Champions League Winners and Hall Of Fame!

Looking back at the decade of Champions League finals, one team stands out from the rest - Real Madrid. In the era that started with Cristianoo Ronaldo, the club has stomped its dominance in the Champions League, with the team always clear favorites to make it to the Champions League finals.
There is a famous quote from Real Madrid fans that they already pre-booked Champions League final tickets, anticipating that their side would automatically cut.
Looking back from the start of the Champions League, Real has won the title 14 times and has come to the Champions League final on 17 occasions.
In the last decade, Real Madrid fans have had Champions League final tickets on five occasions, the last being in 2022. All of these finals have gone in favor of the side.
Hence, the 2022 win from Real Madrid elevated three of its legends, Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal, and Luka Modric, to equal Ronaldo in titles.
Madrid’s 2022 win ensured that Karim Benzema. Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric went on to achieve a special milestone in their Champions League careers, winning their fifth with the club.
This rare feat meant that the three of these players became 3 of the four players to have won 5 Champions League titles, joining Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo has four Champions League titles with Real Madrid during their golden era, along with the Champions League win with Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The wins were from 2008, followed by the additional triumphs of 2014,2016, 2017, and 2018. Fans from Real Madrid, who had Champions League tickets for these encounters, will fondly remember Ronaldo’s heroics throughout the tournament and in the finals.
The 2022 win against Liverpool in the Champions League final at the State De France allowed Carvahak, Benzema, and Modric to join this exclusive club.
Casemiro and Toni Kroos are two other players now at four Champions League titles. They are just one title away from matching Ronaldo’s achievement. Kroos and Casemiro were part of the five Champions League campaigns, but both of them missed on a final.
Kroos was integral in the 2013 campaign for Real Madrid but had to miss out on the final that year. Similarly, Casemiro, in his first year at the club, had to skip 2014’s final owing to injury.
Kroos continues to be a part of the Real Madrid team that is looking for their 15th title this season, while things have spiraled down for Casemiro ever since he left for Manchester City.
Other notable players in the four Champions League titles list are Andres Iniesta and Clarence Seedorf.
Iniesta and Barcelona were in absolute sync when they dominated the European competition with a world-class lineup, and Iniesta was an instrumental player in all of these campaigns.
Clarence Seedorf is the only player to win a Champions League with three different clubs, which is a unique record that is still unmatched.
He won it once with Ajax in 1995, once with Real Madrid in 1998, and twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.
5 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
5 Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
5 Luka Modrić (Real Madrid)
5 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid)
4 Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
4 Casemiro (Real Madrid)
4 Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)
4 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
4 Isco (Real Madrid)
4 Marcelo (Real Madrid)
4 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
4 Clarence Seedorf (Ajax, Real Madrid, Milan)
Like Casemiro, other players were part of four Champions League winning campaigns but did not play the final.
Lionel Messi: 2006*, 2009, 2011, 2015 (Barcelona)
*Did not play in the final in 2006
Gerard Piqué: 2008*, 2009, 2011, 2015 (Manchester United, Barcelona)
*Did not play in the final in 2006
2014, 2016*, 2017, 2018 (Real Madrid) *Did not play in the final
Xavi Hernández: 2006*, 2009, 2011, 2015 (Barcelona) *Did not play in the final
In 2006, Lionel Messi had to opt out of the final against Arsenal after making his mark on the world stage.
To this day, he still adds that he regrets this moment.
The 7-time Ballon, d’Or winner, was sidelined owing to a hamstring injury, and in an interview, he recently admitted that he wished he had been on the bench to cherish that moment of victory.
He added that he participated in every single tournament clash until the game in the Round of 16 clash against Chelsea and that he deeply regrets that season.
That year, Barcelona secured a narrow win against one of the greatest Arsenal teams, winning it 2-1. Juliano Belletti scored the late goal that sealed the deal for the Catalan club. Despite missing the final in 2006, the prolific striker made history with FC Barcelona to win three more titles.
Ronaldo is the lone warrior with the most UEFA Champions League goals. Having made it to five victorious Champions League finals, the Portuguese forward’s first was in the 2008 final against Chelsea.
He then brought his goal-scoring luck to Real Madrid, in the crunch final against Atletico Madrid, to score the equalizer in the final minute to go into extra time.
Later, Ronaldo added two more goals against Juventus in the 2017 final at Cardiff. Along with Ronaldo, Milan legend Palo Maldini also has five final goals to his name.
While Ronaldo’s goals are commendable, he remains way behind the legendary players of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas, who have seven European goals.
4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Man United, Real Madrid)
3 Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
2 Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona)
2 Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan)
2 Daniele Massaro (AC Milan)
2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
2 Raúl González (Real Madrid)

European Cup (all time)
7 Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid)
7 Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid)
4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Man United/Real Madrid)
3 Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
3 Eusébio (Benfica)