The present invention relates to a piston (10) for an internal combustion engine, which has a piston skirt (14) as well as a piston head (13) having a circumferential ring belt (21) and having a circumferential cooling channel (24) closed off with a closure element (26), wherein a circumferential recess (23) is formed between the piston head (13) and the piston skirt (14). According to the invention, it is provided that the closure element (26) consists of at least two subcomponents (27, 28), that each subcomponent (27, 28) has a radially oriented base plate (29) and at least one circumferential collar (31) oriented axially on the outer edge (29a) of the base plate (29), which collar is accommodated in at least one outer fold (34) that runs underneath the ring belt (21).