UEFA Champions League History: Most successful clubs, greatest games and more

Following its inception in 1955, the European Cup, now the UEFA Champions League, has become the biggest competition in club football.

While champions of various European countries had met previously, it wasn't until March 1955 that a formal and regular competition was established for the champions of Europe's domestic leagues, with the first European Cup held in the 1955/56 season.

The European Cup would give the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Benfica, Ajax and the other leading clubs of the time the opportunity to establish themselves as not just the best team in their country, but the best team in the continent.

Real Madrid dominated the early years of the competition with their all-conquering side of Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo Di Stefano and Francisco Gento winning the first five European Cups.

While the format of the European Cup remained largely unchanged between 1955 and 1992, the 1992/93 season saw an expansion to the competition that would see it hit new levels of prestige. Countries were no longer limited to one participant (or two if the European Cup winners didn't win their domestic league), as more and more teams were gradually introduced to the competition.

The European Cup became the UEFA Champions League, changing from a knockout competition to an initial round robin before a later knockout stage with more teams and stages added as the years progressed.

In the 2024/25 season, the competition underwent its biggest change in more than 30 years, switching from the old format to a 'Swiss system' in which all teams would be in an expanded 36-team competition, competing in one league phase rather than four groups of eight prior to a knockout round.

• You can see all the latest UEFA Champions League odds on our dedicated UEFA Champions League hub

Most successful UEFA Champions League Clubs

Real Madrid are the most successful club in UEFA Champions League history. The Spanish giants won the first five European Cups and then added a sixth in 1966. It would be their last European success until the European Cup became the UEFA Champions League, winning a seventh title in 1998 with two more in 2000 and 2002.

After a 12-year drought, Real re-established their dominance in Europe with more European crowns in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024.

Milan are the next most successful team with seven wins having won their first two titles in 1963 and 1969 before their successful side of the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning in 1989, 1990 and 1994.

Bayern Munich and Liverpool are next on the list. Bayern won their first three European Cups in successive years, winning in 1974, 1975 and 1976, with Liverpool enjoying their best spell int he late 1970s to early 1980s, winning in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1984.

Liverpool are the most successful English club in Europe, three ahead of Manchester United, who have three wins. Chelsea and Nottingham Forest are tied on two each with Manchester City and Aston Villa England's other winners.

• UEFA Champions League and European Cup previous winners

Most memorable UEFA Champions League finals

Over its history, the UEFA Champions League has witnessed some of football's most memorable games from late comebacks to penalty shoot-out drama.

1999 - Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich

Ahead of the 1999 UEFA Champions League final, Manchester United were chasing a Treble having won the Premier League and FA Cup, while Bayern had won the Bundesliga and had a DFB-Pokal final still to come.

United were without the suspended Roy Keane and Paul Scholes with Alex Ferguson fielding a makeshift midfield.

The German side dominated proceedings with United second best throughout the encounter. An early Mario Basler free-kick gave Bayern the lead that they never looked like losing.

But from a corner that was only partly cleared, United substitute Teddy Sheringham scored a stoppage-time equaliser. Seconds later, with extra time looming, follow sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored a dramatic winner.

• Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich

2005 - Liverpool 3-3 Milan (Liverpool won 3-2 on penalties)

It was hard to make a case for Liverpool beating Milan in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final, having finished fifth behind rivals Everton in the Premier League, while Milan boasted an all-star line-up featuring Cafu, Jaap Stam, Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Kaka, Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo.

The Italian side took a 3-0 lead into the break with Maldini scoring in the first minute with Crespo adding two more shortly before half-time.

Liverpool fought back in the second half with Steven Gerrard, Vladmir Smicer and Xabi Alonso scoring three goals in six minutes to force extra-time and then penalties.

Dietmar Hamann, Djibril Cisse and Smicer all scored from the spot for Liverpool, pulling off one of football's most unlikely comebacks.

• Liverpool 3-3 Milan

2008 - Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (Manchester United won 6-5 on penalties)

2008 saw the first all-English final as champions Manchester United met runners-up Chelsea in Moscow. United took an early lead through Cristiano Ronaldo with Frank Lampard equalising for the Blues shortly before half-time.

Neither side could force a winner in regular time with Didier Drogba sent off in extra-time as penalties were required.

Ronaldo had his spot kick saved, but John Terry was unable to convert what would have been the winning penalty, losing his footing and hitting the post.

Nicolas Anelka's penalty was saved by Edwin van der Sar as United were champions of Europe again.

• Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

When was the first UEFA Champions League final?

The first European Cup final was contested between Real Madrid and Reims on 13th June 1956 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with 38,239 spectators attending.

Only 16 teams participated in the first European Cup with all three rounds prior to the final a two-legged tie.

Real had beaten Servette and Partizan Belgrade 7-0 and 4-3 on aggregate to set up a tie with Milan in the semi-finals, which they came through 5-4.

Reims, unlike their Spanish opponents, were unbeaten in their run to the European Cup final, knocking out Danish side AGF, Hungary's Voros Lobogo and Hibernian of Scotland.

The French side raced into a surprise lead with goals from Michel Leblond and Jean Templin before Real hit back through Alfredo Di Stefano and Hector Rial before the break.

Reims restored their lead shortly after the hour mark with Michel Hidalgo, but Real responded again as Marquitos levelled in the 67th minute.

Real would then net a 79th-minute winner as Rial scored his second of the game, sealing a 4-3 win.

Most successful English teams

Club	Titles	Runners-up	Finals	Matches won
Liverpool	6	4	10	151
Manchester United	3	2	5	161
Chelsea	2	1	3	104
Nottingham Forest	2	0	2	12
Manchester City	1	1	2	77
Aston Villa	1	0	1	17
Leeds	0	1	1	22
Arsenal	0	1	1	115
Tottenham	0	1	1	28

Most frequent UEFA Champions League runners-up

Despite their Michael Platini-led side of the 1980s, which won the 1985 European Cup, and their great sides of the 1990s, which won the 1996 UEFA Champions League, Juventus have been runners-up in Europe a record seven times.

Bayern Munich and Benfica are next with five each with Benfica reaching five finals in the 1960s, winning two.

Milan, Liverpool and Inter all lost four finals each.

After winning their first three UEFA Champions League finals, Manchester United went on to lose their next two to Barcelona.

Leeds, Arsenal and Tottenham are the three English teams to have made the European Cup final without winning. Leeds controversially lost their final to Bayern Munich in 1975 with Arsenal going down to Barcelona in 2006.

Despite taking a first-half lead through Sol Campbell, Arsenal lost goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to a red card and conceded two second-half goals to lose 2-1.

Spurs conceded an early penalty to Liverpool in 2019 with the Reds netting a late second through Divock Origi.

• Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal