UEFA Champions League Winners List

The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football. The best teams in Europe compete to lift the coveted trophy yearly, carving their names on the trophy and into football history. From Ajax and Celtic to Real Madrid and Barcelona, the list of Champions League winners is prestigious.

Set up in 1955 as the European Cup, it has seen a wide range of winners, yet the football played in the 1950s is drastically different to the modern-day game. Up until 1991, it was a knockout format with one club per country (the league champion), plus the defending champion. From 1992 onwards, that was when football in Europe changed and it gave birth to the Champions League. UEFA created this to prevent the continent’s elite clubs from breaking away and creating their own league.

This list goes through every winner of the Champions League and how many times they have won it. There are 23 teams that have won the competition, with several having the joy of winning it on multiple occasions.

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23 Red Star Belgrade

1991

Red Star Belgrade aren’t exactly one of the biggest teams in Europe nowadays, but, in 1991, they completed the ultimate goal in football, winning the European Cup on penalties against Marseille, the year before the competition evolved into the Champions League as we know it today. They beat Grasshopper, Rangers, Dynamo Dresden and Bayern Munich on their way to the final, before dramatically beating the French side in Bari. This was only the second time that an Eastern European side had won and the last time the competition used a solely knockout tournament. The Serbian side will always be remembered for their heroic achievement, even if they aren’t fighting at the top anymore.

22 PSV

1988

PSV may have only won the European Cup once, but, in 1988, they dominated European football, defeating two-time winners Benfica in the final at Neckarstadion in Stuttgart. PSV became the first Dutch team to win the title in 15 years. They also set a record by winning only three matches on their route to victory, including no wins from the quarter-final onwards. A remarkable outcome for one of the smaller teams in Europe. Nowadays, they are consistently in the Champions League and Europa League, but they often struggle to compete against Europe’s major teams.

21 Aston Villa

1982

Aston Villa fans consistently belt out ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’ to rival fans at Villa Park. It’s part of their DNA after their European Cup success in 1982. Aston Villa beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the final at De Kuip to complete their dominance in the competition. It was the sixth consecutive year that an English club won the competition. Aston Villa had never competed in the rebranded competition until Unai Emery let them back to the promised land in 2024. The glory days of Aston Villa might be returning soon, but nothing will ever match the year of ’82.

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20 Feyenoord

1970

Feyenoord have also won the European Cup on one occasion in their history, beating Celtic 2-1 in the final at the San Siro. It was the first time the title had been won by a club from the Netherlands, and sparked a period of Dutch dominance in the competition, as Ajax won the next three titles. Feyenoord are not one of the best clubs in Europe anymore, but they are continually in the group stages of the Champions League. With a passionate fanbase and an exciting squad, there is hope they might be able to defy the odds again one year.

19 Manchester City

2023

Manchester City, despite spending over one billion pounds since being taken over in 2008, have won the Champions League just once. In 2023, they narrowly beat major underdogs Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul to complete a historic treble, matching their arch-rivals Man United in completing the feat. Man City will be expected to continue their dominance in the coming years, especially with Pep Guardiola at the helm. It showcased the dark reality of modern football with all of Man City’s major success coming after being bankrolled by Abu Dhabi. Nevertheless, Rodri’s goal in the final will go down in history forever.

18 Dortmund

1997

Borussia Dortmund are one of Europe’s most famous clubs. The famous ‘Yellow Wall’ epitomises that. In 1997, their European dreams came true as they beat defending champions Juventus 3-1 in the final to win the Champions League. It remains their only title in the tournament to date, and it was the first title for Germany since its reunification in 1990. They’ve come close to winning more since, most notably losing the 2013 final to domestic rivals Bayern Munich at Wembley before suffering the same fate at the same stadium when coming up against an all-conquering Real Madrid side in 2024.

17 Marseille

1993

Marseille beat AC Milan in the first-ever Champions League final in 1993, thanks to a 1-0 win which sent a section of France into delight. However, it wasn’t without controversy. A match-fixing scandal involving a league game that took place six days before the final colours their European triumph. Marseille had allegedly fixed a title-clinching Division 1 game against Valenciennes so they could concentrate on the final against Milan. It is believed that the club owned by the controversial figure of Bernard Tapie bribed Valenciennes to lose so that they would win the French league earlier and above all so that they would not injure the Marseille players before the final against Milan. This resulted in Marseille being stripped of their league title by the French Football Federation but not the Champions League.

