FACT CHECK: How many Champions League titles does Lionel Messi have?

A claim circulating online has suggested that Lionel Messi should only be credited with three UEFA Champions League titles rather than four.

The argument centres on the 2006 final, when FC Barcelona defeated Arsenal FC 2–1 in Paris.

According to posts shared by sports prediction platform Polymarket Sports and MatchDay Central, Messi’s 2006 triumph should not count because he did not feature in the final due to injury.

However, that claim is incorrect. According to statistics from UEFA, Messi is officially recognised as a four-time Champions League winner, having lifted the trophy with Barcelona in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015.

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While the Argentine forward missed the 2006 final through injury, he was still part of Barcelona’s squad during the competition and made appearances earlier in the tournament before being ruled out.

Under UEFA regulations, players do not need to play in the final itself to be recognised as winners of the competition.

Instead, clubs that win the Champions League receive a set number of medals from UEFA and have the discretion to distribute them among players and staff who contributed to the campaign.

This means players involved at any stage of the tournament are considered part of the winning team.

As a result, Messi remains officially credited with four Champions League titles, the first coming in 2006 before he went on to play key roles in Barcelona’s later triumphs in 2009, 2011 and 2015.

The suggestion that the 2006 title does not count, therefore misrepresents how UEFA recognises winners of its competitions.

Messi’s record in the tournament remains unchanged, with four Champions League medals to his name.

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