How Many Champions League Titles Has Lionel Messi Won? | OneFootball

Whether lighting up La Liga with FC Barcelona, enjoying success in France with Paris Saint-Germain, conquering the world with Argentina, or continuing his dominance in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi has always made winning look routine.

Throughout his legendary career, the Argentine has captured nearly every major honor in the sport—from the FIFA World Cup to a staggering 10 La Liga titles with Barcelona—powered by his astonishing tally of over 850 career goals.

One competition where Messi particularly left his mark was the UEFA Champions League—Europe’s elite club tournament. Season after season, he dazzled fans with unforgettable goals (129 in total), jaw-dropping moments of brilliance, and match-winning performances.

But just how many times has Lionel Messi lifted the Champions League trophy? Let’s break it down.

How Many Champions League Titles Has Messi Won?

Messi was won four UCL titles. / ActionPictures/IMAGO

Lionel Messi has won the UEFA Champions League four times, all with FC Barcelona—cementing his legacy as one of the competition’s greatest ever players.

His first win in the competition came in 2005–06 as a teenager, before he then won it again in 2008-09, 2010-11, and lastly, 2014-15.

Breaking Down Messi’s Champions League Wins

Messi's header against Manchester United in the 2009 final is the stuff of soccer folklore. / IMAGO/Gribaudi/ImagePhoto

1st Title (2005–06)

Messi earned his first Champions League medal during the 2005–06 season, when Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2–1 in the final at the Stade de France in Paris. However, due to injury, Messi did not feature in the final. Manager Frank Rijkaard opted for a front three of Ludovic Giuly, Ronaldinho, and Samuel Eto'o in his absence.

2nd Title (2008–09)

Messi’s true Champions League breakthrough came in the 2008–09 season. After enjoying a breakout year with 37 goals in all competitions, he helped Barcelona reach the final against Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. There, he sealed the 2–0 victory with a now-iconic header over Edwin van der Sar—a stunning moment made even more memorable given his modest 5’7” frame.

3rd Title (2010–11)

Two years later, Messi and Barcelona once again faced Manchester United in the final—this time at Wembley Stadium. In a dominant display of tiki-taka football, Messi scored another crucial goal in a 3–1 win. His performance that night is widely considered one of the finest ever seen in a European final.

4th Title (2014–15)

Messi's fourth and most recent Champions League title came in 2014–15, when he helped guide Barcelona to a 3–1 win over Juventus in the final in Berlin. Though he didn’t get on the scoresheet that night, Messi finished the tournament as joint top scorer—alongside teammate Neymar and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo—with 10 goals.

Why Messi Hasn’t Won the Champions League Since 2015

Messi in action for PSG. / Avanti/IMAGO

Messi didn’t win the Champions League in any of his last six seasons with Barcelona. The furthest the club went during that period was in 2018–19, when they reached the semifinals, only to suffer a shocking 4–3 aggregate defeat to Liverpool—one of the most dramatic comebacks in the competition’s history.

While Messi remained in top form during those years, the club’s failure in Europe was more a reflection of Barcelona’s deep-rooted issues than his own performances.

Despite continuing to score freely for the Catalan giants, poor transfer decisions—including big-money flops like Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembélé—along with behind-the-scenes mismanagement, drove the club into a financial crisis. That decline eventually forced Messi’s heartbreaking departure in 2021, as he left for Paris Saint-Germain against his will.

By the time he left, Barcelona was a shadow of its former self. Gone were the days of being surrounded by La Masia-bred stars and visionary managers like Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Instead, Messi found himself in a fractured squad filled with overpriced underachievers, unhappy teammates, and a revolving door of coaches.

Messi did have two more shots at a fifth Champions League title with PSG, but the Parisian club suffered from similar flaws. Despite its star-studded roster, it fell short of the more cohesive, team-oriented sides dominating Europe at the time. In both of Messi’s UCL campaigns with PSG, the team was knocked out in the Round of 16.

Ironically, both Barcelona and PSG now appear to be thriving again—Barcelona recovering from financial ruin, and PSG shifting toward a more balanced, team-first approach. It's a strange twist of fate that these revivals have come just after Messi’s departure, unfairly coloring the final chapters of the career of the greatest soccer player of all time.