The best of the best: The last 20 Champions League winners

Established in 1955 as the old European Cup, the UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of European club football. With its global following, high drama and legendary players, it has become the ultimate stage for footballing greatness.

From thrilling finals to unforgettable moments, the UEFA Champions League has crowned some of football's greatest teams over the last 20 years. Join us as we take a look back at the winners, their triumphs and the legacies they've left on the world's most prestigious club competition.

Real Madrid are the undisputed kings of the Champions League, winning the coveted trophy last season for a record-extending 15th time — their sixth in eleven years. They did so by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final at Wembley thanks to second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.

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In 2022/2023, it was Manchester City's moment to shine, when Rodri sealed the deal against Internazionale.

Real Madrid saw off Liverpool in a spirited final thanks to a Herculean effort from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who masterfully gave up his body to send away several Liverpool shots on goal. Vinicius Jr. was the only goalscorer in the Paris contest, as he put one in the back of the net in the 59^th minute.

Chelsea squeezed past fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City in a tight 1-0 affair in Porto in 2021. The second half was filled with intensity, after Chelsea’s Kai Havertz scored a few minutes before the break. The Blues did a memorable job keeping Manchester City off the scoresheet as they chased the game.

In what was yet another close-to-the-vest tilt, Bayern Munich were able to secure the victory over Paris St. Germain 1-0. It was the first time in seven years that a Bundesliga club was able to claim Champions League bragging rights. Kingsley Coman scored in the 59^th minute, and that proved to be the difference.

Familiar Premier League foes did battle in this Champions League final, as Liverpool took on Tottenham in Madrid. Liverpool won 2-0 and were in control from start to finish. Striker Mohamed Salah scored a penalty in the second minute of the game, and Divock Origi applied the finishing touch with a goal in the 87^th minute.

Capping off what was a special run in the 2010s, Real Madrid won their third straight Champions League final. They beat Liverpool 3-1, with all scoring coming after half-time. Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale got on the scoresheet for 'Los Galácticos,' taking advantage of a nightmare evening for Reds' keeper Loris Karius.

Real Madrid’s second of three consecutive titles came when they dispatched Juventus 4-1. This was the Cristiano Ronaldo show, as he scored two goals in the contest. Casemiro also got in on the act, as well as Marco Asensio. Juventus tried to hang tough early on with a spectacular Mario Mandžukić goal, but it wasn’t enough.

Real Madrid’s threepeat got started in much more agonizing fashion than the next two titles would prove to be. They really had to earn it against city rivals Atlético, who fought them tooth and nail for 120 minutes. The game went into penalty kicks, and Real edged Atlético 5–3 thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s conversion in the ninth round of sudden death.

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Real Madrid’s dominant Champions League run was briefly interrupted by FC Barcelona, who kept honors in Spain in 2015. Barça beat Juventus 3-1, putting the pressure on their opponent from the opening whistle. Ivan Rakitić scored in the fourth minute, while Luis Suárez and Neymar finished things off in the second half.

As if a trio of consecutive titles wasn’t enough in the middle of the decade, Real Madrid added a singular Champions League victory early in the 2010s as well. They got past Atlético Madrid 4-1 in a game that was closer than the score would have fans believe. Real Madrid got all four of their goals after the 90^th minute.

The Bundesliga took great pride in the 2013 Champions League final, which showcased an all-German clash between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The match remained tightly contested throughout the second half, but in the 89th minute, Dutch star Arjen Robben scored a decisive goal, securing Bayern's victory.

Bayern Munich also made the 2012 Champions League final, but could not get past Chelsea is a tight contest. Bayern seemed to have the game in hand when Thomas Müller scored a goal in the 83^rd minute, but Chelsea’s Didier Drogba had an answer in the 88^th minute with a goal of his own. Drogba would score the game-winning goal in penalty kicks.

Spanish and English football clubs would have another memorable clash, as FC Barcelona and Manchester United faced one another. Barcelona got the win by a final score of 3-1. 2022 World Cup hero Lionel Messi left his mark in this game, scoring the goal that would put Barcelona on top for good.

It has been a long time since a club from Italy’s Serie A won a Champions League title, with Inter Milan the last team to do so, back in 2010. They defeated Bayern Munich 2-0, as Diego Milito had a game he will never forget. The Argentinian forward scored in the 35th and 70th minutes, accounting for all the scoring in the contest.

This game is a reminder of just how good Lionel Messi has been for an extended period of time. He scored in the 70^th minute for FC Barcelona against Manchester United, which put the game out of reach for a 2-0 triumph. Teammate Samuel Eto’o got things started with a goal in the 10^th minute of the game.

Manchester United had to fight tooth and nail to get past Chelsea in 2008, and it took a penalty shoot-out to accomplish it. There was no scoring in the second half or overtime, as United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard scored in the first 45 minutes. It was Ryan Giggs’ penalty kick, after John Terry's famous slip, that gave United the win.

Liverpool deserved credit for competing until the very end in this game, as Dirk Kuyt scored in the 89^th minute of the Champions League final. However, it would not be enough, as AC Milan had the game in hand after two Filippo Inzaghi goals earlier in the contest. This team featured many players who were on the 2006 Italian World Cup title squad.

Fans of FC Barcelona and Arsenal will remember a tight tilt in this Champions League final. Barcelona were able to come out on top 2-1, and Arsenal fans will wonder what could have been if Jens Lehmann was not sent off in the 18^th minute. They played a man down for most of the game, but Barcelona were only able to take advantage of this late.

Considering the flurry of action from both sides, the 2005 match between Liverpool and AC Milan may have been the greatest Champions League final ever. The score was knotted at 3-3 after extra time, with the last of those six goals coming in the 60^th minute from Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso. Liverpool would take home the win thanks to Jerzy Dudek's heroics in the penalty shoot-out.

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