16 FC Steaua Bucuresti

1986

Steaua Bucuresti have won the European Cup on one occasion in 1986, beating Barcelona via spot-kicks in the final thanks to penalty shootout specialist, Helmuth Duckadam. The showpiece, held in Seville, showcased the talent of Eastern European football despite the social struggles. This was epitomised as Steaua Bucuresti became the first Eastern Bloc side to win the tournament. Nowadays, Steaua are meandering in the lower depths of Romanian football, but whatever their outcome has in store, they will always have that special night in 1986, beating one of Europe’s biggest teams in dramatic fashion. It will likely not be repeated by any Romanian side.

15 Hamburg

1983

Hamburg may be struggling to get out of the German second division now, but they used to be one of Europe’s biggest and most entertaining teams. In 1983, they beat Juventus 1-0 in the final at Athens’ Olympic Stadium. It was the first time since 1976 that the trophy did not go to a club from England. They had to get past BFC Dynamo, Olympiacos, Dynamo Kyiv and Real Sociedad to reach the final, but they eventually had the delight of lifting the world-famous trophy. Now Hamburg are a sleeping giant, knowing they will likely never replicate the feat again.

14 Celtic

1967

Celtic’s famous stands in Celtic Park are iconic within Europe, not only for its atmosphere but also for its famous appearance. There are very few stadiums in the world better, yet they’ve not had much European success to celebrate since 1967. Celtic became the first British team to win the European Cup – continuing their reputation as one of Europe’s most successful clubs – after they beat Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon. An 85th-minute goal from Stevie Chalmers secured victory for the Scottish giants, who had to beat Dukla Prague in the semi-finals beforehand. It was a different period to the thrills and prestige of modern-day football, but just as iconic.

13 Porto

1987, 2004

The Portuguese side FC Porto won the prestigious competition in 1987 and 2004, beating Bayern Munich on the first occasion during the European Cup days and Monaco on the second in the Champions League. Porto led to the dominance of Jose Mourinho at the start of the 2000s, famously beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on their way to glory. Porto are still one of Europe’s most well-known names, yet they’ve struggled to replicate their success in recent years. Their journey usually ends in the group stages or quarter-finals, unlike their previous triumphs. There is hope one day they will replicate their 2004 success.

12 Nottingham Forest

1979, 1980

Just like Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest fans always bellow ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’ to opposition fans. Whether it’s Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or Leicester City fans, they’ll always be there to remind them. Nottingham Forest’s successes came in back-to-back years in 1979 and 1980, beating Malmo and Hamburg in consecutive years. It was at the heart of England’s dominance in the competition and spearheaded by one of the greatest English managers in football history. Brian Clough and his trusted assistant Peter Taylor led the provincial team out of the second tier and to the summit of European football, pulling off a feat that Forest – or any other club on the continent – may never be able to replicate.

11 Chelsea

2012, 2021

Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world, but their European success has been very recent. Before Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003, transforming the playing side with incredible wealth, Chelsea had only competed in one season of Champions League football. Despite a campaign of chaos in 2012, they defied the odds to beat Bayern Munich – in their home stadium – in the final. Didier Drogba’s header is written into fans’ heads, whilst the winning penalty sent west London into delirium. They replicated the success in 2021 with a dramatic win against Man City in Porto, thanks to a Kai Havertz solo goal.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
2021	Final	Chelsea 1-0 Man City	Win
2012		Chelsea 1-1 Bayern (4-3 on pens)
2008		Chelsea 1-1 Man Utd (5-6 on pens)	Loss

10 Benfica

1961, 1962

Benfica won back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962, just the sixth and seventh editions of the competition ever. Benfica won the first trophy 3-2 against Barcelona, becoming the first Portuguese team to reach the final and win the tournament. They won the trophy again a year later, beating Real Madrid 5–3 in the final at the Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam. The generational talent of Eusebio led Benfica to glory, with the attacker strongly considered one of the greatest players of all time. They remain one of the most competitive teams in Europe, but they often struggle to threaten the continent’s modern-day greats.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1961	Final	Benfica 3-2 Barcelona	Win
1962		Benfica 5-3 Real Madrid
1963		Benfica 1-2 Milan	Loss
1965		Benfica 0-1 Inter
1968		Benfica 1-4 Man United
1988		Benfica 0-0 PSV (5-6 on pens)
1990		Benfica 0-1 Milan

9 Juventus

1985, 1996

Juventus have been one of the most successful clubs in world football over the years, famous for their financial controversies in recent years rather than their performances in Europe. Although they have not been as successful in the Champions League, they have still won it twice in 1985 and 1996. On the first occasion, they beat Liverpool, but the Heysel stadium disaster in the buildup overshadowed the fixture. On the second occasion, they beat Ajax on penalties in Rome. It was an iconic moment to win the competition in one of their rival’s stadiums, but they’ll be hoping to replicate it again soon.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1985	Final	Juventus 1-0 Liverpool	Win
1996		Juventus 1-1 Ajax (4-2 on pens)
1973		Juventus 0-1 Ajax	Loss
1983		Juventus 0-1 Hamburg
1997		Juventus 1-3 Dortmund
1998		Juventus 0-1 Real Madrid
2003		Juventus 0-0 Milan (2-3 on pens)
2015		Juventus 1-3 Barcelona
2017		Juventus 1-4 Real Madrid

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8 Manchester United

1968, 1999, 2008

Manchester United have won the competition on three occasions, most recently in 2008. The most recent final was played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, where they played against Chelsea, making it an all-English affair for the first time in the history of the European Cup. Manchester United won the match 6–5 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw after extra time. John Terry famously slipped whilst taking a crucial penalty to send the travelling Red Devils home in delight. The club will be hoping to replicate that success in the coming years, but they are currently marred by poor mistakes.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1968	Final	Man Utd 4-1 Benfica	Win
1999		Man Utd 2-1 Bayern
2008		Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens)
2009		Man Utd 0-2 Barcelona	Loss
2011		Man Utd 1-3 Barcelona

7 Inter Milan

1964, 1965, 2010

Inter Milan are steeped in history in every inch of the club’s stadium – the San Siro. Alongside spells of domestic dominance, they have also won the Champions League three times. They won it back-to-back in 1964 and 1965, beating Real Madrid and Benfica respectively with a fearsome and physical style known as ‘catenaccio’ preached by the club’s charismatic head coach Helenio Herrera. In their most recent success, the Nerazzurri beat Bayern Munich in the final as Mourinho, the modern version of Herrera, led the club to a historic treble. The manager quickly left the city, but he will always be remembered as one of the club’s greatest coaches.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1964	Final	Inter 3-1 Real Madrid	Win
1965		Inter 0-1 Benfica
2010		Inter 2-0 Bayern
1967		Inter 1-2 Celtic	Loss
1972		Inter 0-2 Ajax
2023		Inter 0-1 Man City

6 Ajax

1971, 1972, 1973, 1995

Ajax are famous within European football for their European Cup success in the 1970s. They won the competition three times in a row in 1971, 1972 and 1973, helped by the genius footballing talent of Johan Cruyff. In 1973, the win by Ajax resulted in the fourth consecutive championship by a Dutch team. Since Ajax had won the cup for a third time, they got to keep a full-size copy of the cup – something that doesn’t always happen to the Champions League trophy. Although they have not been successful recently, they came close in 2019 – only to be denied by Tottenham’s heroics in the semi-final.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1971	Final	Ajax 2-0 Panathinaikos	Win
1972		Ajax 2-0 Inter
1973		Ajax 1-0 Juventus
1995		Ajax 1-0 Milan
1969		Ajax 1-4 Milan	Loss
1996		Ajax 1-1 Juventus (2-4 on pens)

5 Barcelona

1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015

When you think about Barcelona, you think about Pep Guardiola’s famous time and the joy of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. The team famously destroyed Man United to win the competition in 2011 at Wembley, potentially going down as one of the greatest team performances in the competition’s history. They won the tournament again in 2015 to take their tally to five after the success of ‘MSN’ – Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. Barcelona have struggled in Europe recently, mainly due to poor performances and financial struggles, but they will be hoping La Masia can lead the club to glory again.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1992	Final	Barcelona 1-0 Sampdoria	Win
2006		Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal
2009		Barcelona 2-0 Man Utd
2011		Barcelona 3-1 Man Utd
2015		Barcelona 3-1 Juventus
1961		Barcelona 2-3 Benfica	Loss
1986		Barcelona 0-0 Steaua București (2-3 on pens)
1994		Barcelona 0-4 Milan

4 Liverpool

1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019

Liverpool’s first European Cup success came in 1977 when they beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 in Rome. It started years of dominance for Liverpool, winning the competition again in 1978, 1981 and 1984. The club are famous for their legendary Istanbul comeback in 2005, coming from 3-0 down against AC Milan to win on penalties, whilst their recent success against Spurs in Madrid made them six-time champions. They are one of Europe’s greatest clubs, but there is hope they will soon win the competition for a seventh time as the Liverbird continues to soar among the continental elite in the Champions League.

Champions League Record
Year	Round	Scoreline	Win/Loss
1977	Final	Liverpool 3-1 Borussia Mönchengladbach	Win
1978		Liverpool 1-0 Club Brugge
1981		Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid
1984		Liverpool 1-1 Roma (4-2 on pens)
2005		Liverpool 3-3 Milan (3-2 on pens)
2019		Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham
1985		Liverpool 0-1 Juventus	Loss
2007		Liverpool 1-2 Milan
2018		Liverpool 1-3 Real Madrid
2022		Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid