The 14 players to have won both the Champions League and Copa Libertadores | OneFootball

Highlights

The Copa Libertadores rarely disappoints, and the 2023 final was no different as Fluminese ran out 2-1 winners after a tense clash against Boca Juniors that went to extra-time. This was the first time the club had lifted the iconic trophy in their long history, but it was certainly worth the wait for the supporters.

They took the lead in the first half of the contest through a brilliant first-time drive into the bottom corner by German Cano. The striker was the coolest man in the stadium as he showed composure to guide a cut-back into the net past the despairing goalkeeper.

Boca Juniors would not go out without a fight - quite literally in some instances - as Luis Advincula expertly curled a left-footed effort into the far corner from just outside the penalty area to draw the game level. Extra-time was required as the heated affair was settled by yet another sensational strike with John Kennedy hitting a ferocious volley into the back of the net to seal the historic win. Kennedy was later sent off along with Boca’s Frank Fabra.

There were a lot of eyes on the South American final from fans across the globe and there was a very familiar face representing Fluminese for many across Europe in particular. This player became the 14th man to have wound up with the Copa Libertadores and Champions League in their trophy cabinet.

Willy Caballero misses out on this list despite playing for Chelsea at the time of their Champions League success in 2021 as the Argentine shot-stopper played no minutes in the competition and is therefore not recognised as a European champion. So with that being said, GIVEMESPORT have decided to take a look at all 11 men to have won the biggest competitions in both South America and Europe.

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That’s right, the veteran left-back is the latest man to have got his hands on the Copa Libertadores after having a trophy-laden career with Spanish giants, Real Madrid, in which he lifted the Champions League a record number of times (five). The Brazilian hero returned to his boyhood club in 2023, 12 months after departing the Santiago Bernabeu following a 15-year stint with Los Blancos.

Marcelo is now in the twilight of his career at the age of 35, and he will be able to head into retirement in the next few years having achieved all there is to achieve in the game. To have won the prestigious honour with his hometown club is the icing on top of the cake for Marcelo.

2 Julian Alvarez - Manchester City and River Plate

Alvarez effectively had football completed by the age of 23 as the young Argentine’s first-ever trophy was the Copa Libertadores back in 2018. The young forward had emerged from the River Plate academy to contribute towards the club’s run to the final and eventual success. He was not yet a regular member of the first-team quite yet, but it’s not a bad way to have started his journey.

After playing a big part in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, Alvarez then played an underrated role in Manchester City’s historic treble success in 2023. The Premier League and FA Cup are trophies that have often been won by the Citizens, but Pep Guardiola’s men finally got their hands on a first Champions League title following a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan, with Alvarez featuring in the final.

3 David Luiz - Chelsea and Flamengo

Premier League fans will remember the flamboyant Brazilian very fondly as Luiz was a massive character during his time in England, being more than comfortable playing the pantomime villain when he felt the time was right. Luiz was a very talented football player also and the centre-back helped Chelsea to their first Champions League title in his first season with the club, with a penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich in their own backyard.

The former Benfica man would move around some big clubs as he joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2014 before returning to Stamford Bridge in 2016 and then finally joining the Blues’ rivals in the form of Arsenal. Despite spending a decade bouncing around some top European clubs, the Champions League success in 2012 remains the only one on his CV. Luiz added the Copa Libertadores to his trophy collection in 2022 with Flamengo.

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Another Brazilian who was part of Chelsea's success in Europe's biggest competition in 2012 was Ramires. The defensive midfielder was a battling presence in the middle of the park and will forever be immortalised in the history of the Stamford Bridge club outfit. His outrageous chip over Victor Valdes in the Nou Camp in the semi-final helped steer the Blues on their way towards European success.

He remained with the English club until 2016 before embarking on a new journey in the Chinese Super League as one of the most expensive signings made by the emerging league. Three years later, Ramires would return to Brazil to sign for Palmeiras. This is where he would lift the Copa Libertadores during his only season with the club during the 2019/20 campaign. The midfielder has yet to find a new club, three years on, meaning this could have been the last trophy he lifts.

5 Rafinha - Bayern Munich and Flamengo

Rafinha played the full 90 minutes for Flamengo against River Plate in the 2019 final of the Copa Libertadores. This came only months after he brought his eight-year stay at Bayern Munich to an end. It was the first time he had returned to play in his home country for nearly 15 years.

The right-back also lifted Europe's premiere crown back in 2013, when Bayern defeated Borussia Dortmund at Wembley. Rafinha was always seen as a reliable option on the right side of the back line, and this European success was a credit to his performances and commitment to the team despite not always being a guaranteed starter.

6 Neymar - Barcelona and Santos

A young Neymar at Santos

The world's most expensive player forged his reputation at Santos, where his brilliance as a teenager secured the club the 2011 Copa Libertadores - he scored six goals in the tournament. This is where he gained recognition across the globe and had many of Europe's elite clubs battling to secure his signature.

