The European Cup kicked off in the 1955/56 season and the first five editions were won by the same club. Following a revamp in 1992/93, the competition became the Champions League.
Between 1955 and 1971, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was played. In 1971, that competition was reinvented as the UEFA Cup and since 2009, it has been known as the Europa League.
In 1960, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup was founded and contested by the domestic cup champions from across Europe. It was abolished in 1999, which meant there was no third-tier European competition until the UEFA Conference League was introduced in 2021.
Here, ahead of this season’s major finals, a look at the first continental crowns for some of Europe’s biggest club sides…
AC Milan (European Cup, 1962/63)
AC Milan won the first of their seven European Cups in the 1962/63 season, beating Benfica 2-1 in the final at Wembley as José Altafini scored twice.
Champions again in 1968/69, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1993/94, 2002/03 and 2006/07, the Rossoneri also won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1967/68 and 1972/73 and have also claimed five UEFA Super Cups over the years.
Ajax (European Cup, 1970/71)
Led on the pitch by the great Johan Cruyff, Ajax won the first of three European Cups in 1970/71, beating Greek champions Panathinaikos 2-0 in the final at Wembley.
Champions League winners in 1994/95, Ajax lifted the UEFA Cup in 1991/92 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1986/87.
Arsenal (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1993/94)
Arsenal’s first European trophy was the 1969/70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, with the Gunners 4-3 winners over Anderlecht across two legs in the final after overhauling a 3-1 deficit from the first match with a 3-0 victory at Highbury.
That competition was set up to promote international trade fairs and arguably does not count as a major honour. In 1993/94, Arsenal beat Parma 1-0 in Copenhagen to win the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Finalists again the following season and Champions League runners-up in 2005/06, the Gunners are yet to claim another European honour.
Atlético Madrid (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1961/62)
Atlético Madrid and Fiorentina drew 1-1 in the 1961/62 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final at Hampden Park, with the Spanish side eventually beating the Italian team 3-0 in a replay in Stuttgart almost four months later.
Europa League winners in 2009/10, 2011/12 and 2017/18, Atleti added the UEFA Super Cup after each of those victories, but have missed out three times in European Cup finals – in 1973/74, 2013/14 and 2015/16.
Barcelona (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1978/79)
Twice winners of the Latin Cup in 1949 and 1952, Barcelona claimed the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup on three occasions – in 1955/58, 1958/60 and 1965/66.
Barça’s first major European honour was the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1978/79, when the Blaugrana beat Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-3 after extra time in Basel. Winners of that competition again in 1981/82, 1988/89 and 1996–97, Barcelona’s first European Cup triumph came in 1991/92 and the Catalans have gone on to claim the Champions League four times since. Barça have followed up those wins with the UEFA Super Cup each time, with five victories in all.
Bayern Munich (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1966/67)
Bayern Munich won the European Cup three times in a row between 1974 and 1976, needing a replay to defeat Atlético Madrid in the first of those finals.
Champions League winners on three occasions since, Bayern have taken home the UEFA Super Cup twice. The Bavarians also claimed the UEFA Cup in 1995/96 and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, their first European trophy, in 1966/67. The Bundesliga giants beat Rangers 1-0 in the final in Nuremberg after extra time.
Benfica (European Cup 1960/61)
After Real Madrid won the first five editions of the European Cup, Benfica took home the trophy back to back in 1960/61 and 1961/62.
The Lisbon giants beat Barcelona and Madrid, respectively, in those finals but have not won a European honour since, despite appearing in another eight finals. The Portuguese side also won the Latin Cup in 1950.
Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1965/66)
England may have beaten West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, but a German team did triumph against English opposition in a major final a couple of months earlier.
Borussia Dortmund defeated Liverpool after extra time to win the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final at Hampden Park in May 1966. Just over 30 years later, BVB beat Juventus to win a maiden European Cup in 1996/97, the club’s only other European honour.
Chelsea (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1970/71)
Two-time Champions League and Europa League winners since 2012, Chelsea have also claimed the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup on two occasions.
