Football fans around the world will be in their element during May, with all three of UEFA's club competitions now at the semi-final stage. The Champions League will dominate most of the headlines, but the Europa League and Europa Conference League also have tasty last four line-ups. Here's our preview.

Champions League

Sports bettors have a tricky puzzle to unravel in the Champions League, with both of the semi-final ties likely to be fiercely contested.

The top football betting sites rate Manchester City as the favourites to lift the trophy and it would be a brave move to back against them achieving the feat.

However, they have been paired with Real Madrid in the last four and would be well-advised not to underestimate the threat they pose.

The 14-time European champions are a tough nut to crack in this competition and Man City will need to be at their best to progress to the final.

The other semi-final is an all-Italian affair, with AC Milan and Inter Milan set to go head-to-head in what promise to be two exciting encounters.

The two sides split their league meetings this season, with each recording a victory by a one-goal margin. It would be no surprise to see this tie decided on penalties.

Europa League

With a place in next season's Champions League on offer to the winners, the remaining four teams in the Europa League will be desperate to get their hands on the trophy.

Juventus are strongly fancied to get the job done, although they have been handed a tricky semi-final test against six-time Europa League winners Sevilla.

The Spanish side have struggled in La Liga this season, but their quarter-final victory over Manchester United highlighted their penchant for upsetting the odds.

Bayer Leverkusen and Roma meet in the other semi-final and predicting a winner in this one is no easy task.

Leverkusen made a miserable start to the season, but have improved massively since Xabi Alonso was appointed as manager.

However, Roma won the Europa Conference League under Jose Mourinho last season and the Portuguese knows what it takes to be successful in Europe.

Europa Conference League

UEFA's decision to launch a third European tournament did not meet with widespread approval, but it appears to have been a productive addition to the ranks.

West Ham United have been widely tipped as the team to beat despite enduring a hugely disappointing campaign in the Premier League.

They may have their work cut out in the semi-finals, with AZ Alkmaar likely to present a formidable challenge when they meet.

Alkmaar are comfortably in the top four in the Eredivisie this season and have plenty of talented players in their squad.

Fiorentina and Basel meet in the other semi-final and the Serie A side look a good bet to book their place in the final.

The Italian league is traditionally stronger than the top flight in Switzerland and it would be a surprise if Basel emerge victorious here.

Every now and then, a year comes along that changes sports history. Imagine waiting years, even decades, for your favourite team to win. For fans across the globe, 2025 has turned that dream into reality.

This year has been special, marked by some of the longest trophy droughts in sports finally coming to an end. Teams like South Africa in cricket and Bologna in football have broken long-standing curses, proving that anything is possible. 

Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history? Join us as we explore why 2025 is a year sports fans won't soon forget, and is also termed as "Year of the underdogs."

1. South Africa won an ICC Trophy after 27 years/ 9,862 days

For nearly three decades, the "chokers" tag clung to the Proteas like an unwanted shadow. Time and again, they reached close to the glory, only to falter at crucial moments. But 2025 changed everything, as they lifted ICC WTC Trophy defeating a strong Australian side in the Final.

South Africa showcased a cricketing masterclass with extraordinary team efforts in a high-stakes final match. From Aiden Markram's century to Temba Bavuma's batting class, they gave it all to earn the standing ovation from the crowd as they walked with pride after the win.

This victory, as Mark Boucher previously said, indeed is the turnaround they needed to inspire future generations and earn global respect as champions that they truly deserve.

They made the world chant "It's time for Africa" with their performance.

Read Also: Most ICC Trophies by any men's team

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2. RCB won their first ever IPL trophy after 18 years/ 6,570 days

For 18 painfully long years, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and their passionate fans endured a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak in IPL. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB delivered exceptional, balanced performance this season, finally breaking free of their curse.

The image of Virat Kohli lifting the IPL trophy, the last major piece missing from his glittering cabinet, was one of the most iconic sporting moments of this year. It not only signified the team's victory, but also the ultimate reward for loyalty and career-long excellence.

The overall team contribution and management are the key factors that led them to secure their place as champions, shutting all the haters down.

Read Also: IPL 2025: RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs

AAAAARRRRR CEEEEEEE BEEEEEE ❤🏆#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/lp3AwgCVQl

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 3, 2025

3. Go Ahead Eagles won the KNVB Cup after 93 years/ 33,968 days

Go Ahead Eagles soared to their first major trophy in 93 years, winning the KNVB Cup in 2025. For generations of fans in Deventer, this was a moment they might have only dreamed of. The emotions outpouring after the victory were sensational.

Their journey in the tournament was an underdog saga, defeating AZ Alkmaar, where they equalised the final match in the 99th minute to take it to penalties, and ultimately winning it from there!

4. Bologna won the Italian Cup after 51 years/ 18,619 days

Bologna's victory in the Italian Cup after 51 years was a testament to patience and a perfectly executed season. Their triumph in 2025, defeating AC Milan 1-0 in the final, was a moment they manifested for years.

Key contributions from players like Don Ndoye, who scored the decisive goal despite returning from injury, and the tactical decisions of the coach, Vincenzo Italiano, brought joy to a city that waited for so long.

5.  Crystal Palace won the first ever major trophy (FA Cup) after 119 years/ 43,714 days

Perhaps the most astonishing drought-breaker of 2025 belonged to Crystal Palace. After 119 years, the Eagles finally lifted their first-ever major trophy, the FA Cup. 

The single decisive goal from Eberechi Eze and crucial saves from goalkeeper Dean Henderson shaped their 1-0 victory over Manchester City FC. This victory proved that even after more than a century, a club's biggest dream can still become reality!

Read Also: Football teams with most international trophies

6. Newcastle United won the League Cup after a long wait of 55 years/ 20,367 days

For the passionate supporters of Newcastle United, 2025 brought an end to a 55-year wait for a major domestic trophy as they won the English Football League Cup.

The sight of the Magpies defeating the 10-time champions Liverpool (1-2) was a powerful moment that reinforced belief in their new era. Goals from local hero Dan Burn and Alexander Isak brought the victory home for them.

7. Harry Kane won his first-ever major trophy (Bundesliga) after 32 years/ 11,676 days

For years, England's most prolific striker, Harry Kane, was burdened by an unfortunate tag: "trophy virgin." Despite his goal-scoring records and individual brilliance, a major team trophy has always slipped away from him.

But 2025 finally saw the narrative shattered as Kane immediately made his mark after joining Bayern Munich, leading them to their 33rd Bundesliga title. He was also the top scorer of the 2024-25 season, having scored 26 goals and 8 assists.

This victory felt like a personal one, putting a line to complete the picture in his football career.

Read Also: 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history

This one’s coming home with me! 🏆

Buzzing to be Bundesliga top goalscorer for the second year in a row and this one’s even more special as it goes alongside the Bundesliga title! Couldn’t have achieved this without the support of my teammates! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WnvIvCf28S

— Harry Kane (@HKane) May 17, 2025

8. Tottenham won the UEFA Europa League after 17 years/ 6,296 days

2025 finally broke Tottenham Hotspur's 17-year trophy drought, as they won the UEFA Europa League. This was a monumental win, bringing the title back to North London.

The tense final against Manchester United saw a crucial goal from Brennan Johnson secure the 1-0 victory. However, the most iconic image was Son Heung-min, the club's long-serving captain, finally lifting a major trophy.

After a decade of dedication and numerous near misses, Son's emotional moment, draped in the Korean flag, was the highlight of his commitment and love for football.

A moment Tottenham fans will never forget 🏆#UELfinal | @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/ROFK5pRtDD

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 22, 2025

In football, a team wins a treble when they win three major trophies in a single season. Winning the continental treble means winning the premier national league competition, the main national cup competition, and the main continental trophy, for UEFA, which is the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League.

Though winning the Europa League is also considered a treble, it is not accepted wholeheartedly by the pundits and fans as winning the UEFA Champions League. 

