009 for their lengthy honours list and their contribution to football on the continent.
#4: Celtic (Scotland) – 113
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of football has heard of Celtic. Though the Glasgow side may not be as internationally competitive as they once were, they currently have an iron-clad grip on Scottish football.
The Buoys have won 12 of the last 13 Scottish Premiership titles, giving them a total of 53, and won a record 41st Scottish Cup in 2022/23.
Formed in 1887 to help alleviate poverty in Glasgow’s Irish-Scottish east end, Celtic’s greatest achievement undoubtedly came in 1967. Under the leadership of legendary boss Jock Stein, Celtic won every competition they entered, becoming the first side in Europe to win a treble, and the only to win a quadruple.
They triumphed over Inter Milan in the European Cup final in Lisbon, much to the envy of rivals Rangers. But what was particularly remarkable about that side was that every player in the squad was born within 30 miles of Celtic Park. This legendary side is known as the ‘Lisbon Lions’.
#3: Club Nacional de Football (Uruguay) –116
Narrowly beating out their eternal rivals Peñarol are Club Nacional de Uruguay. The other half of Uruguay’s own ‘Clasico’, who are also based in Montevideo.
Formed from a merger of two previous clubs in 1899, Nacional still have more trophies than their rivals, despite forming seven years later. They have 49 Primera Division titles, a trio of Copa Libertadores trophies and another treble of Intercontinental Cups.
In the 1930s, Nacional’s greatest team, known as ‘La Máquina Blanca’ (The White Machine) went on several worldwide tours, dazzling North American and European audiences.
Back home, they won a war of attrition with Peñarol in 1933, when they defeated them in a series of final games to claim the championship.
#2: Rangers (Scotland) –118
Celtic and Rangers are never far away from one another, on or off the pitch. Just four miles separate these two giants of European football, whose rivalry is rooted in much more than just football.
Formed in 1872 by four teenage boys, Rangers are the fourth-oldest club in Scotland.
Despite Celtic’s aforementioned dominance of Scottish football in more recent times, the blue half of Glasgow can still boast more trophies than their nemesis to the east – even after Rangers’ financial implosion and forced relegation to the fourth tier in 2012
Rangers have two key records: a staggering 55 Scottish league titles, and an incredible 28 Scottish league cups. The latest of those league titles came in unbeaten fashion, under Steven Gerrard back in 2020.
#1: Al Ahly (Egypt) – 121
Sitting on top of the world's trophy tree are Egyptian goliaths Al Ahly. The club, aptly nicknamed ‘Nadi El Qarn’ (Club of The Century), holds the record for most wins in every domestic and continental tournament they are part of.
Egyptian Premier Leagues? They have 57 of those. Egypt Cup? 39 in the cabinet. Egyptian Super Cup? They’ve won 14 of its 21 iterations.
Even on the continent, Al Ahly’s dominance is unrelenting. They have won eleven CAF Champions League trophies, and are the current holders.
Al Ahly’s finest moment came in 2005/06. Led by icon of Egyptian football, Mohamed Aboutrika, the Cairo colossus won a quadruple, and their season fell inside an incredible 52-game unbeaten run that lasted 852 days.
Where are Real Madrid?
Real Madrid are one of the most widely-known and successful sides in history. They are just outside this top five list, with their 97 trophies only being good enough for sixth place.
Los Merengues have just wrapped up a record 36th La Liga title, and could extend their dominance of the UEFA Champions League to a record 15th win if Carlo Ancelotti’s side capture club football’s greatest trophy again this season.
With Ancelotti set to stay at least one more season at the Bernabeu, the Italian serial winner could yet be the man to tip Los Blancos over the 100-trophy mark in the coming years.
Real also have a proud place on our top five richest clubs list.
