The best ever: The 6 players that have won every UEFA and FIFA club competition

1988 Euro Championships England v Netherlands
The 1988 Dutch side had some of the great players of all-time

Many great footballers of the past and the present have managed to achieve huge success with their clubs, winning many different titles. However, only six players in the history of European football conquered every international title their club competed for.

Four Italians and two Dutch, all of them exceptional players of their generation, have managed to win every international club competition recognized by UEFA and FIFA. The Italian quartet played an integral role in Juventus' golden and highly successful late 1970s and 1980s under the guidance of Giovanni Trapattoni. In fact, the four of them formed the foundations, along with the legendary Claudio Gentile, of the Juve defence for at least seven seasons and led the club to many and different glories.

On the other part, the Dutchmen, one a great defender and the other an equally great midfielder, conquered with Ajax an impressive list of domestic and international club titles.


#1 Gaetano Scirea

Gaeta
Gaetano Scirea: One of the greatest defenders of all-times

Considered one of the best defenders of all-time, the fabled Scirea led Juventus to immense glories. A libero years ahead of his time, he laid the standards by which all future defenders would be judged by. A paradigm of sportsmanship as well as leadership, Scirea was classy and he ended his professional career with zero red cards. Apart from these, the Italian legend is one of the sex players that have won every international club competition.

Scirea arrived at Juventus from Atalanta in 1974 and remained in Turin until his retirement in 1988. The defender played an integral part in developing the role of libero where he excelled at. In fact, Gaetano Scirea, Dino Zoff and later Stefano Tacconi, Claudio Gentile and Antonio Cabrini formed one of the greatest, if not the greatest, defence in club history leading Juventus to an enormous amount of titles from 1975 to 1986.

The legendary defender won with Juventus seven Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias, one European Cup (the former Champions League), one UEFA Cup (the former Europa League), one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Intercontinental Cup. His success was not limited to Juventus' titles, as he led Italia in the top of the world in 1982.

Scirea passed away in the age of just 36 after two cars collided in Poland on 3 September 1989. He left a massive legacy behind while Juventus have named their stadium's south stand after him.

#2 Antonio Cabrini

AIf Scirea was one of the greatest central defenders of all time, Cabrini was one of the greatest full-backs. Cabrini, a left-footed, highly-technical player spent 13 seasons in Juventus (1976-1989) and managed to win everything.<p>
Antonio Cabrini won everything with Juventus

If Scirea was one of the greatest central defenders of all time, Cabrini was one of the greatest full-backs. Cabrini, a left-footed, highly-technical player, spent 13 seasons with Juventus (1976-1989) and managed to win everything.

He joined Juventus in 1976 and immediately formed an exceptional defensive trio along with Scirea and Gentile. With the Bianconeri, he won six Serie A titles, two Coppa Italias, one European Cup (the former Champions League), one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Cup (the former Europa League), one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. Thus, he won every official UEFA and FIFA club competition and he is one of the six players that have ever managed to do so.

The Bell'Antonio (nicknamed after his good-looking posture) also won the World Cup with Italy in 1982. In 1989, he left Juventus to join Bologna where he retired two years later. His technical and athletic abilities helped him revolutionize the role of the full-back, with regards to the creation of attacking situations. He scored 33 goals in his 297 appearances with Juventus.

#3 Sergio Brio

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Brio made 379 appearances for Juventus during which he managed to win everything

The Italian defender joined Juventus in 1974, but then spent three seasons at Pistoiese on loan. He returned to Turin for the 1978-1979 season and he stayed there until his retirement in 1990, winning everything on his way.

A physically gifted defender, Brio joined Scirea, Gentile, and Cabrini in one of the best defences of all-time in Juventus with the legends Dino Zoff and Stefano Tacconi later between the goalposts. Brio made 376 appearances for Juventus during which he managed to win every club competition acclaimed by FIFA and UEFA. He conquered Serie A four times, won three Coppa Italias, one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Cup, one European Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup.

His imposing posture (190 cm in height) helped him dominate not only the defence but also the offense as he managed to score 24 goals in his career for Juventus, most of them from set-pieces.