Till now, 9 European clubs have been able to win the continental treble. Before we discuss all the European treble winners in men's football history, we must know about the types of Trebles we have in football. 

Barcelona is the only club to win multiple trebles with both their men's and women's team, completing the feat in 2024.

Continental treble

This is considered the actual treble in football where a team go on to win the national league, national cup competition and the main continental trophy. Celtic Football Club in 1966-67 became the first team in football history to win a Continental treble. Till now, 22 men's teams have won the Continental Treble, with 30 being the total number of times. In Europe, only 8 football teams have been able to accomplish the feat.

Domestic treble

Generally, for most of the footballing nations, winning a domestic treble is not possible since they do not allow first-division teams to win any secondary cup or league. A domestic treble includes winning three national competitions, including the national league title, the national cup competition, and one secondary competition. Countries which were under British or French possessions once allowed domestic trebles to happen. Celtic with 8 domestic trebles, and Rangers, with 7, are the most successful teams when it comes to winning domestic trebles.

European treble winners in men's football history

1. Celtic | 1966-67

In the 1966-67 season, Celtic became the first team ever to win the continental treble when they won the Scottish Football League, Scottish Cup and European Cup (UEFA Champions League now).

Celtic with 58 points in the Scottish Football League went past Rangers to clinch the national league. In the Scottish Cup, they defeated Aberdeen Football Club by 2-0 in the final to win the trophy. William Wallace was the goalscorer for them in the final. 

In the European Cup, Celtic defeated Inter Milan by 2-1 in Lisbon to become the first-ever Treble winner in football history. Thomas Gemmell and Thomas Chalmers were the scorers for Cletic that day.

2. 1971-72 | Ajax

Ajax, the football club from the Netherlands became the second European team to win the treble in the 1971-72 season. They won the Eredivisie, their national league and then won the KNVB Cup and later on won the European Cup to complete their treble. That season, Ajax were nearly the invincible team losing just one game in the whole season. 

Here are all the teams which went unbeaten in a whole football season. 

In the Eredivisie, Johan Cruyff became their top goal scorer with 25 goals. Ajax with 63 points, 8 points cleared Feijenoord in the second position. In the KNVB Cup, they defeated FC Den Haag in the final by 3-2 to win the cup. Cruyff had scored the opener in that game also and scored three goals in the tournament. 

In the European Cup, they defeated Inter Milan by 2-0 with Johan Cruyff scoring a brace for them. In all together Cruyff had scored 33 goals for them that season in the three tournaments.

3. 1987-1988 | PSV

In the 1987-88 season, PSV became the second team from the Netherlands to win the historical treble. That season they won the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup and the European Cup. They won their 10th Eredivisie title with 59 points, 9 points clear of Ajax in the league table. Wim Kieft scored 29 goals in that season for PSV in the league. 

In the KNVB Cup final they defeated Roda JC by 3-2 in the extra time. Then, they went on to win the European Cup by defeating Benfica in the final by a 6-5 penalty shootout. Ronald Koeman came out as one of the standout performers for PSV that season. 

Know about defenders with most UEFA Champions League goals.

4. 1998-99 | Manchester United

It took 11 more years for any team to win the European Treble and Manchester United became the first team from England to achieve that feat. United, under  Sir Alex Ferguson won the Premier League, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League after not winning any trophies in the previous season. The treble is regarded as the achievement in his career, and he was awarded the knighthood in November 1999 after that success. 

They won the Premier League with 79 points, 1 point more than Arsenal. Dwight Yorke with 18 goals was their and League's joint-highest goal scorer in that season. In the FA Cup, despite facing difficult opponents throughout the tournament, Ferguson's men kept on fighting back, and after two semi-final replays against Arsenal and a final against Newcastle United, they won the FA Cup. Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham scored for them in a 2-0 win in the final.

Read about teams with the most Premier League titles. 

