How many times have Real Madrid won the Champions League? All-time trophy wins, record in UEFA competition

01-06-2024
6 min read
Getty Images

When European football has Real Madrid in a final, its outcome often feels predestined.

A famous saying among Madrid fans, "Noventa minuti en el Bernabeu son molto longo", emphasises the club's knack for conjuring up the most dramatic of victories.

Originally uttered by Italian forward Juanito in the 1980s after a 2-0 loss to Inter Milan, this phrase — which translate as "90 minutes in the Bernabeu are very long" summarises Real Madrid's resilience. They won the return leg 3-0 and eventually the 1984/85 UEFA Cup, setting a precedent for their enduring European dominance.

On June 1, they beat Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final, to be crowned champions of Europe for a record-extending 15th time. In many ways, facing this team in a European final is football's ultimate challenge — one that made Dortmund, like many others before them, the significant underdogs.

The Sporting News takes a look back at Madrid's finals, their wins in the Champions League, and the competition's most successful clubs.

[hyperlink widget_catalog_id="Stan Sport_linkline" link="https://bit.ly/42wJCMe" title="Every game of the UEFA Champions League live on Stan Sport" more_text="WATCH:"]

How many times have Real Madrid won the Champions League?

Real Madrid have won the Champions League (or European Cup as it was known prior to 1992) a record 15 times.

They won the first five editions of the tournament from 1956 to 1960 and have lifted the trophy in six of the past 11 seasons.

Getty Images

Scroll to Continue with Content

Real Madrid's record in Champions League finals

For Madrid, their clash with Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at Wembley Stadium was their 18th final in this competition. They had only lost three of their previous 17.

Their 15 Champions League wins are more than double the number of their nearest competitor, AC Milan. Despite sometimes not being the best team statistically, their mental game and clutch performances in critical moments have set them apart from the rest: Sergio Ramos' stoppage-time equaliser in the final against Atletico Madrid in 2014, or Karim Benzema's extra-time winner in the semifinals vs. Man City in 2022, are prime examples.

Their success of course must also be attributed to managers like Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, who have opted to place faith in individual brilliance over a rigid system at times. Their approach encourages belief, no matter the odds.

Season Winner Runner-up Score
2023/24 Real Madrid Dortmund 2-0
2021/22 Real Madrid Liverpool 1-0
2017/18 Real Madrid Liverpool 3-1
2016/17 Real Madrid Juventus 4-1
2015/16 Real Madrid Atletico Madrid 1-1 (5–3 pens)
2013/14 Real Madrid Atletico Madrid 4-1 (a.e.t.)
2001/02 Real Madrid Bayer Leverkusen 2-1
1999/2000 Real Madrid Valencia 3-0
1997/98 Real Madrid Juventus 1-0
1980/81 Liverpool Real Madrid 1-0
1965/66 Real Madrid Partizan 2-1
1963/64 Inter Real Madrid 3-1
1961/62 Benfica Real Madrid 5-3
1959/60 Real Madrid Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3
1958/59 Real Madrid Reims 2-0
1957/58 Real Madrid AC Milan 3-2 (a.e.t.)
1956/57 Real Madrid Fiorentina 2-0
1955/56 Real Madrid Reims 4-3

MORE: Which players have won the most Champions League titles?

All-time most Champions League trophies by club

Real Madrid are the undisputed kings of the Champions League, with their victory against Dortmund seeing them claim a record 15th win in the competition. 

The Spanish club dominated the Champions League from the outset — when it was known as the European Cup — picking up five straight titles from the competition's inception. More recently, they also claimed three straight between 2016-2018, before winning again in 2022 and now 2024. 

Italian giants AC Milan are the next best performing club, with seven titles to their name, but they haven't tasted success in the competition since 2007.

Liverpool and Bayern Munich are tied for third with six wins.

Club Titles Finals won
Real Madrid 15 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024
AC Milan 7 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007
Liverpool 6 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019
Bayern Munich 6 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013, 2020
Barcelona 5 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2015
Ajax 4 1971, 1972, 1973, 1995
Manchester United 3 1968, 1999, 2008
Inter 3 1964, 1965, 2010
Juventus 2 1985, 1996
Benfica 2 1961, 1962
Chelsea 2 2012, 2021
Nottingham Forest 2 1979, 1980
Porto 2 1987, 2004
Celtic 1 1967
Hamburg 1 1983
Steaua Bucharest 1 1986
Marseille 1 1993
Borussia Dortmund 1 1997
Feyenoord 1 1970
Aston Villa 1 1982
PSV Eindhoven 1 1988
Red Star Belgrade 1 1991
Manchester City 1 2023