#4 Stefano Tacconi

Tacconi is consired one of the best Italian goalkeepers of all-time and one of the best of his generation
Tacconi is considered as one of the greatest Italian goalkeepers of all-time and one of the best of his generation

Tacconi joined Juventus as a replacement for the legendary Dino Zoff who retired in 1983. A legend came in for a legend. He is one of the six players to have won every UEFA and FIFA club competition and the only goalkeeper that had managed to do so.

Whereas in the Italian national team Tacconi was rarely used due to the dominant presence of other great 'keeper in his time, Walter Zenga, (that is why Tacconi had the nickname of ''the best-back up keeper in the world'') his role in Trapatonni's Juventus golden era was pivotal. Regarded as one of the best keepers of his generation, Tacconi stayed in Turin for ten seasons during which he won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, one European Cup, one European Cup Winners' Cup, one European Super Cup, one UEFA Cup and one Intercontinental Cup.

A goalkeeper known for his leadership skills, Tacconi replaced Zoff even more successfully than many had imagined. In 1992, Stefano left Juventus for Genoa after conquering everything with the Bianconeri. He retired there three years later.

#5 Danny Blind

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Blind made 372 appearances for Ajax before retiring in 1999

Blind, father of Ajax's Daley Blind, was signed by Ajax in 1986 under the instructions of the manager Johan Cruyff. He remained in Amsterdam until his retirement in 1999. A defender gifted with technical qualities, Blind was essential to Ajax's dominance both in the Netherlands and in Europe.

The Dutchman won with Ajax five Eredivisie titles, four KNVB Cup (also known as Dutch Cup), two Johan Cruyff Shield Cups, one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. He was, in fact, the captain of the team during both the conquest of the Champions League in 1995 against Milan and the winning of the UEFA Cup in 1992 against Torino.

With these achievements, Blind is one of the only two Dutch players who has managed to win every UEFA and FIFA club competition, alongside Arnold Muhren.

#6 Arnold Mühren

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Mühren (left) during his stint at Ipswitch Town where, along with fellow Dutchman, Frans Thijssen (right) led the club to the winning of the UEFA Cup in 1981.

Muhren was both lucky and unlucky in his career. He began his career at Volendam and joined Ajax in 1971, a team that is now considered as one of the greatest of all times. He remained in Amsterdam until 1974, making 62 appearances for the club. The Dutchman was mainly used as a substitute during his first partnership with Ajax as his brother Gerrie, Arie Haan and Johan Neeskens consisted the midfield trio in that famous Total Football era of Ajax.

Even though his playing time in the European competitions was limited, Muhren won two Eredivisie titles, one Dutch Cup, one European Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup during his first stay at the Amsterdam Arena which lasted until 1974.

His next career station was with Twente, where he won another Dutch Cup in 1977. His extraordinary performances attracted the interest of the fabled Sir Bobby Robson who persuaded the owners of Ipswitch Town to spend €175,000, a significant amount at the time, to bring the midfielder to England. Muhren made history with the club. Joined by another Dutchman in the heart of the midfield, Frans Thijssen, Muhren led Ipswich to the conquest of the UEFA Cup in 1981 beating Alkmaar.

Muhren left the English Club to join Manchester United in 1982. He stayed there for three years during which he won the FA Cup and the Charity Shield.

The UEFA Cup Winners Cup was the only club title that was missing from his collection at the time. The Dutchman returned to Ajax in 1985 and he managed to win the missing trophy, which made him one of the six football players that have won every UEFA and FIFA Club competition. He stayed in Amsterdam until 1989 winning another two Dutch Cups.

His achievements on an international level should not be ignored. Aged 37, Muhren was an integral part of the Netherlands squad in their dominance in the 1988 European Championship. He was the conductor in one of the best ever national squads even though his role on the Netherlands' glory is often obscured by the presence of the famous Milan trio, Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, and Frank Rijkaard. For many, the greatest moment of his career was his cross for Marco Van Basten in the 1988 final against the Soviet Union which the Flying Dutchman turned into the best volley goal of all times.

Muhren retired one year later in the age of 38 having managed to win everything with his clubs. An astonishing accomplishment of just six players in the history of European football.

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Edited by Ben Winfield
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