Context:

The UEFA Champions League is the premier club competition in Europe, with Real Madrid holding the record for the most titles, having won 15 times. Manchester City added their name to the list of champions after defeating Inter Milan in the 2023 final, while Real Madrid extended their record with a victory over Borussia Dortmund in 2024. Inter Milan seeks redemption for their previous narrow loss, facing Paris Saint-Germain, who are aiming for their first title in the competition. Initially called the European Cup, the tournament was open only to league champions until the inclusion of runner-ups and other high-placing teams from strong leagues. Dominated by clubs from Spain, Germany, Italy, and England, the competition has seen 23 different clubs lift the trophy since its inception in 1955/56.

Dive Deeper:

• Real Madrid is the most successful club in the history of the UEFA Champions League, having claimed the title 15 times, with their most recent victory in 2024 against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.

• Manchester City became champions in 2023 after a decisive win over Inter Milan, marking their rise among Europe's elite clubs, while Inter Milan seeks to secure their fourth title following this defeat.

• Paris Saint-Germain, despite reaching their second final, have yet to win the Champions League, showcasing the challenges even dominant domestic clubs face on the European stage.

• The competition began as the European Cup in 1955, exclusively for league champions and defending champions until changes in 1997 allowed runner-ups and, in 1999, third and fourth place finishers from strong leagues to participate.

• Since its rebranding in 1992/93, the Champions League has been dominated by clubs from Spain, with 13 titles, followed by England with seven, Italy with five, and Germany with four.

• The tournament's format and qualification criteria have evolved, notably the 2005 rule change allowing defending champions, like Liverpool, automatic entry, reflecting the competition's growing inclusivity and prestige.

• Kieran Francis, a senior editor at The Sporting News, highlights the historical and modern significance of the Champions League, illustrating its role as a pinnacle of club football competition.

• The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club competition for teams based in Europe.

• Manchester City finally put their name alongside the greatest teams to ever play after beating Inter Milan in the 2023 final. In 2024, Real Madrid extended their record as the most successful team in the competition's history after defeating Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.

• This year, Inter Milan get another shot at their fourth title after a narrow loss to Manchester City in the 2023 showpiece. Their opponents in Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, will contest their second final and have never won Europe's top competition.

• Clubs from every European league have the opportunity to participate in the tournament by finishing high enough in their domestic competitions, and/or advancing in qualifying matches prior to the group phase starting. However, as the list below shows, heavyweight nations Spain, Germany, Italy and England tend to dominate.

• But which teams have won the coveted Champions League, or its previous iteration, the European Cup, since the first edition back in 1955/56?

• The Sporting News takes you through the list of teams that have been crowned kings of Europe.

• MORE: Which coaches and players have won the UEFA Champions League the most

• All-time Champions League & European Cup winners 

  The competition was known as the European Cup until 1992/93 when it was revamped and rebranded as the UEFA Champions League.

