Champions League Winners by Year: Complete List of Past Champions

Twenty-four clubs have won the Champions League since its inception in 1955.

PSG successfully defended their Champions League crown. | Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

The UEFA Champions League, formerly known as the European Cup, was first held in the 1955–56 season.

That year, just 16 teams took part, with Real Madrid defeating French side Stade de Reims in the final to claim the inaugural title.

Since then, Madrid have gone on to win the competition a further 14 times—making Los Blancos the most successful club in its history—while 23 other teams have also lifted the trophy, some multiple times, others just once.

Below, we take a closer look at every club that has won European soccer’s elite competition, year by year.

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Champions League Winners by Year: Complete List

Real Madrid is the Champions League’s most successful-ever team. | Insidefoto/IMAGO

European Cup Era (1955-1992)

Year	Winner
1955-56	Real Madrid
1956-57	Real Madrid (2)
1957-58	Real Madrid (3)
1958-59	Real Madrid (4)
1959-60	Real Madrid (5)
1960-61	Benfica
1961-62	Benfica (2)
1962-63	AC Milan
1963-64	Inter Milan
1964-65	Inter Milan (2)
1965-66	Real Madrid (6)
1966-67	Celtic
1967-68	Manchester United
1968-69	AC Milan (2)
1969-70	Feyenoord
1970-71	Ajax
1971-72	Ajax (2)
1972-73	Ajax (3)
1973-74	Bayern Munich
1974-75	Bayern Munich (2)
1975-76	Bayern Munich (3)
1976-77	Liverpool
1977-78	Liverpool (2)
1978-79	Nottingham Forest
1979-80	Nottingham Forest (2)
1980-81	Liverpool (3)
1981-82	Aston Villa
1982-83	Hamburger SV
1983-84	Liverpool (4)
1984-85	Juventus
1985-86	Steaua București
1986-87	Porto
1987-88	PSV Eindhoven
1988-89	AC Milan (3)
1989-90	AC Milan (4)
1990-91	Red Star Belgrade
1991-92	FC Barcelona

Champions League Era (1993-)

Year	Winner
1992-93	Marseille
1993-94	AC Milan (5)
1994-95	Ajax (4)
1995-96	Juventus (2)
1996-97	Borussia Dortmund
1997-98	Real Madrid (7)
1998-99	Manchester United (2)
1999-00	Real Madrid (8)
2000-01	Bayern Munich (4)
2001-02	Real Madrid (9)
2002-03	AC Milan (6)
2003-04	Porto (2)
2004-05	Liverpool (5)
2005-06	FC Barcelona (2)
2006-07	AC Milan (7)
2007-08	Manchester United (3)
2008-09	FC Barcelona (3)
2009-10	Inter Milan (3)
2010-11	FC Barcelona (4)
2011-12	Chelsea
2012-13	Bayern Munich (5)
2013-14	Real Madrid (10)
2014-15	FC Barcelona (5)
2015-16	Real Madrid (11)
2016-17	Real Madrid (12)
2017-18	Real Madrid (13)
2018-19	Liverpool (6)
2019-20	Bayern Munich (6)
2020-21	Chelsea (2)
2021-22	Real Madrid (14)
2022-23	Manchester City
2023-24	Real Madrid (15)
2024-25	Paris Saint-Germain
2025-26	Paris Saint-Germain (2)

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Current Champions: Paris Saint-Germain

PSG beat Inter in the Champions League final in 2024-25. | IMAGO/PsnewZ

After years of European heartbreak, Paris Saint-Germain finally conquered the continent in 2024–25 with a 5–0 thumping of Inter. The victory marked the biggest winning margin ever in a Champions League final, cementing PSG’s place not just as champions, but among the pantheon of truly great teams in European soccer history.

They furthered their legacy even more the following season, when they successfully defended their European crown against Arsenal. The two sides were deadlocked at 1–1 after 120 minutes, forcing a penalty shootout to decide the game. Two crucial misses from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel handed PSG a 4–3 victory on penalties.

Luis Enrique’s men now join Real Madrid as the only two teams to go back-to-back in the Champions League era.

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Fun Facts About Champions League Winners

USMNT star Christian Pulisic won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Knowing all the Champions League winners year by year is, of course, useful—especially if you can reel them off at your next trivia night.

But if you're human like us, that's probably a bit of a stretch. So instead, here are some fun facts about the Champions League and its many winners that might be a little easier (and more entertaining) to remember.

Fun Champions League Facts

1. Real Madrid stands as the most successful team in Champions League history, having lifted the trophy a record 15 times.

2. Atlético Madrid holds the record for the most Champions League final appearances (3) without ever winning the competition.

3. With a combined 20 titles, Spanish clubs are the most successful in Champions League history.

4. Italian clubs hold the record for the most Champions League runner-up finishes, with 17 in total.

5. From 1986 to 1991, English clubs were banned from competing in the Champions League following the disaster at Heysel Stadium.

6. Chelsea is the only club to hold both the Champions League and Europa League titles simultaneously, having won the Champions League in 2011–12 and the Europa League in 2012–13.

7. Real Madrid is the only team in Champions League history to have played over 500 matches.

8. Real Madrid also holds the records for the most games lost and the most goals scored in Champions League history.

9. Celtic was the first-ever Champions League winner from the United Kingdom, lifting the trophy in 1967.

10. Carlo Ancelotti is the most decorated manager in Champions League history, having won the title five times—twice with AC Milan and three times with Real Madrid.

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