Best Champions League Teams

Few global sporting competitions can match the the CL for popularity and prestige. Some of history’s greatest football moments have taken place during the tournament, lighting a passion other sports struggle to match.

Europe’s premier club spectacle is renowned for heroic comebacks and mind-boggling underdog achievements. Liverpool’s “Miracle of Istanbul” and Real Madrid’s outrageous powers of recovery last year are just a few of the famous Champions League tales that will be retold for years to come.

Los Blancos’ superhuman run to the Champions League Final after somehow recovering against PSG and Manchester City in the previous rounds was undeniably one of the best moments in sports 2022 had to offer. As examples of the competition’s excitement go, it was pretty special.

Plenty of teams have tasted success since the European Cup launched in 1955. The format, branding, and rules have changed multiple times over its history, but deleting these clubs’ legacy is impossible. Keep reading for an exploration of the best Champions League teams of all time.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid is by far and away the most successful club in Champions League history, lifting the trophy on no less than 14 occasions. That’s twice as many times as AC Milan, their closest challenger on 7 trophies.

Los Blancos have an uncanny knack for snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in the competition, most notably against bitter local rivals Atletico Madrid in 2014. Sergio Ramos popped up in stoppage time to scramble home an equaliser just as it looked like they’d lose 1-0. Somehow they had saved themselves against Diego Simone’s notoriously tenacious Atletico, ultimately running away with the game in extra time with goals from Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Marcelo.

Amazingly, Madrid has won the tournament on four separate occasions since the fairytale in Lisbon, with their most recent triumph coming last year. Up against a defiant Liverpool squad chasing a historic quadruple, Carlo Ancelotti’s side served up a masterclass in patient defending to win 1-0. Watching Los Blancos lift the trophy for the 14th time was one of the best football moments in 2022 (unless you are a Liverpool fan).

AC Milan

AC Milan dropped off significantly after their last title in 2007, but you cannot deny the team’s remarkable history in the competition. They are the Champions League’s second-most-successful club, with 7 trophies so far.

The Rossoneri tasted success in 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, and 2007. Their most recent triumph was arguably the most significant, coming at the expense of a Liverpool side that had performed the “Miracle of Istanbul” two years earlier. Milan got revenge for their shock loss with two goals from legendary striker Filippo Inzaghi, securing a 2-1 victory.

It was his second trophy with the Milan giants and made him the sixth-highest goal-scorer in the competition’s history. But Inzaghi isn’t the team’s most legendary Champions League player. That accolade goes to the superhuman Paolo Maldini, the defender who spent 25 seasons with the Rossoneri, winning three CL trophies in the process.

Liverpool

Fittingly, Liverpool is the next-most-successful Champions League team together with Bayern Munich. The 2005 final against AC Milan is arguably the greatest game in the competition’s history. The Reds trailed 3-0 at halftime to a rampant Milan team intent on replicating their success in 2003. Rafael Benitez’s team looked bereft of ideas, but a masterstroke from the manager during the break changed their fortunes.

On came Didi Hamann, facilitating a formation switch that changed everything. Three quickfire goals from Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso brought the Liverpudlians level before Jerzey Dudek crowned the comeback with his penalty-saving heroics. Words cannot describe the emotions after this match, solidifying the team’s position as one of the great Champions League clubs.

The Reds have lifted the trophy on six occasions, with the 2019 victory against Tottenham being the most recent. Although Salah was one of the best football players 2022 had to offer, the Egyptian was unable to guide them past Real Madrid last year. The Spaniards beat them in the 2018 final as well, setting up one of the great European rivalries.

Barcelona

Watching Lionel Messi win the World Cup was unquestionably one of the best moments in sport 2022 had to offer. Nevertheless, it wasn’t the first time we’ve seen the magical Argentinian with a trophy over his head. He won the Champions League four times during his spell at Barcelona, helping the Catalans to 80% of their European titles to date.

The only other triumph came in 1992, which was the last iteration of the European Cup before its rebranding. Barcelona is one of the most successful teams in its history, but its legacy is about far more than just titles. Influential managers such as Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola consistently pushed football forwards with their transformative tactics.

The Champions League was the ultimate stage, with Barca wowing global audiences with their slick and inclusive tiki-taka football. Legendary players, including Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, also stamped their mark on the competition with iconic goals. When you think of UEFA’s showpiece club event, Barcelona will always be one of the first clubs that come to mind.

Bayern Munich

German titans Bayern Munich are another of the most successful Champions League teams. The Bavarian powerhouses have won the title six times since 1974, most recently against PSG in 2020. This signed off an impressive treble, with Hansi Flick’s team also winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. In doing so, they became only the second team to win the continental treble on two occasions. Quite the feat!

Bayern has a rich history in the competition, steamrollering the opposition on various occasions. They kicked off their winning run with three trophies in succession between 1974 and 1976. Club legend Gerd Muller was arguably the main reason why, as “Der Bomber” was absolutely unstoppable during the 70s.

Bayern had to wait almost three decades to taste success again, lifting the Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens for the first time in 27 years in 2001. The Germans had to wait another decade before winning the 2012-2013 edition during another treble-winning season. Bayern Munich is one of the all-time Champions League greats. There’s no arguing about that.

Manchester United

In 1968, Manchester United became the first English team to win the European Cup. Celtic was the first British team, with the Hoops lifting the trophy the year before in 1967.

Nevertheless, victory tasted sweet for the Mancunians. Bobby Charlton and George Best led one of the greatest teams of all time to a 4-1 victory over Benfica at Wembley Stadium, with three goals in extra time confirming the win.

United have won another two Champions Leagues against Bayern Munich and Chelsea since then. The 1999 final is memorably one of the most outrageous matches in the tournament. Two substitutes turned the game on its head with two injury-time goals overriding Bayern’s 1-0 lead and sending the Red Devils to victory. None of the best football moments in 2022 could match this, not even the rollercoaster World Cup Final between France and Argentina.

Inter Milan

Inter Milan is the second-most successful Italian Champions League team, with only their city rivals AC Milan winning more. The Nerazzurri had to wait for one of the longest times between their titles. They enjoyed sustained success in the 1960s with two back-to-back trophies in 1964 and 1965 before winning again under Jose Mourinho in 2010.

71,333 spectators turned out to watch the 1964 European Cup Final in Vienna between Inter Milan and Real Madrid, who had already won the competition five times. Internazionale made sure they would have to wait for a sixth as goals from Sandro Mazzola and Aurelio Milani secured continental honours for the first time.

They beat Benfica the year after on home turf at the San Siro. This remains the most recent time a club has won the trophy at their home stadium. Inter won their third cup in 2010, with Jose Mourinho masterminding an unprecedented treble-winning season.

Juventus

Despite Juventus possessing a few of the best football players 2022 had to offer, the Old Lady struggled in Europe’s premier competition. They crashed out in the Round of 16 versus Villareal, resigning the Turin club to a 26th consecutive season without Champions League honours. The Bianconieri reached their most recent final in 2015 but were beaten by a rampant Barcelona featuring the attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr.

Nevertheless, Juventus is still one of the most successful clubs in the competition’s history. The Italian titans have lifted the trophy on two occasions, with the first notably coming against one of the great Liverpool sides in 1985. Michel Platini scored the only goal to trigger euphoric scenes in Turin as the Old Lady lifted their first-ever European trophy.

There’s beauty in symmetry, and Juventus secured their second cup almost a decade afterwards in 1996. The game against Ajax went all the way to penalties, with the Italians running out 4-2 winners.

Ajax

Ajax has been extremely successful in the Champions League on other occasions. In fact, the Dutch legends have lifted the trophy on four occasions. Although they weren’t responsible for any of the best football moments in 2022, de Godenzonen has been one of the world’s most influential sides.

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and AC Milan are the only other clubs to have more European success, despite the fact that the Eredivisie isn’t on the level of the Serie A, Premier League, Bundesliga, and La Liga. But it wasn’t always like this. Dutch football was at its zenith during the early 1970s, with “Total Football” sweeping all before it.

Ajax is the only side other than Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to win the European trophy in three consecutive seasons tasting success from 1971 to 1973 during an imperial spell at the top of global football. Their latest victory came in 1995, more than two decades from their initial victories. The Dutch side narrowly missed out on reaching the 2019 final, forcing supporters to prolong the wait for the fifth Champions League trophy celebrations.

Chelsea

Chelsea is the newest team to enter the hall of European competition legends. The London team had pretty much no meaningful experience in continental competition before the 2000s, but everything changed after Roman Abramovich’s acquisition. He poured money into the team, fashioning one of the top sides during the 2000s.

The Blues reached their first final in 2008 under Avram Grant but lost out to a Manchester United team at the peak of their powers. It didn’t take long for Chelsea to return, though, as they enjoyed a remarkable season in 2012. The Londoners beat defending champions Barcelona in the semi-finals to set up a showdown with Bayern Munich.

The European showpiece took place at the Allianz Arena in Munich, but penalty heroics from Petr Cech allowed Chelsea to lift the trophy in Bayern’s backyard. More recently, Thomas Tuchel guided the Blues to their second Champions League success in 2021 versus Manchester City.

Porto

Jose Mourinho is a household name nowadays, but this wasn’t always the case. The Portuguese manager was plying his trade at Porto back in the early 2000s, building one of the most unexpectedly successful teams of the era. He led the Dragões to a UEFA Cup in 2013 before repeating the feat in the Champions League the year after.

It was impossible to ignore the significance of this success. Porto were minnows compared to the top European sides, but they dispatched Manchester United in the knockout round through a combination of grit, flair, and tactical nous. It set up a final with Monaco, which was the first final not to include any teams from England, Germany, Italy, or Spain since 1991.

Porto ran out 3-0 winners as midfield general Deco produced a stunning display. He earned a move to Barcelona, while compatriot Mourinho got the call-up to Chelsea. Despite the novelty of Porto winning the 2004 edition, it wasn’t actually their first time. The Portuguese club also enjoyed victory in 1987, beating Bayern Munich in the final held in Vienna.