• Season	Winner	Runner-up	Score
  2023/24	Real Madrid	Borussia Dortmund	2-0
  2022/23	Manchester City	Inter Milan	1-0
  2021/22	Real Madrid	Liverpool	1-0
  2020/21	Chelsea	Manchester City	1-0
  2019/20	Bayern Munich	Paris Saint-Germain	1-0
  2018/19	Liverpool	Tottenham Hotspur	2-0
  2017/18	Real Madrid	Liverpool	3-1
  2016/17	Real Madrid	Juventus	4-1
  2015/16	Real Madrid	Atletico Madrid	1-1 (5–3 pens)
  2014/15	Barcelona	Juventus	3-1
  2013/14	Real Madrid	Atletico Madrid	4-1 (a.e.t.)
  2012/13	Bayern Munich	Borussia Dortmund	2-1
  2011/12	Chelsea	Bayern Munich	1-1 (4–3 pens)
  2010/11	Barcelona	Manchester United	3-1
  2009/10	Inter	Bayern Munich	2-0
  2008/09	Barcelona	Manchester United	2-0
  2007/08	Manchester United	Chelsea	1-1 (6–5 pens)
  2006/07	Milan	Liverpool	2-1
  2005/06	Barcelona	Arsenal	2-1
  2004/05	Liverpool	Milan	3-3 (3-2 pens)
  2003/04	Porto	Monaco	3-0
  2002/03	Milan	Juventus	0-0 (3-2 pens)
  2001/02	Real Madrid	Bayer Leverkusen	2-1
  2000/01	Bayern Munich	Valencia	1-1 (5-4 pens)
  1999/2000	Real Madrid	Valencia	3-0
  1998/99	Manchester United	Bayern Munich	2-1
  1997/98	Real Madrid	Juventus	1-0
  1996/97	Borussia Dortmund	Juventus	3-1
  1995/96	Juventus	Ajax	1-1 (4-2 pens)
  1994/95	Ajax	Milan	1-0
  1993/94	Milan	Barcelona	4-0
  1992/93	Marseille	Milan	1-0
  1991/92	Barcelona	Sampdoria	1-0 (a.e.t.)
  1990/91	Red Star Belgrade	Marseille	0-0 (5-3 pens)
  1989/90	Milan	Benfica	1-0
  1988/89	Milan	Steaua Bucharest	4-0
  1987/88	PSV Eindhoven	Benfica	0-0 (6-5 pens)
  1986/87	Porto	Bayern Munich	2-1
  1985/86	Steaua Bucharest	Barcelona	0-0 (2-0 pens)
  1984/85	Juventus	Liverpool	1-0
  1983/84	Liverpool	Roma	1-1 (4-2 pens)
  1982/83	Hamburg	Juventus	1-0
  1981/82	Aston Villa	Bayern Munich	1-0
  1980/81	Liverpool	Real Madrid	1-0
  1979/80	Nottingham Forest	Hamburg	1-0
  1978/79	Nottingham Forest	Malmo	1-0
  1977/78	Liverpool	Club Brugge	1-0
  1976/77	Liverpool	Borussia Monchengladbach	3-1
  1975/76	Bayern Munich	Saint-Etienne	1-0
  1974/75	Bayern Munich	Leeds United	2-0
  1973/74	Bayern Munich	Atletico Madrid	4-0 (replay)
  1972/73	Ajax	Juventus	1-0
  1971/72	Ajax	Inter	2-0
  1970/71	Ajax	Panathinaikos	2-0
  1969/70	Feyenoord	Celtic	2-1 (a.e.t.)
  1968/69	Milan	Ajax	4-1
  1967/68	Manchester United	Benfica	4-1 (a.e.t.)
  1966/67	Celtic	Inter	2-1
  1965/66	Real Madrid	Partizan	2-1
  1964/65	Inter	Benfica	1-0
  1963/64	Inter	Real Madrid	3-1
  1962/63	Milan	Benfica	2-1
  1961/62	Benfica	Real Madrid	5-3
  1960/61	Benfica	Barcelona	3-2
  1959/60	Real Madrid	Eintracht Frankfurt	7-3
  1958/59	Real Madrid	Reims	2-0
  1957/58	Real Madrid	Milan	3-2 (a.e.t.)
  1956/57	Real Madrid	Fiorentina	2-0
  1955/56	Real Madrid	Reims	4-3

  History of the Champions League and European Cup

  The European Cup was first established in 1955, and it remained under that name until the 1992/93 season, when the competition was revamped and rebranded as the Champions League.

• Originally, the competition was only open to the champions of Europe's domestic leagues, as well as the defending champion of the European Cup.

• However, in 1997, the league runners-up from Europe's strongest leagues were permitted to enter and then, in 1999, a selection of teams that finished third and fourth in their domestic league competitions were also granted qualification.

• Following the rebranding of the competition to the Champions League in 1992, the defending champions of the competition did not automatically qualify for the following season's edition. This changed in 2005, allowing the participation of then holders Liverpool.

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