Teams with the Most Champions League Titles

The teams with the most UEFA Champions League titles are known all over the world and not just for their triumphs in this competition.

The UEFA Champions League is the most important international soccer competition in Europe. It was created in 1955 following an initiative by the French sports newspaper, L’Équipe. In this article, we’ll look at the teams with the most Champions League titles.

Which teams have the most Champions League titles?

There are three nations that have dominated this competition throughout its history. Spanish teams have won 18 titles and eleven runners-up prizes, English teams have won 13 titles and finished second nine times, and Italian teams have won 12 times and finished as runners-up 16 times. But we’re not talking about nationalities. We’re looking at individual teams:

1. Real Madrid

This is the most successful team in the history of the Champions League, boasting 13 titles and three runners-up prizes. Not only that, but this means that they’ve appeared in the final more than any other team, as well as appearing in the competition more than any other team, qualifying an amazing 49 times.

As if that weren’t enough, Real Madrid was the very first winner of the competition back in 1955-56 and went on to win five times in a row. This was the team that featured Alfredo Di Stéfano, one of the best European soccer players of the 20th century.

But we can’t forget the galactic era of the present century when Madrid lifted the trophy on numerous occasions. The last time the whites won the Champions League was in 2018.

2. AC Milan

Real Madrid’s dominance in this competition is so great that second on our list, AC Milan, have won only half the number of trophies compared to Madrid, winning six in total. This Italian team won the competition in 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, and 2007.

On top of this, they’ve reached the final on four other occasions (1958, 1993, 1995, and 2005). Without a shadow of a doubt, the red and blacks certainly had a prolific decade in the 90s.

3. Liverpool: one of the teams with the most champions league titles

The third team on our list is the English team, Liverpool, with six trophies to their name. They won their first Champions League in 1977 and then repeated the feat the following year.

They didn’t have to wait much longer before they won it again in 1981 and for the fourth time in 1984. However, the 90s was a barren period for Liverpool, and they would have to wait until 2005 before they claimed their fifth Champions League trophy, beating AC Milan 3-0 (photo).

They’re currently the reigning champions having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 final. The years they finished runners-up were 1985, 2007, and 2018.

4. Bayern Munich

This team from the Bundesliga comes in fourth place with five titles under their belts, winning the first three in 1974, 1975, and 1976. They then had to wait several decades before collecting their fourth trophy in 2001. The last time they won was in 2013.

Bayern Munich also has the distinction of having the second most runners-up prizes (Juventus have the most), finishing second in 1982, 1987, 1999, 2010, and 2012.

5. Barcelona: most champions league titles

The Catalan team also has five Champions League titles, but only three runners-up prizes. The first time that Barca was named the champion was in 1992, meaning that their history in the league is ‘quite recent’.

They won the trophy in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015, and reached the final without winning in 1961, 1986, and 1994.

6. Ajax

This Dutch team has won the trophy on four separate occasions, winning three of them in succession between 1971 and 1973. Their most recent triumph was in 1995. They also finished as the runners-up in 1969 and 1994.

7. Inter Milan

Inter Milan has three Champions League titles to their name and two runners-up prizes. They won the competition in 1964, 1965, and 2010, but lost in the final in 1967 and 1972.

8. Manchester United

Although the Red Devils have won the Premier League more than any other team, they have not been as prolific in the UEFA Champions League. They’ve only won the competition three times (twice under Alex Ferguson), winning in 1968, 1999, and 2008.

However, they also came second in 2009 and 2011. Without a doubt, the arrival of Sir Alex drastically changed Manchester United’s record in this competition.

To complete the list of title winners in this competition, we have Juventus (two titles, seven runners-up), Benfica of Portugal (two titles and five runners-up), and Nottingham Forest (two titles). Who will be the next to add their name to the list?