 "UEFA Champions League")
In global football, few tournaments can rival the prestige and reach of the men’s UEFA Champions League (UCL). Featuring the elite clubs from across Europe, the UCL is widely regarded as the pinnacle of club competition, with teams battling each season for the ultimate prize and the honor of being crowned the continent’s best.
While other regions such as Asia (AFC), Africa (CAF), and South America (CONMEBOL) host their own continental championships, the global popularity of European club football ensures the UCL remains in a league of its own.
Organized by UEFA — the governing body for football in Europe — the competition began in 1955 under the name “European Cup.” Initially, it was a straight knockout event reserved for domestic league champions. A major change came in 1991 with the introduction of a group stage, and from the 1997-98 season, clubs beyond national champions could also qualify, significantly widening participation.
Starting in the 2024-25 season, the UCL adopted a revamped format. The traditional 32-team group stage was replaced with a 36-team league phase. Each team now plays eight matches against eight different opponents, rather than six matches against three teams as in the previous system.
Top clubs from Europe's major leagues — such as the Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga — are typically awarded up to four spots in the main tournament. UEFA is also considering future expansions, potentially increasing the number of teams to 48 to ensure broader inclusion from across the continent.
Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid were the first winners of the tournament in its inaugural year, and famously retained the title for five consecutive seasons, a record-setting streak that still stands today. Here are the champions of the prestigious tournament over the years -
| UEFA Champions League winners & runners-up list | ||
| Season | Winner | Runner-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 Mönchengladbach (Germany) |
| 1977–78 | Liverpool (England) | Club Brugge (Belgium) |
| 1978–79 | Nottingham Forest (England) | Malmö (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) |
| 2024-25 | PSG | Inter Milan |
 "Kevin de Bruyne")
 "Sunderland")
 "Nikhil Prabhu")
 "AC Milan, football, soccer")
 "Liverpool Football Club (Pic-Twitter)")