In the Champions League, they were drawn into the group of death alongside FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Brondby. They qualified for the knockouts as the runner-up from the group and defeated Inter Milan and Juventus in the quarter and semi-finals, respectively, before beating FC Bayern Munich in a historic comeback in the final. In front of 91000 people in Barcelona, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored in the added minutes to hand Manchester United a terrific 2-1 win over Bayern.

Do you know which team won the FA Cup most number of times?

5. 2008-2009 | Barcelona

FC Barcelona in the 2008-09 season became the first Spanish team to win the European Treble. Under their former captain, and Barcelona B coach Pep Guardiola, the Spanish giants reached their peak in that season winning the La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League. They are still the only Spanish team to win the European Treble. 

After selling players like Deco and Ronaldinho, Barcelona started to reorganise their shape as a club and Lionel Messi alongside Samuel Eto'o became their hero at the front. They won La Liga with 87 points, 9 points clear of Real Madrid. Samuel Eto'o with 30 goals in the league was their top scorer. 

In the Copa del Rey final, they defeated Athletic Bilbao by 4-1 as Yaya Toure, Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Bojan scored for them after conceding an early goal. 

In the 2008-09 Champions League, Barcelona had to clear the qualifying round first to enter the group stage. They defeated Wisła Kraków in a two-legged qualifying round before entering the group stage alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting CP and Basel. 

They topped the group stage and then went on to beat Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea in the knockouts before beating Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in the final in Rome. Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored one goal each as Barcelona scripted history. Messi finished with 38 goals in all competitions that season. That season saw Lionel Messi win his first Ballon d'Or award with a record margin of 240 points than second-position Cristiano Ronaldo.

Barcelona in 2009 became the first team to win a "sextuple" in European football history.

6. 2009-10 | Inter Milan

Right after Barcelona's historical 2008-09 season, Inter Milan created their history as they became the first and still the only Italian team to win the European treble. They were the sixth European Treble winners in the men's football history. It was the "special one", Jose Mourinho's second and last season with the club that helped the Italian giants create history. 

After a historical season with FC Barcelona, Samuel Eto'o was swapped with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and was sold to Inter Milan. Eto'o that season went on to become the only player to win back-to-back European Treble. That season Inter Milan won their fifth consecutive Serie A title, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League. 

They first won the Coppa Italia by beating Roma in the final. Diego Militao scored the lone goal for them in the final. Then, they won the Serie A on the final match day with 82 points, 2 points more than Roma. Diego Militao scored 22 goals in the league season for them.  

In the UEFA Champions League, they were clubbed with Barcelona, Dynamo Kyiv and Rubin Kazan and progressed to the knockout stage as the runner-up of the group. In the knockouts, they defeated Chelsea, CSKA Moscow and Barcelona before winning 2-0 against Bayern Munich in the final. Militao scored a brace for them and won the player of the match award as well. 

Read about managers with the most wins in UEFA Champions League history.

7. 2012-13 | FC Bayern Munich

In the 2012-13 season, FC Bayern Munich became the first and only German team to win the European Treble. Under head coach Jupp Heynckes, they won their 22nd Bundesliga title, and 5th UEFA Champions League title alongside the DFB-Pokal title. 

Before the season they brought in players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Dante, Claudio Pizarro, Mitchell Weiser, Tom Starke and Mario Mandzukic alongside Javi Martinez for a then-record signing fee. 

In the league, they acquired a record-breaking 91 points as Mario Mandzukic finished with 15 goals against his name. In the DFB-Pokal, they defeated VfB Stuttgart in the final by 3-2 as Mario Gomez scored a brace for them.

In the Champions League, they were grouped with Valencia, BATE Borisov and Lille. They moved to the next stage as the group champions and then faced Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona in the knockouts. In an all-German final, they defeated Borrusia Dortmund by 2-1 to complete their treble. Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben scored for them in the final.

