Has Arsenal Ever Won the Champions League?

The Gunners first played in the Champions League way back in 1971-72, but have they ever won it?

Ashley Cole. / Sven Simon/IMAGO

Arsenal is one of the most revered and decorated teams in English soccer history.

Founded in 1886, the Gunners have amassed an impressive collection of domestic trophies, including multiple First Division, Premier League, and FA Cup titles. With 47 major domestic honors, only Liverpool and Manchester United have won more.

Despite their domestic dominance, Arsenal's performances in Europe have been inconsistent, particularly in the UEFA Champions League, the continent's elite competition.

So, has Arsenal ever won it? And if not, how close has it come?

Has Arsenal Ever Won the Champions League?

Jens Lehmann walks past the Champions League trophy in 2006. / Ulmer/IMAGO

Arsenal has competed in the Champions League—formerly the European Cup—23 times, debuting in 1971-72 and most recently in 2024-25.

Despite its best efforts, the club has never won the tournament, making it one of the biggest names in European soccer yet to lift the trophy.

Arsenal’s Closest Years in the Champions League

Sol Campbell heads in against FC Barcelona in the 2006 final. / IMAGO/Panoramic

Arsenal came closest to winning the Champions League in 2005-06 when it reached the final, only to fall to FC Barcelona.

On a dramatic night in Paris, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became the first in tournament history to receive a red card in a final after bringing down Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o just outside the area.

Despite being down to 10 men, Arsène Wenger’s side took a shock lead in the 37th minute when defender Sol Campbell headed in a Thierry Henry free-kick, giving Arsenal an unexpected halftime advantage.

However, Barcelona's numerical advantage eventually proved decisive. The Spanish side struck twice in the final 14 minutes—first through Eto'o and then Juliano Belletti—to claim the trophy and break Arsenal hearts.

Beyond that infamous night in 2006, Arsenal's best Champions League run came in 2008-09, when it reached the semifinals but was eliminated by Manchester United 4-1 on aggregate.

Arsenal’s Champions League Record By Year

Declan Rice and Kai Havertz. / IMOAG/Colorsport

Here’s a breakdown of how Arsenal has fared in each of its 22 Champions League campaigns prior to the 2024-25 edition:

Season	Champions League Stage Reached
1971-72	Quarterfinals
1991-92	Round Two
1998-99	Group Stages
1999-00	Group Stages
2000-01	Quarterfinals
2001-02	Second Group Stage
2002-03	Second Group Stage
2003-04	Quarterfinals
2004-05	Round of 16
2005-06	Runner-up
2006-07	Round of 16
2007-08	Quarterfinals
2008-09	Semifinals
2009-10	Quarterfinals
2010-11	Round of 16
2011-12	Round of 16
2012-13	Round of 16
2013-14	Round of 16
2014-15	Round of 16
2015-16	Round of 16
2016-17	Round of 16
2023-24	Quarterfinals

Why Arsenal Has Struggled to Win the Champions League

Thierry Henry. / IMAGO/Ulmer

The simple answer to why Arsenal has never won the Champions League is that its teams have never been good enough, but doesn’t tell the whole story.

In the club’s early years in the competition during the 1990s, Arsenal lacked both experience in Europe and the squad quality to compete at the highest level, often struggling against more established continental powerhouses.

Meanwhile, between 2010 and 2017, when the team exited in the Round of 16 seven times, the club was undergoing a major transition both on and off the field.

The Gunners had lost several of their biggest stars, including Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Ashley Cole. While they still had talented young players like Cesc Fàbregas, Samir Nasri, and Robin van Persie, they lacked the squad depth to compete in Europe.

Financial constraints also played a role, as the club prioritized repaying the £390 million cost of building the Emirates Stadium, limiting investment in world-class talent.

As for the era when Arsenal did have the likes of Henry, their failure to win the tournament came down to a mix of underperformance, the sheer strength of rivals like FC Barcelona, AC Milan, and Bayern Munich, and a bit of bad luck.

Oh, and Jens Lehmann. Sorry, Jens.

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