History of the Champions League: Discover the Champions, Top Scorers, and Curiosities About the Tournament!

Everything surrounding the UEFA Champions League makes it one of the most—if not the most — fascinating tournaments in the world. From top-level football on the pitch to the curiosities of its long history, not to mention the thrill of sports betting, it’s impossible to stay out of the action!

To warm up the fans before the start of the 2025/26 Champions League, Blaze brings you a glimpse of the tournament’s history, its greatest champions, and the leading scorers of Europe’s top continental competition. Shall we?

What is the history of the Champions League?

Founded in 1955, the European continental competition was originally called the European Champion Clubs’ Cup. At that time, only the winners of each national league were allowed to participate. The idea for the tournament came from South America. In 1948, the Copa Libertadores de América began its organization.

The competition across the Atlantic inspired Europeans to create their own version of the tournament. Thus, in 1955, 70 years ago, the proposal was presented at the UEFA Congress and the competition was approved.

From the European Champion Clubs’ Cup to the Champions League

The European tournament continued under its original name until the 1991/92 season. The rebrand to the name we know today came with the 1992/93 edition. With changes in marketing, broadcasting rights, and new approaches, it became the UEFA Champions League.

Format changes in the Champions League

Even before the name change, the European club championship had undergone several format adjustments. In its first edition, it featured a single knockout bracket with 16 participants, played over two legs with a one-match final. The following year, the number of teams increased to 22, introducing a preliminary round for the first time. By 1959/60, the tournament had grown to 27 teams.

The group stage was only introduced with the transformation from the European Cup to the Champions League. This allowed more teams to participate and increased the number of matches. Until the 2023/24 edition, the main phase featured 32 teams divided into eight groups of four.

The top two from each group advanced to the knockout stage, which ran from the round of 16 through to the final. The most recent change came in the 2024/25 edition. Now, 36 clubs take part in the league phase of the tournament. Some qualify directly, based on their league’s UEFA coefficient, while others must go through the qualifying rounds, just as before.

The biggest change is the single-league system. All 36 teams are placed in four pots and each club plays eight matches, half at home and half away, against opponents from different pots. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Teams ranked from 9th to 24th compete in playoffs for the remaining knockout spots. The rest are eliminated.

Who is the greatest Champions League champion?

There is no debate about the greatest European champion of all time: Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have lifted the trophy 15 times. Their first five titles came consecutively from 1955/56 to 1959/60, marking the club’s dominance in the competition.

They then added five more in 1965/66, 1997/98, 1999/00, 2001/02, and 2013/14, followed by another three in a row from 2015/16 to 2017/18. Most recently, Real Madrid added two more titles this decade, in 2021/22 and 2023/24. The club also reached three other finals, finishing runners-up in 1961/62, 1963/64, and 1980/81.

The second-most successful club, AC Milan, has less than half as many trophies. The Italians have seven titles, won in 1962/63, 1968/69, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1993/94, 2002/03, and 2006/07, along with four runners-up finishes in 1957/58 (losing to Real Madrid), 1992/93, 1994/95, and 2004/05.

Two clubs are chasing Milan: Bayern Munich and Liverpool. The Germans won three consecutive titles in 1973/74, 1974/75, and 1975/76, later adding victories in 2000/01, 2012/13, and 2019/20. Liverpool’s six came in 1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1983/84, 2004/05, and 2018/19.

Bayern, however, has reached more finals, with five runner-up finishes (1981/82, 1986/87, 1998/99, 2009/10, and 2011/12). Liverpool, in turn, has four runners-up medals (1984/85, 2006/07, 2017/18, and 2021/22).

Real Madrid’s biggest rival, Barcelona, has just a third of their titles. Barça has lifted the trophy five times (1991/92, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, and 2014/15) and lost three finals (1960/61, 1985/86, and 1993/94). Interestingly, El Clásico has never been played in a Champions League final.

Manchester United and Internazionale are also tied in titles. Inter’s three triumphs came in 1963/64, 1964/65, and 2009/10, while the Italians also lost four finals (1966/67, 1971/72, 2022/23, and 2024/25). Manchester United won in 1967/68, 1998/99, and 2007/08, but finished runners-up twice, in 2008/09 and 2010/11.

Juventus, Benfica, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Porto each have two titles. Juventus stands out for having reached nine finals — more than Barcelona — though they lost seven of them, making them the club with the most defeats in finals.

PSG joined the list of European champions last season, adding its name to a group of ten other clubs with one trophy each: Borussia Dortmund, Celtic, Hamburg, Steaua București, Olympique de Marseille, Manchester City, Feyenoord, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, and Red Star Belgrade. The team with the most finals without a victory is Atlético de Madrid, with three runner-up finishes (1973/74, 2013/14, and 2015/16).

Do you want me to also translate the parts about top scorers and curiosities of the Champions League history (artilheiros e curiosidades), in case you’ll use it in the same guide?

Who is the top scorer of the Champions League?

Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo is, by far, the all-time top scorer of the Champions League. Throughout his career in European clubs, he found the back of the net 141 times. With Manchester United, he scored 21 goals, then 105 with Real Madrid, followed by 14 wearing Juventus’ shirt.

Right behind him is his great rival on the pitch, Argentine Lionel Messi. The Argentine striker has 129 goals, with 120 for Barcelona and just nine during his time at PSG.

In third place, much further behind but still active in Europe, is Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who may still try to close the gap. He has 101 Champions League goals: 17 with Borussia Dortmund, 69 with Bayern Munich, and so far eight with Barcelona.

Who is the player with the most Champions League appearances?

Cristiano Ronaldo leads another statistic in the competition. The Portuguese star is the player with the most appearances in the Champions League, totaling 183 games — 59 with Manchester United, 101 with Real Madrid, and 23 with Juventus.

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas reached 177 appearances, 150 of them with Real Madrid and 27 with Porto. Argentine Lionel Messi and German Thomas Müller share the same number of matches: 163. Messi played 149 for Barcelona and 14 for PSG, while Müller played all his appearances with Bayern Munich.

There’s one player further down the ranking who can still improve his numbers: German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who still plays for Bayern Munich. He has 150 Champions League appearances so far and is expected to add more this season.

Which player has the most Champions League titles?

Five players share the top spot as the athletes with the most Champions League titles. The first to win six was Spanish legend Francisco Gento of Real Madrid, who lifted the trophy in 1955/56, 1956/57, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, and 1965/66.

The trio of Luka Modrić, Dani Carvajal, and Nacho Fernández matched Gento’s achievement with Real Madrid, winning in 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2021/22, and 2023/24. German Toni Kroos, part of five of those victories, also has a Champions League trophy with Bayern Munich in 2012/13.

Once again, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is among the record holders. He won five titles: in 2007/08 with Manchester United, and then in 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 with Real Madrid. However, he shares this spot with another 16 players, including legends like Alfredo Di Stéfano, Paolo Maldini, Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Marcelo, and others.

Bet on the 2025/26 Champions League at Blaze

The 2025/26 Champions League is about to begin, and now, with these curiosities, you’ll be ready to impress other fans with facts about the competition. And if you’d like to have more fun with your predictions, you can also place your sports bets.

But before putting your money on your favorites, always remember to manage your bankroll wisely and keep Responsible Gaming by your side. Use only amounts set aside for this type of entertainment, without harming your financial life. After all, betting is entertainment, never an investment.

Bet on the 2025/26 Champions League at Blaze and watch history being written on the pitch!