8. 2014-15 | FC Barcelona

Under head coach Luis Enrique, FC Barcelona in the 2014-15 season became the first team in European football history to win the treble more than once. In the summer, Barcelona signed Uruguayan striker  Luis Suarez which helped them create one of the most successful trios in football history in M-S-N with Messi, Suarez and Neymar. They had also signed Marc-André ter Stegen and Ivan Rakitic same season.

They won the La Liga narrowly with 94 points, 2 points clear of Real Madrid. Lionel Messi (43) was outscored by Cristiano Ronaldo (48) in the league that season. Neymar also scored 22 goals for Barcelona in the league that season.

In the Copa del Rey final, they defeated Athletic by 3-1 as Messi scored a brace and Neymar netted once. 

In the Champions League, they faced PSG, Ajax and APOEL in the group stage and advanced to the knockout stage as the champions of the group. They then went on to beat Manchester City, PSG and Bayern Munich before beating Juventus by 3-1 in the final. Neymar, Rakitic and Suarez scored in that final. Messi with 58 goals in all competitions was their top scorer. After that performance, Messi went on to beat Ronaldo and Neymar to win his 5th Ballon d'Or.

9. 2019-20 | FC Bayern Munich

Post Barca's remarkable success in the 2014-15 season, German club FC Bayern Munich went on to equal their records as the second team in European Football history to win the treble more than once. Under coach Hansi Flick they went on to become the second team in European football to win the "sextuple". 

Niko Kovac was the manager for FC Bayern Munich when they started the season, and then Hansi Flick was named as the interim manager. In a season hit by Covid-19, Bayern were forced to play behind closed doors. 

However, that did not restrict them from being their brutal best. Robert Lewandowski broke the record for the most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season (34) as Bayern lifted the league for the 29th time. 

In the DFB-Pokal final, they defeated Bayer Leverkusen by 4-2 as Robert Lewandowski scored a brace for them.

In the UEFA Champions League round of 16, they defeated Chelsea. Then, they humiliated Barcelona by an 8-2 win (the biggest margin in a UEFA Champions League knockout game) and thrashed Lyon by 3-0 before beating PSG by 1-0 in the final. Kingsley Coman scored the all-important goal for them in the final.

10. 2022-23 | Manchester City

In the 2022-23 season, Manchester City became the second English team and 8th overall team to win a European Treble. Pep Guardiola created one of his records as he became the first coach in European history to win the treble more than once.

Manchester City were coming into the season as the Premier League defending champions and signed players like Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips and Julian Alvarez to strengthen their squad. Erling Haaland went on to break the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a single season as he scored 35 goals in the whole season. City went on to win their 7th Premier League title with 89 points.

In the FA Cup final, City's captain Iikay Gundogan scored the fastest goal in the FA Cup final's history as they defeated Manchester United by 2-0 in the final. 

The Haaland riot continued in the UEFA Champions League as well as he scored four goals against RB Leipzig in the round of 16. They then went on to beat Bayern in the quarters and Real Madrid in the semis before beating Inter Milan in the final by 1-0. Rodri scored the lone goal for them in the final and was named player of the final as well. 

Erling Haaland scored 52 goals in his 53 games for Manchester City that season. However, despite that performance, he could not beat Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or trophy. 

11. 2024-25 | PSG

PSG became the latest team to win the European treble under Luis Enrique as they clinched their first-ever Champions League trophy, and also lifted the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France trophies.

In Ligue 1, they clinched the French Championship with 84 points, as Ousmane Dembele, with 21 goals, won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot. 

In the Coupe de France final, they defeated Reims by 3-0 as Bradley Barcola scored a brace and Achraf Hakimi scored another goal to seal the win.

In their historic Champions League season, Dembele finished as their top scorer of the season while Desire Doue scored a stunning brace to help them lift the title. Achraf Hakimi scored in all quarters, the semis and the final to become one of the heroes for them.

With this win, Luis Enrique became the second manager to win two European trebles with two different teams. 

The pain of a Champions League final defeat is a feeling few footballers will ever experience. But for some, that crushing disappointment has become an all too familiar nightmare.

