OpenLife Nigeria reports that after a keen contest for the 2024 UEFA Championship on Saturday, June 1 at the Wembley Stadium in England, Spanish giants, Real Madrid, walloped a Bundesliga’s strong team, Borussia Dortmund 2-0.
Sketches of views from the celebrated match indicated that Borussia Dortmund had the better chances in the Champions League final at Wembley but Real Madrid won the game 2-0 to be crowned champions of Europe. It is a familiar story for Carlo Ancelotti’s team that will only add to their legend.
About UEFA
Technically, in world football, no other club competition quite matches up to the popularity and the pull of the men’s UEFA Champions League (UCL).
The tournament features the best teams from Europe vying for the coveted trophy and the bragging rights to be called ‘Europe’s best’ each year.
While other continental federations like Asian Football Confederation, Confederation of African Football and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) also run their own continental Champions League equivalents, the overwhelming popularity of European football around the world makes the UCL stand out.
Organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Europe’s governing body for football, the inaugural edition of the UCL, which was known as the European Cup until 1992, was held in 1955.
In the initial days, the UCL was a knockout tournament featuring the champions from different domestic leagues in Europe.
In 1991, a round-robin stage or group stage was introduced and multiple teams from a country were allowed to play in the UCL from the 1997-98 season, thereby expanding the number of teams in the tournament.
As it stands, the main draw of the UEFA Champions League starts with 32 teams, divided into eight groups, playing in a double round-robin group stage. The top two from each group progress to the knockouts, which are played over two legs – except for the final.
Domestic champions and runner-ups from top European footballing countries participate in the UEFA Champions League. Stronger leagues like the ones from England, Spain and Germany get up to four slots in the main draw. UEFA is mulling to expand the number of teams to 48 to facilitate increased participation from all countries.
Spanish giants Real Madrid won the first edition of the UCL, then known as the European Cup, in 1955 and went on to retain the trophy in the next four editions – the longest win streak in the history of the competition.
Reigning champions Real Madrid have won the UEFA Champions League 15 times, making them the most successful team in the UCL.
Real’s domestic rivals Barcelona, meanwhile, have five wins to their name. Ajax (4), Manchester United (3), Inter Milan (3), Juventus (2), Benfica (2), Nottingham Forest (2), Porto (2) and Chelsea (2) are the other multi-time UCL champions.
Over the years, there have been 23 different UCL champions. Reigning champions Manchester City became the sixth English club to claim the title after they lifted the UCL 2022-23 trophy.
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League season
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in a single UCL season, having scored 17 times in the 2013-14 campaign.
Most goals in a single UEFA Champions League season
Player | Team | Goals | Year |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 17 | 2013-14 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 16 | 2015-16 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 15 | 2017-18 |
Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 15 | 2019-20 |
Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 15 | 2021-22 |
Jose Altafini | AC Milan | 14 | 1962-63 |
Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 14 | 2011-12 |
Ferenc Puskas | Real Madrid | 12 | 1959-60 |
Ruud van Nistelrooy | Manchester United | 12 | 2002-03 |
Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 12 | 2010-11 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 12 | 2012-13 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 12 | 2016-17 |
Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 12 | 2018-19 |
UEFA Champions League winners list Since 1955
UCL winners | ||
Season | UCL champion | Runners up |
1955-56 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Stade de Reims (France) |
1956-57 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Fiorentina (Italy) |
1957-58 | Real Madrid (Spain) | AC Milan (Italy) |
1958-59 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Stade de Reims (France) |
1959-60 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) |
1960-61 | Benfica (Portugal) | Barcelona (Spain) |
1961-62 | Benfica (Portugal) | Real Madrid (Spain) |
1962-63 | AC Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Portugal) |
1963-64 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Real Madrid (Spain) |
1964-65 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Portugal) |
1965-66 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia) |
1966-67 | Celtic FC (Scotland) | Inter Milan (Italy) |
1967-68 | Manchester United (England) | Benfica (Portugal) |
1968-69 | AC Milan (Italy) | Ajax (Netherlands) |
1969-70 | Feyenoord (Netherlands) | Celtic FC (Scotland) |
1970-71 | Ajax (Netherlands) | Panathinaikos (Greece) |
1971-72 | Ajax (Netherlands) | Inter Milan (Italy) |
1972-73 | Ajax (Netherlands) | Juventus (Italy) |
1973-74 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Atletico Madrid (Spain) |
1974-75 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Leeds United (England) |
1975-76 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Saint-Etienne (France) |
1976-77 | Liverpool (England) | Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany) |
1977-78 | Liverpool (England) | Club Brugge (Belgium) |
1978-79 | Nottingham Forest (England) | Malmo (Sweden) |
1979-80 | Nottingham Forest (England) | Hamburger SV (Germany) |
1980-81 | Liverpool (England) | Real Madrid (Spain) |
1981-82 | Aston Villa (England) | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
1982-83 | Hamburger SV (Germany) | Juventus (Italy) |
1983-84 | Liverpool (England) | AS Roma (Italy) |
1984-85 | Juventus (Italy) | Liverpool (England) |
1985-86 | Steaua Bucuresti (Romania) | Barcelona (Spain) |
1986-87 | FC Porto (Portugal) | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
1987-88 | PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) | Benfica (Portugal) |
1988-89 | AC Milan (Italy) | Steaua Bucuresti (Romania) |
1989-90 | AC Milan (Italy) | Benfica (Portugal) |
1990-91 | Red Star Belgrade (Yugoslavia) | Marseille (France) |
1991-92 | Barcelona (Spain) | Sampdoria (Italy) |
1992-93 | Marseille (France) | AC Milan (Italy) |
1993-94 | AC Milan (Italy) | Barcelona (Spain) |
1994-95 | Ajax (Netherlands) | AC Milan (Italy) |
1995-96 | Juventus (Italy) | Ajax (Netherlands) |
1996-97 | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | Juventus (Italy) |
1997-98 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) |
1998-99 | Manchester United (England) | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
1999-2000 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Valencia (Spain) |
2000-01 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Valencia (Spain) |
2001-02 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) |
2002-03 | AC Milan (Italy) | Juventus (Italy) |
2003-04 | FC Porto (Portugal) | AS Monaco (France) |
2004-05 | Liverpool (England) | AC Milan (Italy) |
2005-06 | Barcelona (Spain) | Arsenal (England) |
2006-07 | AC Milan (Italy) | Liverpool (England) |
2007-08 | Manchester United (England) | Chelsea (England) |
2008-09 | Barcelona (Spain) | Manchester United (England) |
2009-10 | Inter Milan (Italy) | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
2010-11 | Barcelona (Spain) | Manchester United (England) |
2011-12 | Chelsea (England) | Bayern Munich (Germany) |
2012-13 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) |
2013-14 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Atletico Madrid (Spain) |
2014-15 | Barcelona (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) |
2015-16 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Atletico Madrid (Spain) |
2016-17 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Juventus (Italy) |
2017-18 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Liverpool (England) |
2018-19 | Liverpool (England) | Tottenham Hotspur (England) |
2019-20 | Bayern Munich (Germany) | Paris Saint-Germain (France) |
2020-21 | Chelsea (England) | Manchester City (England) |
2021-22 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Liverpool (England) |
2022-23 | Manchester City (England) | Inter Milan (Italy) |
2023-24 | Real Madrid (Spain) | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) |
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