The UEFA Champions League (English pronunciation: /juːˈeɪfə ˈtʃæmpiənz ˈliːg/) known simply as the Champions League and originally known as theEuropean Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe.[1] It is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football. The final of the competition is the most watched annual sporting event worldwide, drawing over 178 million television viewers.[2]
Prior to 1992, the tournament was officially called the "European Champion Clubs' Cup", but was usually referred to simply as the "European Cup". The competition was initially a straight knockout competition open only to the champion club of each country. During the 1990s the tournament began to be expanded, incorporating a round-robin group phase and more teams. Europe's strongest national leagues now provide up to four teams each for the competition.The UEFA Champions League should not be confused with the UEFA Europa League, formerly known as the UEFA Cup.
The tournament consists of several stages. In the present format, it begins in mid-July with three knockout qualifying rounds and a play-off round.The 10 surviving teams join 22 seeded teams in the group stage, in which there are eight groups of four teams each. The eight group winners and eight runners-up enter the final knockout phase, which culminates with the final match in May. The winner of the UEFA Champions League qualifies for theUEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Real Madrid is the most successful club in the competition's history with 9 trophies won. Spanish clubs have accumulated the highest number of victories with 13 wins.The title has been won by 21 different clubs, 12 of which have won the title more than once.Since the tournament changed name and structure in 1992, no club has managed consecutive wins, with Milan being the last club to successfully defend their title, in 1990.The reigning champions of the competition are Spanish club Barcelona.
Main article: European Cup and UEFA Champions League history
The first pan-European competition was the Challenge Cup, a competition between clubs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Mitropa Cup, a competition modeled after the Challenge Cup, was created in 1927 and played between Central European clubs. In 1930, the Coupe des Nations (French: Nations Cup), the first attempt to create a cup for national champion clubs of Europe, was played and organized by Swiss club FC Servette. Held in Geneva, it brought together ten champions from across the continent. The tournament was won by Újpest FC of Hungary. Latin European nations came together to form the Latin Cup in 1949. After receiving reports from his journalists over the highly successful Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones of 1948,Gabriel Hanot, editor of L'Équipe, began proposing the creation of a continent-wide tournament. After the British press declared Wolverhampton Wanderers"Champions of the World" after a successful run of friendlies in the 1950s, Hanot finally managed to convince UEFA to put into practice such a tournament.It was conceived in Paris in 1955 as the European Champion Clubs' Cup.
1955-1965: Beginnings
The first edition of the European Cup took place during the 1955–56 season. Sixteen teams participated: AC Milan of Italy, AGF Aarhus of Denmark, Anderlechtof Belgium, Djurgården of Sweden, Gwardia Warszawa of Poland, Hibernian of Scotland, Partizan of Yugoslavia, PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands, Rapid Wien ofAustria, Real Madrid of Spain, Rot-Weiss Essen of West Germany, Saarbrücken of Saar, Servette of Switzerland, Sporting CP of Portugal, Stade Reims of Franceand Vörös Lobogó of Hungary.The first European Cup match took place on 4 September 1955, which ended in a 3-3 draw between Sporting CP and Partizan. The first goal in European Cup history was scored by João Baptista Martins of Sporting CP. The inaugural final took place at the Parc des Princes between Stade Reims and Real Madrid.The Spanish squad came back from behind to win 4–3 thanks to two goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano andMarquitos each, as well as a brace from Héctor Rial.
Real Madrid successfully defended the trophy next season in their home stadium, the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, against Fiorentina.[19][20] After a scoreless first half, Real Madrid scored twice in six minutes to defeat the Italians. In 1958, AC Milan failed to capitalize after going ahead on the scoreline twice, only for Real Madrid to equalize.The final held in Heysel Stadium went to extra time when Francisco Gento scored the game-winning goal to allow Real Madrid to retain the title for the third, consecutive season. In a rematch of the first final, Real Madrid faced Stade Reims at the Neckarstadion for the 1958–59 season final, easily winning 2-0.West German side Eintracht Frankfurt became the first non-Latin team to reach the European Cup final. The 1959–60 season finalestill holds the record for the most goals scored, but the record is overshadowed by the 7-3 thrashing Eintracht Frankfurt received in Hampden Park, courtesy of four goals by Ferenc Puskás and a hat-trick by Di Stéfano.This was Real Madrid's fifth, consecutive title, a record that still stands today.
The Merengues reign ended in the 1960–61 season when bitter rivals Barcelona dethroned them in the quarterfinals. However, Barcelona themselves would be defeated in the final by Portuguese outfit Benfica 3-2 at Wankdorf Stadium. Reinforced by Eusebio, Benfica defeated Real Madrid 5-3 at the Olympic Stadiumand kept the title for a second, consecutive season.[30][31][29] Benfica wanted to repeat Real Madrid's successful run of the 1950s after reaching the showpiece event of the 1962-63 European Cup; but a brace from Brazilian-Italian José Altafini at the Wembley Stadium gave the spoils to AC Milan, making the trophy leave the Iberian peninsula for the first time ever. Internazionale beat an aging-Real Madrid 3-1 in the Ernst-Happel-Stadion to win the 1963–64 season and replicate their local-rival's success.The title stayed in Milan for the third year in a row after Internazionale beat Benfica 1-0 at their home ground, the San Siro.
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