The recent 2025 final saw Lautaro Martinez experience this heartbreak, joining a list of legendary players who have been extremely close to European glory, not once, but multiple times.

Check out the list of players with most Champions League finals without winning it ever.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus) | 3 Finals

One of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time, Gianluigi Buffon was the extraordinary last line of defence for Juventus for many years. He reached the finals 3 times out of which twice he led the the team as a captain, and lost all of them.

• 2003 Final: Faced AC Milan that ended 0-0 after extra time, where Buffon made a crucial save from Filippo Inzaghi in the normal time. However, Juventus ultimately lost 3-2 on penalties.
• 2015 Final: Led Juventus against Barcelona and faced a 3-1 defeat, despite a commendable performance.
• 2017 Final: Lost 4-1 against Real Madrid and it was painful as the opponent dominanted completely in the second-half.

Read Also: Football Facts: Managers with most UCL titles

Paolo Montero (Uruguay, Juventus) | 3 Finals

Paolo Montero was a key central defender of Juventus' backline during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He too reached the finals thrice and never tasted victory in any of the Champions League finals.

• 1997 Final: Juventus were the defending champions in this season, and was unable to control Borussia Dortmund, lost 3-1 in the finals.
• 1998 Final: Lost 1-0 vs Real Madrid in a tense final, which marked their second consecutive final defeat.
• 2003 Final: Battled AC Milan to a 0-0 draw and eventually lost 3-2 in penalties.

Alessio Tacchinardi (Italy, Juventus) | 3 Finals

Another player of Juventus, Alessio Tacchinardi, a hardworking midfielder, finds his place in this list with 3 final defeats. He also has the same story as Montero, with disappointing losses in the years 1997, 1998, and 2003.

Read Also: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

Lautaro Martinez (Argentina, Inter Milan) | 2 Finals

The Argentinian striker, Lautaro Martinez is Inter Milan's attacking shepherd and captain. He made his way up in this list with their recent loss in the 2025 Champions League final against PSG. He was a part of 2 finals and lost both the times.

• 2023 Final: Despite great efforts, lost 1-0 to Manchester City in a thrilling final. Martinez had a chance to equalize but couldn't convert, a moment that lingered in the memory for Inter fans.
• 2025 Final: A heavy 5-0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain which added a second layer to his final setbacks.

Antoine Griezmann (France, Atletico Madrid) | 2 Finals

Antoine Griezmann was the creative heartbeat and primary attacking threat for Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid during their golden era. He reached the finals 2 times with this side and met with defeats every time.

• 2014 Final: Faced cross city rivals Real Madrid in a dramatic final, and lost 4-1.
• 2016 Final: Another defeat against Real Madrid, where they lost 5-4 (Juanfran missed the decisive penalty) in penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Read Also: 10 most successful African Players with most goals in the UEFA Champions League

Other Atletico Madrid Players with 2 UCL final defeats in the same years (2014, 2016):

In Europe, the Champions League is seen as the most demanding title among players, managers, and clubs from all over Europe. The Giant clubs compete for this specific trophy every year, with the prestige and financial rewards received from the tournament being among the biggest in club football.

Achieving success in this competition is usually seen by most players and managers as the benchmark of club-level achievement in Europe. For many managers, winning the Champions League is the ultimate goal.

Some managers, however, have managed to win the competition multiple times, some with multiple teams as well. Without further due, here are the interesting football facts of the five managers with the most Champions League titles.

Read Also: Barcelona 2008/09 vs Man City 2022/23 - which Pep Guardiola treble team is better?

Football Facts: Managers with the most UCL titles 

Pep Guardiola | 3 Champions League titles

Many regard Pep Guardiola as the greatest manager of his generation due to his success with all the clubs he has managed. The Spanish manager has won the competition thrice in his managerial career, two times with FC Barcelona and once with Manchester City.

Guardiola won his first Champions League title in his first season in charge of Barcelona, with his side defeating Manchester United 2-0 in 2008-09 as part of their first-ever treble. The former Barcelona midfielder was 38 years old at the time, making him the youngest manager to win the competition to date.

He won his second title two years later in the 2010-11 season, defeating the same opponent 3-1 in the final. Lionel Messi was the star of both triumphs, scoring both times.

Then he managed Bayern but wasn't able to bring any Champions League titles to the German Club. Finally, his 12-year wait came to an end when Manchester City defeated Inter Milan 1-0 in the Final of the UCL 2022-23 season.

Read Also | European treble winners in men's football history

Zinedine Zidane | 3 Champions League titles

Zinedine Zidane led Real Madrid in its most dominant period of the 21st century. The Frenchman won three titles with Los Blancos in three years in charge of the club.

Zidane won his first title just four months after he replaced Rafael Benitez as manager of Real Madrid. He led the side to defeat Atletico Madrid on penalties in the 2015-16 final.

The next season, Real Madrid defeated Juventus 4-1 in the final for their 12th crown.

Zidane led Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the 2017-18 final. The Frenchman is the only manager in history to win the competition three consecutive times. He is also the first and only French manager to win the competition to date.

Bob Paisley | 3 European Cups

Bob Paisley was a Liverpool soccer player, manager, and administrator for almost 50 years. 

No football manager demonstrated the art of leading quietly and without ego more than Bob Paisley. He won twenty trophies in nine years for Liverpool Football Club between 1974 and 1983.

He brought 3 European Cups, six League Championships (including three in a row in 1981, 1982, and 1983), three League Cups, 6 Charity Shields, one UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.

Paisley is the only British manager to win the European Cup three times. Bob is now regarded as one of the best soccer managers of all time.

Carlo Ancelotti | 5 Champions League titles

Carlo Ancelotti is one of football's managerial greats of the 21st century. The Italian manager has won five Champions League titles in his time as a manager, having also won the competition twice as a player.

Ancelotti won his first Champions League title in the 2002-03 season with AC Milan as his side defeated Juventus on penalties in the final. He won his second title in the 2006-07 season as AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1.

Ancelotti won his third title with Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season after his side defeated Atlético Madrid 4-1. His fourth title came in the 2021-22 season with Real Madrid once again after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.

He completed his fifth win in the Champions League as a manager in the 2023-24 season when Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund by 2-0 in the final.

The Italian manager is also the only manager to win all of Europe's top five leagues.

For more Interesting Football Facts, follow SportzPoint

Football Facts: Managers with the most UCL titles (Top Ten)

Europe has the best and the toughest club competition in the world. The only thing which separates an elite club from a normal club is the Champions League title. Clubs all around Europe dream of winning this competition. Clubs with the most Champions League titles earn more bragging rights than the others. Let's take a look at the top clubs that have won the most number of Champions League titles in the tournament's history.

Champions League Finalists and Winners List since 1956

Top clubs with the most Champions League titles (3 or more)

1. Real Madrid CF (15 UCL titles)

Everyone considers Real Madrid C.F. as the most successful club in world football. This club has achieved great heights both in recent times and in the past. Real Madrid won the first-ever European Cup in 1955-56 which was also the founding year of the competition. Back then it was formally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The current format has been around since 1992. Real Madrid has won 15 UEFA Champions League titles which is more than any club in the world.

They won the tournament five consecutive times in the first five seasons of the tournament. Their recent achievement includes a three-peat of winning the UCL under Zinedine Zidane (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18).

Cristiano Ronaldo was their star performer with the most impact in the competition. He further tops the chart of the most goal scorers and assists providers in the competition as well.

Also Read: Ronaldo records: Only player to be top scorer of the season in three different leagues

Real Madrid CF's Title winning years

2. AC Milan (7 UCL Titles)

AC Milan is an Italian giant with a rich history and glories. They produced players like Maldini, Dida, Nesta and many more. They dominated world football in the past few decades, but things have changed drastically since then.

Milan has fallen from the ranks of great clubs in recent times, but their UCL glory is still more than others, just behind Real Madrid. They have beaten the likes of Juventus, Liverpool, and Barcelona to win the Champions League in the past. Milan has won the Champions League 7 times in their history.

AC Milan's Title winning years

Also Read: Most Champions League Goals In History

3. FC Bayern Munich (6 UCL titles)

Bayern Munich has been the dominant force in Europe for quite a long time. They dominate the Bundesliga and the domestic cup titles, too. Recently, they have been one of the most prominent sides in Europe to deal with. Bayern humiliated Barcelona with an 8-2 defeat in the UCL quarter-finals and won the 2019-20 Champions League, beating PSG comfortably by 1-0.

Robert Lewandowski was their main man in recent years, with the most goals. However, they have consistently produced players like Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and others who helped them win the trebles and sextuples.

Bayern Munich's Title winning years

4. Liverpool FC (6 UCL titles)

Liverpool has turned the tables beautifully in recent times. They were a great force in the European competition but suddenly went numb. Liverpool had a rough patch where they went trophyless for many years. With the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager, Liverpool slowly redeemed themselves. In the 2017-18 season, they reached the UCL finals but failed to win against Real Madrid.

Next season they came back stronger, from a 3-0 defeat in the first leg to win 4-0 in the second leg and knocked Barcelona out of the UCL semis. Liverpool went on to be the champions defeating Spurs by 2-0 in the all-English final to win their 6th UCL trophy. Their great comeback against Milan in 2005 at Istanbul still gives goosebumps to every football fan.

Liverpool's Title winning years

5. FC Barcelona (5 UCL Titles)

FC Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in Europe with a great history in the UCL. They have won the title 5 times, while three of them came in the last decade. Their famous Lamasia - The FC Barcelona academy produced world-class players at the time. Players like Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and many more were a part of the academy.

Coach Pep Guardiola conquered the world with some beautiful football. He managed to win both the Treble and Sextuple during his reign. A few years later Luis Enrique guided them to their 5th UCL title and also a treble. That was Barcelona's last high run in the UCL. After that, they have faced some problems and have not been able to continue their dominance in European football.

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FC Barcelona's Title winning years

6. Ajax (4 UCL Titles)

AFC Ajax has a great history. They are the only team to win the UCL 4 times which is not from the top 5 leagues. Football maestro Johan Cruyff was from this team, he later changed the definition of playing football. Introducing Tiki-taka football to the world, Ajax had a great run in the past. He later influenced Barcelona to play that type of football which brought them huge success in the end.

They last won the title in 1995 when the likes of Van der Sar, and Rijkaard used to play for them. Since then they have reached the UCL semifinal in 2019 upsetting big teams and then lost to the Spurs in the semifinal in the dying minutes. Ajax's run is considered one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

Ajax's Title winning years

7. Manchester United (3 UCL Titles)

Manchester United one of the greatest clubs in the world has won three Champions League titles. They looked like the best team in the world during their reign. Players like David Beckham, Ryan Gigs, and Wayne Rooney were part of the golden team when United lifted their 3rd European title. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of this team is one of the greatest ever in the history of the sport. He introduced one of the recent footballing greats Cristiano Ronaldo in top-flight football, who was also part of that 2007-08 team.

Manchester United have also won the treble and enlisted themselves in an elite list in World Football. Since then they qualified for two Champions League finals but faced defeat against FC Barcelona.

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Manchester United's Title winning years

8. Internazionale (3 UCL Titles)

Internazionale won two of their three trophies back in the 1960s. Since then, they have been having a disappointing year in and year out. Their recent UCL title was in 2009-10 when Jose Mourinho took charge. They were not the favourites in that season, yet they went on to win the UCL.

Jose Mourinho at that time was emerging as one of the best coaches in the world. He played typical defensive football, frustrating his opponents, which created mistakes. They capitalised on those mistakes and went on to win their 3rd Champions League. They defeated the heavyweights Barcelona in the semis and Bayern Munich in the final to clinch their title.

Internazionale's Title winning years

Clubs with less than three Champions League titles: