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.
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.
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 |
