Every Champions League winner's best ever player

The Champions League/European Cup is the most storied trophy in European football. The greatest players win the cup for the most successful teams. Here are the best players to play for each team.

Winger Jimmy Johnstone played for Celtic for 13 years, winning countless domestic trophies, the 1967 European Cup, and scoring 129 goals in 515 appearances.

Willy van der Kuijlen is PSV's most incredible attacker, scoring over 300 times in 528 games for the club. He won the Eredivisie three times and the UEFA Cup once.

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Football legend Hagi played for Steaua Bucharest for three seasons, scoring the winning goal in the 1986 Super Cup and netting 98 goals in 107 games.

Dragan Dzajic is regarded as one of the most underrated footballers ever. He made over 300 appearances for Red Star and was named the Euro 68 Player of the Tournament.

Seeler was named one of FIFA's 100 greatest living players by Pelé in 2004 and scored an astonishing 404 goals in 476 games for Hamburg in 20 years.

Withe scored the decisive goal in Villa's 1982 European Cup success and scored 20 goals to help Villa win the league in 1981. He scored 90 goals in 233 games, per GiveMeSport.

Papin played for Marseille between 1986 and 1992, winning the 1991 Ballon d'Or and helping them to four straight French titles. He scored 134 goals in 214 games.

Van Hanegem is considered the second-best Dutch player of the 1970s. He helped Feyenoord to the European Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup in 1974. The Netherlands capped him 52 times.

Matthias Sammer joined BVB as one of the best defenders in the world, and he blossomed during his time in Germany. He won the Champions League with Dortmund in 1997, was named the German Footballer of the Year twice, and won the Ballon d'Or.

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Kevin De Bruyne is still plying his trade for Manchester City, but he's already established himself as their best. He's been the mastermind behind City's last six Premier League title wins and helped them lift the Champions League in 2023.

Deco played over 150 games for Porto in five years, winning the Champions League in 2004 and becoming the Player of the Match. He was the UEFA Best Midfielder in 2004.

Striker Del Piero played 19 seasons with Juventus and 705 games for the 'Old Lady.' Per Sport Mole, he scored 290 goals for Juve and delivered Champions League success in 1996.

Eusebio, the 1965 Ballon d'Or winner, is the greatest Benfica player of all time. He scored 727 goals in 715 matches for the Eagles and helped them win the 1962 European Cup.

Robertson was a tricky winger who made over 500 appearances for Forest and scored 95 goals. He helped Forest to multiple titles, including the two European Cup successes.

For 20 years, John Terry was a remarkable defender who played 717 games for Chelsea and scored 67 goals. He is one of the greatest defenders ever and has lifted five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2012.

Javier Zanetti is a modern-day legend for Inter Milan. He made 858 appearances and led Inter to 16 trophies, including the UEFA Cup, Club World Cup, and Champions League.

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Wayne Rooney is an icon in football and was Manchester United's main man during one of their most dominant spells. According to Transfermarkt, he made 559 appearances and scored a record 253 goals. He won the Champions League in 2008.

Johan Cruyff revolutionized football in the Netherlands and the world, transcending the sport to a new level in the 1970s. He led Ajax to three European Cups and eight Eredivisie titles.

The GOAT. Lionel Messi is FC Barcelona's and the world's greatest-ever player. He has won a record eight Ballon d'Or and four Champions League titles with FC Barcelona.

Bayern Munich has retired its number 5 jersey in honour of Franz Beckenbauer. As a defender, he has won three European Cups and two Ballon d'Or.

Gerrard was an unstoppable force in midfield for Liverpool, playing 710 games and scoring 186 goals. He scored the first goal in Liverpool's unthinkable comeback against AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, which he won as captain.

Maldini is the true symbol of AC Milan. He played his entire professional career there and made over 1,000 appearances. He won seven Serie A titles and five Champions League titles.

Often considered the greatest player ever, Cristiano Ronaldo's record for Real Madrid is extraordinary. He scored 450 goals in 438 games, won four Champions League trophies at the club, and is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

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