While most of Chelsea’s continental cheer has come in more recent times, the Blues’ first European trophy was the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970/71, with Real Madrid defeated in a replay after a 1-1 draw in the first match in Piraeus. Chelsea meet Real Betis in this season’s UEFA Conference League final.
Inter (European Cup, 1963/64)
Back-to-back European Cup winners in 1964 and 1965 under Helenio Herrera, Inter had to wait until 2009/10 to claim the trophy for a third time, with José Mourinho in charge.
The Nerazzurri, Champions League finalists again this year, have also won the UEFA Cup on three occasions – in 1990/91, 1993/94 and 1997/98.
Juventus (UEFA Cup, 1976/77)
Juventus’ record in European football may not quite match the Turin club’s domestic success, but the Bianconeri have still picked up a few honours in continental competitions over the years.
European Cup winners in 1985 following the Heysel Disaster which saw 39 fans lose their lives, Juventus won the Champions League in 1995/96 and went on to lose the next two finals. Juve beat Athletic Club on away goals to win a first European honour, the UEFA Cup, in 1976/77 and took home the trophy again in 1989/90 and 1992/93. UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup champions in 1983/84, Juventus have also won the UEFA Super Cup twice.
Liverpool (UEFA Cup, 1972/73)
The first of Liverpool’s six European Cups arrived in the 1976/77 season, with the most recent claimed under Jürgen Klopp in 2018/19.
Four-time UEFA Super Cup winners, Liverpool have also won the UEFA Cup on three occasions and victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach in May 1977 gave the Reds their first ever European honour.
Manchester City (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1969/70)
After all their success in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City finally cracked the Champions League in 2022/23, with victory in the final against Inter completing a historic treble triumph for the Sky Blues.
City went on to add the UEFA Super Cup later on in the year, more than 50 years after winning a first European trophy, which arrived in 1969/70 as the Manchester club defeated Polish side Górnik Zabrze in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final in Vienna.
Manchester United (European Cup, 1967/68)
Manchester United beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley in May 1968 to become the first English club to win the European Cup.
Champions League winners in 1998/99 and 2007/08 under Alex Ferguson, United also claimed the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Super Cup early in the Scot’s tenure in 1991. Europa League finalists this season, the Red Devils will meet Tottenham in Bilbao to compete for a trophy they previously won in 2016/17.
Paris Saint-Germain (UEFA Cup, 1995/96)
Founded in 1970, Paris Saint-Germain’s first and sole European honour arrived in 1996, when the French club beat Rapid Wien 1-0 to claim the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in Brussels.
Champions League finalists in 2020, PSG face Inter in this season’s showpiece as they look to become only the second side from France after rivals Marseille in 1993 to win the European Cup.
Porto (European Cup, 1986/87)
FC Porto are Portugal’s second-most successful side after Benfica, but have more European trophies than their Lisbon rivals.
European Cup winners in 1986/87 after coming from behind to beat Bayern Munich in the final, Porto won the Champions League under José Mourinho in 2004. The Dragons are also two-time winners of the UEFA Cup/Europa League and claimed the UEFA Super Cup in 1987.
Real Madrid (European Cup, 1955/56)
Real Madrid are 15-time champions of Europe and Los Blancos famously won the first five editions of the European Cup, starting with a 4-3 win over Stade de Reims in the 1956 final. Madrid also won the Latin Cup in 1955 and 1957.
Los Blancos went 32 years without winning the European Cup after their 1966 triumph, but have claimed the Champions League crown nine times since. Six-time UEFA Super Cup champions, Madrid also won back-to-back UEFA Cups in the mid-1980s.
Tottenham Hotspur (UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1962/63)
Tottenham Hotspur became the first English club to win a major European trophy, thrashing Atlético Madrid 5-1 in Rotterdam in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final in May 1963.
Spurs also won the inaugural UEFA Cup in 1971/72, beating Wolves in an all-English final, and took home the trophy again in 1984. The north Londoners face Manchester United in Bilbao in this year’s Europa League showpiece.
