The UEFA Champions League is a season-long football competition that began in 1955. A multiple-winner badge is awarded to teams that have won the UEFA Champions League three times in a row or five times overall. This honor has been bestowed to six teams: Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Liverpool, and Barcelona.
Having won the tournament two seasons running from 2007-2008, Manchester United are the current record holders of the UEFA Champions League back-to-back winners title. The last team to do so was Barcelona, who completed a domestic and European double in 2014-2015.
Barça's coach at the time, Luis Enrique, had this to say about his side's achievement: "It's an incredible feeling to be able to win the league and the cup in the same year. We've worked very hard for this success and we want to thank our supporters for all their support during these years."
Real Madrid also made history by becoming the first team to win the UEFA Champions League without losing a single match. The Spanish club beat Juventus 4-1 on aggregate in the final.
However, they were not the first team to achieve this feat. That award goes to Ajax, who did it in 1995-1996. The only other team to have done so is Barcelona, who accomplished the same thing in 2009-2010.
The Champions League and European Cup have been won by a total of 22 clubs. Real Madrid has the most victories in the competition, having won it thirteen times, including the initial edition. They have also won the competition the most times in a row, winning five wins in a row from 1956 to 1960. Bayern Munich is second with six wins.
In terms of percentage success, Juventus is the most successful club in the history of the tournament with 12 titles out of 13 finals played. The only exception is the first final which was not played to completion because of World War II. If this incomplete season is included then Hitler's club Red Star Belgrade becomes the most successful club with 11 titles out of 24 final matches played.
Real Madrid has more than anyone else but they have never won more than two titles in a row. The last time they won three in a row was from 1956 to 1958. They are still the record holders for longest drought between championships at four years. Bayern Munich has never been down after holding one match at 1-0 against Barcelona. They have now won five consecutive finals dating back to 2014. Their latest victory was on June 7th, 2019 when they beat Liverpool 5-1 on aggregate to claim their sixth title of the decade.
Liverpool is the only other side to have won three in a row twice. They did so in 1989 and 1990.
The Champions League and European Cup have been won by a total of 22 clubs. Real Madrid has the most victories in the competition, having won it thirteen times, including the initial edition. Finals schedule
| Season | 1963–64 | |
|---|---|---|
| Winners | Team | Inter Milan |
| Score | 3–1 | |
| Runners-up | Nation | ESP |
| Team | Real Madrid |
Since its inception, three Premier League teams have won the UEFA Champions League: Manchester United (twice, in 1998/99 and 2007/08), Liverpool (2004/05 and 2018/19), and Chelsea (2011/12). Those five victories have resulted in a lot of turmoil. Louis van Gaal was sacked as manager just two seasons after winning the Europa League; Brendan Rodgers was fired by Liverpool just four months into his job; and Jose Mourinho is still looking for his third European Cup.
No English club has been able to retain the Champions League, but Manchester City are trying to change that fact. They are one victory away from completing the domestic double after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 5-4 on aggregate in the last-four stage. This is their first ever appearance in the final of the UEFA Europa League.
Liverpool won the European Cup/Champions League eight times in all. Manchester United, with an English record seven trophies, are only behind them in terms of total number of wins. However, it must be noted that both these clubs were founded before the existence of the UEFA Champions League. So, they would have had less opportunity to win this trophy during those years.
Chelsea have the most appearances in the final with nine, but they have never won the title. They also have the lowest percentage of wins (22.22%) among all the winners listed here.
The UEFA Champions League is UEFA's ultimate club tournament, with top clubs from throughout Europe competing for the title of European champions. It is considered by many to be the most prestigious club competition in the world and the best football league on earth.
All continental champion clubs are automatically entered into the UEFA Champions League. The other top-ranked clubs from around the world enter their chosen national leagues through the qualifying rounds which begin in August and September and end in May of the following year. The last round is called the play-off series. The eight group winners proceed to the knockout stage where they are drawn into four pairs and play a home and an away match against each other. The winner is determined by total points obtained after these matches have been played. If scores are level at the end of normal time in the second leg, extra time is played (if necessary) followed by a penalty shoot-out if scores remain tied. The group stage draw will be conducted no later than 15 days before the first matchday.
In recent years, several new teams have won their way into World's Top Clubs through their performance in the UEFA Champions League. These include Barcelona who completed a "treble" in 2009, Manchester United who won the title in 2008 and 2012, and Real Madrid who triumphed in 2007 and 2011.
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