Football
Which Players Have The Most Champions League Final Appearances In History?
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished31 May 2025
The 2024-25 Champions League final between PSG and Inter is almost upon us, and as matchday nears, we at SportsCasting are taking a look at the players with the most final appearances in the competition’s history.
Players With The Most Champions League Final Appearances
Note: List includes both Champions League and European Cup final appearances, as well as substitute appearances.
8. Alessandro Costacurta (AC Milan) – Six Appearances
AC Milan Hall of Fame inductee Alessandro Costacurta is the first name on our list, having made six Champions League/European Cup final appearances. Of the six, he was on the winning side in four of the matches.
His final appearances came in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 2003 and 2005 (unused substitute).
He was also part of the squad that made it to the 1994 final but missed out due to suspension. Costacurta reached the 2007 final as well, but was not selected to be part of the matchday squad that beat Liverpool 2-1.
The central defender retired at the end of the 2006-07 season, finishing his career with a total of seven Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana titles, five Champions Leagues/European Cups, three Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups. He was also part of the Italy squad that finished runners-up at the 1994 World Cup.
7. Luka Modric (Real Madrid) – Six Appearances
Soon-to-depart Real Madrid legend Luka Modric is next on our list, also boasting six Champions League final appearances. Amazingly, the Croatian has won in all six of his appearances in European finals with Los Blancos.
That record sees him sit t-top of the list of players with the most titles in the competition’s history.
Modric, now a minority owner of EFL Championship club Swansea, won his first Champions League title in 2014. He then went on to win three in a row in 2016, 2017 and 2018 before adding a further two in 2022 and 2024.
The 39-year-old also famously won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 and has four LaLiga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, five Supercopa de Espana titles, five Super Cups, five Club World Cups and an Intercontinental Cup to his name.
6. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Real Madrid) – Six Appearances
Cristiano Ronaldo is next on the list, with six Champions League final appearances for Manchester United and Real Madrid. Unlike Modric, Ronaldo has been on the losing end in one of his final appearances.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner suffered defeat with the Red Devils against Barcelona in the 2009 final. His first title triumph came the year prior, in 2008, also with United, as he scored in the win over Chelsea.
He added a further four medals to his cabinet after his move to Madrid, in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Not only that, but the Portugal international has scored four goals across his six final appearances. That sees him lead the way in first place among the players with the most goals in Champions League finals.
5. Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich and Real Madrid) – Six Appearances
Another Galactico in Toni Kroos is also on our list, and he too has six Champions League final appearances. Like Ronaldo, his appearances came for two clubs – one for Bayern Munich and five for Real Madrid.
Kroos was also part of the Bayern squad that reached the 2013 final, however he missed out through injury. Regardless, he still picked up a winners’ medal, meaning he has won a total of six Champions League titles.
His final appearances came in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024.
Additionally, Kroos won the World Cup with in 2014 and won countless major domestic and European accolades with both Bayern and Real Madrid throughout his glittering career.
4. Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) – Six Appearances
The Real Madrid trend continues and doesn’t look likely to stop, with Dani Carvajal next up on our list. He shares the exact same record as Modric, with six appearances and six title wins in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024.
With that record, he s the Croatian, Kroos and Nacho Fernandez at the top of the list of players with the most Champions League titles ever.
Not only that, but he is one of Los Blancos‘ most decorated players in history. He has won a total of 26 major honours with the club, including LaLiga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana, Super Cup and Club World Cup titles.
A 51-time Spain international, he has also won the European Championship and the Nations League.
3. Alfredo di Stefano (Real Madrid) – Seven Appearances
One of the all-time Real Madrid greats, Alfredo di Stefano, follows next in the list, having appeared in seven European Cup finals. Of those seven appearances, he managed to win five titles in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 and 1960.
He was on the losing side in both 1962 and 1964, losing the former to Benfica and losing the latter to Inter Milan.
His finest moment in a final came during the 1960 final at Hampden Park in Scotland. The Argentine-born Spain international netted a stunning hat-trick as Los Blancos beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3.
2. Paolo Maldini (AC Milan) – Eight Appearances
AC Milan and Italy legend Paolo Maldini has the t most appearances in a final with eight, featuring in six Champions League finals and two European Cup finals.
The 56-year-old, who spent his entire career with I Rossoneri, won five Champions League titles with the club.
His winning campaigns came in 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2007, while he was a runner-up in 1993, 1995 and 2005.
Considered one of the greatest defenders in football history, Maldini has countless major honours to his name. He won a total of 26 trophies with his boyhood club and picked up a runners-up medal at the 1994 World Cup with Italy.
1. Paco Gento (Real Madrid) – Eight Appearances
ing Maldini at the top of the list is another Real Madrid great, Paco Gento. He made a total of eight European Cup final appearances between 1956 and 1964, coming out on top in six.
He s Modric, Kroos, Carvajal and Fernandez as the t-most decorated player in European Cup/Champions League history.
Gento, one of the best wingers in history, was voted the greatest Spanish footballer of the 20th century. He was also included in the World Soccer World XI on three occasions in 1960, 1961 and 1962.
Additionally, he won an incredible 12 LaLiga titles with Los Blancos and featured regularly for the Spanish national team.