10 Most Decorated British Players in Football History [Ranked]

Take the Newcastle fans, for example, who had to wait 70 years before finally being able to taste the exhilaration of a trophy again, and ask them if it wasn’t the greatest moment of their lives as supporters. Chances are, most of them will say yes. But they are not the only ones for whom titles count.

The players, who are all working towards this goal, are also constantly on the lookout for these successes. But some are more used to it than others. This is particularly true in Great Britain, the cradle of football, where legends who have lifted countless trophies are legion. Here, GIVEMESPORT presents the ten most decorated of them.

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10 Phil Neal — England

23 trophies — Northampton Town, Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers

Football is a difficult sport in which certain poor performances can lead fans to label players with nicknames that are not always pleasant to wear. But there are also cases where these nicknames are much more flattering. Phil Neal’s nickname of ‘Zico’, a reference to the Brazilian legend, is a good example.

It is recognition of the exceptional talent of the Englishman, considered by many to be the greatest British right-back in football history, whose attacking profile would hardly have been out of place in modern times. A unique player whose repeated performances at the highest level led him to win no fewer than 23 titles — including four Champions League titles — during his 11 years at Liverpool.

9 Scott Brown — Scotland

23 trophies — Hibernian, Celtic, Aberdeen

Ask any Celtic fan who was the true leader at the club in the 2010s, and many will undoubtedly tell you about Scott Brown. The type of player, from whom passion and desire emanated in an infectious way, that every club would surely dream of having in its squad. And that is undoubtedly the reason for the success of his adventure at Paradise.

It is a story that spans almost fifteen years, beginning in 2007 and ending in 2021, during which time he has made 620 appearances, most of them as captain, and lifted 22 of the 23 trophies – the first being a Scottish League Cup won with Hibernian — that make up his exceptional trophy cabinet.

8 Billy McNeill — Scotland

23 trophies — Celtic

If you’ve ever walked through Parkshead’s forecourt, you’ll certainly have noticed the presence of three statues. Three legends who have each left their mark on Celtic’s history. And it’s no surprise that one of them pays tribute to Billy McNeill.

Captain of the famous Lisbon Lions, who became the first British team to win the Champions League in 1967, the former Hoops defender remains the player with the most appearances to date — 790 — in the green and white colours of the legendary striped jersey of the Glasgow club. A one-club man now rightly regarded as one of the greatest Scottish players in the history of the game.

7 Callum McGregor — Scotland

23 trophies — Celtic, Notts County

If he was wondering, Brown can rest assured that the heir to his captain’s armband has already proved himself worthy of the role. After all, could we really expect anything else from Callum McGregor, a child of the club? Not a chance.

The Scottish midfielder, who already has as many titles to his name as his predecessor, was brought up on the exploits of his elders. So it was only logical that he should want to emulate them. To say that he has honoured their memory is an understatement. And as he enters the third decade of his life, it would be anything but surprising to see him continue to climb the rankings in the years to come.

6 Alan Hansen — Scotland

25 trophies — Partick Thistle, Liverpool

The case of Alan Hansen is somewhat special. Although official documents state that the legendary Scottish defender has won 17 titles during his time at Liverpool, the player himself claims to have amassed 18.

The fault lies with a total absence from the 1982 League Cup final, which is nevertheless part of his honours list — which we have therefore chosen to take into account. 18 trophies to which should be added no fewer than six Charity Shields (the forerunner of the Community Shield) and a Scottish second division title won in 1976 in the colours of Partick Thistle. Not bad, is it?

5 Paul Scholes — England

25 trophies — Manchester United

To speak of Paul Scholes simply implies referring to the most decorated English player in football history. In the course of his career, there have been few seasons in which the midfielder has not won a single trophy. Seven, to be precise, five of which ended in second-place finishes – four in the Premier League (1995, 1998, 2006, 2012) and two in the FA Cup (1995, 2005).

Although these failures were hard to take, they did not prevent him from hanging up his boots with 25 titles under his belt. All of which goes a long way towards cementing his reputation as one of the greatest English players of all time.

4 Bobby Lennox — Scotland

25 trophies — Celtic, Houston Hurricane

The fact that Bobby Lennox has amassed more silverware than his former team-mate and captain McNeill suggests just how successful a career the Saltcoats native has embraced. A player of extraordinary talent, hailed and recognised by such greats of his era as Alfredo di Stefano and Bobby Charlton, whose almost two decades at Celtic (apart from a brief spell with US side Houston Hurricane) led to him collecting 25 trophies with the club. Alfredo di Stefano about Bobby Lennox

And that’s without even mentioning his 277 goals — in 586 games — he bagged for the Scottish side, of which he remains the second-highest scorer in history. Quite impressive.

3 James Forrest — Scotland

25 trophies — Celtic

It is safe to say that when James Forrest decides to hang up his boots, he will be at the top of Celtic’s all-time list of most decorated players. In fact, he already is, but has to ‘content’ himself with sharing that status with Lennox. But all that could change very quickly.

At the time of writing, the Scottish winger, a product of the Bhoys’ youth system, has already won gold on 25 occasions. It is a record as impressive as it is prestigious, and one that he intends to continue adding to in the years, or rather months, to come.

2 Kenny Dalglish — Scotland

29 trophies — Celtic, Liverpool

If being a legend at one club is fantastic enough, being a legend at a second is something almost supernatural. Yet that is exactly what Kenny Dalglish is. And all at clubs as prestigious and as steeped in history as Celtic and Liverpool.

Two clubs where the ‘King’ has never walked alone, with whom he has won no fewer than 29 major trophies — including 20 in the colours of the Anfield outfit — and has forged himself a reputation second to none. To the point where many observers consider him to be the greatest player in the history of the Reds. Quite simply.

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1 Ryan Giggs — Wales

35 trophies — Manchester United

Ryan Giggs is the perfect example of how, for some players, age really is nothing more than a number. The Welshman was 40 when, on 6th May 2014, he appeared for the 963rd and final time in the colours of Manchester United. An exceptional longevity for a player whose anecdotes from his adventure at Old Trafford deserve to be told in more than just a book.

It was at the heart of the Theatre of Dreams, where he tread the boards for 24 seasons, that the legendary Red Devils player gave his finest performances, achieved his greatest successes and lifted the most prestigious titles. 35 in all, to set a record that will be broken for many years to come.