Neymar then helped deliver Barcelona their second treble in 2015, scoring the third and final goal in the 3-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in 2015. The Brazilian forward was magical to watch at times as he formed one of the greatest front threes in world football, if not the best, alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Neymar has come a long way since lifting that first Copa Libertadores as he is now seen as one of Brazil's best-ever players.

7 Walter Samuel - Inter Milan and Boca Juniors

The Argentine defender was a key man in Boca's Copa Libertadores win back in 2000 after a two-legged final that resulted in a penalty shootout victory over Palmeiras, with Samuel moving to Roma the same year. He then moved to Inter in 2005, with the no-nonsense centre-back finally adding the Champions League to his collection in 2010.

Samuel was part of a formidable unit under Jose Mourinho alongside Brazilian, Lucio, that was famously able to keep Lionel Messi at bay over the two legs of the semi-final. The Argentine then helped the Italian giants keep a clean sheet in the final against Bayern Munich as his compatriot, Diego Milito, scored a brace to seal the 2-0 win.

8 Dida - AC Milan and Gremio

A Brazilian legend and one of four players on the list to have won the World Cup as well. Dida secured South American glory with Gremio in 1995, before journeying over to Europe. The Copa Libertadores victory came in a final that was played over two legs, similar to Samuel's win in 2000.

Dida would go on to become one of the top shot-stoppers in the world for many years as the prime years of his career were spent in Italy. During his decade playing for AC Milan, the enigmatic goalkeeper won the Champions League in 2003 and 2007. Not a bad trophy collection, eh?

9 Danilo - Real Madrid and Santos

Part of the all-conquering Santos team that was spearheaded by Neymar, Danilo's array of winners' medals isn't half bad. With Los Blancos, he lifted the Champions League in both 2016 and 2017. Dani Carvajal often kept the right-back out of the team, meaning Danilo was rarely ever a regular starter, but the success remains all the same.

The defender has won league titles in Brazil, England, Spain, and Italy, and will be hoping to add even more silverware to his collection as he now plays for Juventus in Serie A. As has been a theme with several players already on this list, don't rule out a move back to Brazil for Danilo either.

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Another World Cup winner! Like Rafinha, Ronaldinho won the Copa Libertadores in the twilight years of his career after securing the Champions League with Barca in 2006. The silky Brazilian is the only man on this list to have also won a Ballon d'Or during his career, lifting the prestigious individual award in 2005.

He returned to Brazil as an icon of the sport in 2011 after having conquered Europe. Alongside current Everton star Bernard, Ronaldinho's majestic brilliance secured Mineiro South American's most coveted prize in 2013. Ronaldinho was even voted as South American Footballer of the Year in 2013 after his impressive displays, even being well past his peak.

11 Juan Pablo Sorin - Juventus and River Plate

A blast from the past. Sorin was part of Juve's Champions League winning side of 1996, and he went on to lift the Copa Libertadores trophy the very same year with River Plate. This makes Sorin a unique entry on this list as no other player lifted the biggest trophy in two different continents only months apart.

The left-back would then go on to spend his career moving around different clubs in Europe, although he never managed to win another Champions League. Becoming a first-time European champion on May 22 and a South American on June 26 in 1996. A memorable summer for the long-haired Argentine!

12 Cafu - AC Milan and Sao Paolo

The third World Cup winner and one of the greatest to have played the game. Cafu is the only player on the list to have won the Copa Libertadores twice, a feat he achieved in consecutive years in 1992 and 1993 with São Paulo. These were the breakthrough years for the all-action right-back who would go on to have an incredible career in the game for both club and country.

Having spent a short spell playing in Spain, Cafu's true arrival on the European stage came with Roma in the late 1990s before being snapped up by AC Milan in 2003. This move saw him join the European champions as the Italian side won the Champions League in 2002/03. His maiden Champions League win came in 2007, alongside Dida, with a win over Liverpool.

13 Carlos Tevez - Man Utd and Boca Juniors

The Boca legend secured South America's biggest prize with his hometown club in 2003, before his move to West Ham. Tevez did return to the club on two different occasions towards the end of his career, although he was never able to add to that initial Copa Libertadores success over a decade prior.

Tevez then secured his one and only Champions League five years later with United, beating Chelsea in that famous final out in Moscow. The Argentine even set the tone for the Red Devils during the penalty shootout that followed the 1-1 draw as he slotted the first penalty past Petr Cech into the bottom corner.

14 Roque Junior - AC Milan and Palmeiras

The fourth and final World Cup winner. Junior was part of AC Milan's Champions League-winning side of 2003, and he came off the bench in the final against Juventus. This was the European trophy that Cafu missed out on narrowly as the pair would then become teammates shortly after that final win over their fellow Italian side.

Junior also secured his Copa Libertadores triumph with Palmeiras in 1999 after a penalty shootout win against Deportivo Cali from Colombia. The rest of Junior's career was rather underwhelming, unfortunately, as he never reached the heights of his success with AC Milan again.