10: EDWIN VAN DER SAR (Ajax and Manchester United)
Winner: 1995, 2008
Van der Sar was the calm, unflappable figure in goal when Louis van Gaal's extremely young Ajax side caused the biggest upset in the competition's history by overcoming the mighty holders AC Milan.
More than a decade later, the goalkeeper's place in Champions League history was assured when he saved Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick in Moscow to earn Manchester United their third European crown with victory against Chelsea.
Fittingly, Van der Sar's illustrious career ended with a Champions League final, though this time he was helpless to prevent United from losing 3-1 to Barcelona at Wembley in 2011.
9: CLARENCE SEEDORF (Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan)
Winner: 1995, 1998, 2003 and 2007
The only player to win the Champions League with three different clubs, Seedorf was the midfield glue that helped some of the world's greatest players get their hands on the famous trophy.
The Dutchman was just 19 when he helped Ajax beat AC Milan in 1995. Three years later, he helped Real Madrid end a 32-year wait for European glory by beating Juventus 1-0.
But it was at Milan that he enjoyed his greatest successes. He was part of the side that defeated Juventus on penalties at Old Trafford when Andriy Shevchenko converted the decisive kick and, after losing to Liverpool in 2005 (more of which later in the countdown), he won a fourth title by defeating the same opponents 2-1 in 2007.
8: IKER CASILLAS (Real Madrid)
Winner: 2000, 2002, 2014
He may be receiving criticism in the latter stages of his career but nobody can deny Casillas in his place among the all-time greats.
To win three Champions League trophies, spanning 14 years, is an incredible achievement and it might be a long time before anyone repeats it. And of course he's still going.
The Spaniard was just four days past his 19th birthday, extremely young for a top-class goalkeeper, when he kept a clean sheet in the 2000 final against Valencia. He was one of the few to survive into the Galactico era, keeping goal when Zidane memorably won the 2002 final, and then went beyond the post-Galactico era and played in last May's 4-1 win against Atletico Madrid for La Decima.
7: STEVEN GERRARD (Liverpool)
Winner: 2005
Gerrard hasn't got the multiple medals of others in the top 10, but none of them have dominated a final like he did in 2005, when his man-of-the-match performance helped create The Miracle of Istanbul, a match so famous it's been turned into a film.
With Liverpool 3-0 down at half-time to AC Milan, Gerrard scored the opening goal of a miraculous comeback with his head, and ended up playing at right back to ensure his side, far weaker than the Italians man-for-man, reached extra-time and penalties.
Previously, Liverpool had only qualified for the knockout stages after his thunderous late strike against Olympiacos at Anfield had staved off elimination. And he is still doing the business now, his last-minute penalty against Ludogorets gave Liverpool victory in their opening group game of the 2014 campaign two weeks ago.
6: XAVI (Barcelona)
Winner: 2006, 2009, 2011
Despite the spellbinding feats of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, this period of world football will be go down as the Xavi-Iniesta era, where they helped Barcelona and Spain dominate with a passing philosophy known as 'tiki-taka'.
Xavi was an unused substitute when Barcelona beat Arsenal in the 2006 final but three years later he was an integral part of their midfield in the defeat of Manchester United that prompted Ronaldo's exodus to Spain. In 2011, he was majestic as the Catalans again got the better of Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
Now 34, Xavi's consistency, both in terms of keeping the ball and producing season-on-season, are unsurpassed and he will be a worthy record-breaker when he plays his 143rd Champions League game.
5: RAUL (Real Madrid and Schalke)
Winner: 1998, 2000, 2002
Holds the record for most goals and appearances in the Champions League, though the latter is about to be eclipsed by Xavi.
Raul was the King of Madrid as they recaptured the glory years of Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano when the competition was called the European Cup.
He won the trophy three times in five years against Juventus, Valencia and Bayer Leverkusen, the highlight coming at Hampden Park in 2002 when he scored the opening goal against the German side in a match ultimately won by Zidane's stupendous volley.
4: RYAN GIGGS (Manchester United)
Winner: 1999, 2008
The only United player who appeared in both finals of Sir Alex Ferguson's Champions League-winning teams.
In 1999 against Bayern Munich, he unselfishly played on the right-hand side to accommodate the left-sided Jesper Blomqvist in a United reshuffle forced by suspension to Roy Keane and Paul Scholes. Nine years later against Chelsea in Moscow, Giggs converted United's last penalty in the shoot-out that preceded Anelka's crucial miss.
Giggs has played more Champions League game than anyone else if you include qualifying rounds (148), but it's as much to do with respect as statistics that he commands a place in the top 10.
The Welshman has become a byword around Europe for sportsmanship, as another United great Sir Bobby Charlton was before him, a reputation underlined when he was applauded by Real Madrid fans in the heat of a tense battle.
3: CRISTIANO RONALDO (Manchester United and Real Madrid)
Winner: 2008, 2014
Scored in victorious finals for two different clubs – and ended up being crowned World Player of the Year on both occasions.
Ronaldo's header for United against Chelsea in the 2008 final changed any perception that he was a flat-track bully and unable to produce on the big occasions. Six years later, he was the talisman as Real won a record 10th European Cup against Atletico Madrid in Lisbon.
He already has 68 Champions League goals, three behind Raul's record, and as he hasn't yet turned 30 it is only a matter of time when he passes that milestone, though Lionel Messi is also breathing down his neck on 67.
2: PAOLO MALDINI (AC Milan)
Winner: 1994, 2003, 2007
Played in no fewer than six Champions League finals – and also won the European Cup twice in the 1980s before the competition changed format.
The ultimate Italian defender, tough and resilient, Maldini's finest hour came in 1994 when Milan produced arguably the best performance in tournament history by thrashing Barcelona 4-0 without their first-choice centre-back pairing of Franco Baresi and Alessandro Costacurta.
As captain, Maldini also helped Milan recover from the shock of losing a 3-0 lead to Liverpool in Istanbul – where he scored the opening goal - to beat the same opponents in the 2007 final.
1: LIONEL MESSI (Barcelona)
Winner: 2006,2009, 2011
On course to smash all Champions League scoring records. Messi has already hit 67, four fewer than Raul and one behind Ronaldo; but at the age of 27 he could become the first player to net a century of Champions League goals.
In the biggest head-to-head between the world's two best players, Messi completely outplayed Ronaldo when Barcelona met United in the 2009 final in Rome. He even scored with a rare header from Xavi's cross.
Two years later, he scored again when Barcelona beat United 3-1 at Wembley, their ultimate European performance. But the reason Messi is marginally ahead of all the other great players listed is because of the way he has transcended the sport with his brand of magic.
The Argentine has the quickest feet in the history of the game and is the figure that has given the Champions League its own sense of excitement.
He may not have won the World Cup like Diego Maradona, but Maradona never won the European Cup and Messi has helped make the Champions League the glamorous institution it is today. That is why he is No 1.
Source: dailymail
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