The UEFA Champions League and its predecessor, the European Cup, has been contested since the 1955-56 season.
In that time there have been dynasties, surprise winners, and upsets, with each edition adding to the lore of what is now widely considered the premier club competition on Earth. After 63 years, several clubs have been established as giants of the tournament, but there have also been champions that may surprise modern observers.
Real Madrid leads the pack of past champions, holding on to a lead that will take several years, if not decades, for another club to surpass.
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Champions League winners, year-by-year
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
| 1956 | Real Madrid | 4-3 | Stade de Reims |
| 1957 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Fiorentina |
| 1958 | Real Madrid | 3-2 | Milan |
| 1959 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Stade de Reims |
| 1960 | Real Madrid | 7-3 | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 1961 | Benfica | 3-2 | Barcelona |
| 1962 | Benfica | 5-3 | Real Madrid |
| 1963 | Milan | 2-1 | Benfica |
| 1964 | Inter | 3-1 | Real Madrid |
| 1965 | Inter | 1-0 | Benfica |
| 1966 | Real Madrid | 2-1 | Partizan |
| 1967 | Celtic | 2-1 | Inter |
| 1968 | Manchester United | 4-1 | Benfica |
| 1969 | Milan | 4-1 | Ajax |
| 1970 | Feyenoord | 2-1 | Celtic |
| 1971 | Ajax | 2-0 | Panathinaikos |
| 1972 | Ajax | 2-0 | Inter |
| 1973 | Ajax | 1-0 | Juventus |
| 1974 | Bayern Munich | 4-0 | Atletico Madrid |
| 1975 | Bayern Munich | 2-0 | Leeds United |
| 1976 | Bayern Munich | 1-0 | Saint-Etienne |
| 1977 | Liverpool | 3-1 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1978 | Liverpool | 1-0 | Club Brugge |
| 1979 | Nottingham Forest | 1-0 | Malmö FF |
| 1980 | Nottingham Forest | 1-0 | Hamburg |
| 1981 | Liverpool | 1-0 | Real Madrid |
| 1982 | Aston Villa | 1-0 | Bayern Munich |
| 1983 | Hamburg | 1-0 | Juventus |
| 1984 | Liverpool | 1-1 (4-2 PK) | Roma |
| 1985 | Juventus | 1-0 | Liverpool |
| 1986 | Steaua București | 0-0 (2-0 PK) | Barcelona |
| 1987 | Porto | 2-1 | Bayern Munich |
| 1988 | PSV Eindhoven | 0-0 (6-5 PK) | Benfica |
| 1989 | Milan | 4-0 | Steaua București |
| 1990 | Milan | 1-0 | Benfica |
| 1991 | Red Star Belgrade | 0-0 (5-3 PK) | Marseille |
| 1992 | Barcelona | 1-0 | Sampdoria |
| 1993 | Marseille | 1-0 | Milan |
| 1994 | Milan | 4-0 | Barcelona |
| 1995 | Ajax | 1-0 | Milan |
| 1996 | Juventus | 1-1 (4-2 PK) | Ajax |
| 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 3-1 | Juventus |
| 1998 | Real Madrid | 1-0 | Juventus |
| 1999 | Manchester United | 2-1 | Bayern Munich |
| 2000 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Valencia |
| 2001 | Bayern Munich | 1-1 (5-4 PK) | Valencia |
| 2002 | Real Madrid | 2-1 | Bayer Leverkusen |
| 2003 | Milan | 0-0 (3-2 PK) | Juventus |
| 2004 | Porto | 3-0 | Monaco |
| 2005 | Liverpool | 3-3 (3-2 PK) | Milan |
| 2006 | Barcelona | 2-1 | Arsenal |
| 2007 | Milan | 2-1 | Liverpool |
| 2008 | Manchester United | 1-1 (6-5 PK) | Chelsea |
| 2009 | Barcelona | 2-0 | Manchester United |
| 2010 | Inter | 2-0 | Bayern Munich |
| 2011 | Barcelona | 3-1 | Manchester United |
| 2012 | Chelsea | 1-1 (4-3 PK) | Bayern Munich |
| 2013 | Bayern Munich | 2-1 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 2014 | Real Madrid | 4-1 | Atletico Madrid |
| 2015 | Barcelona | 3-1 | Juventus |
| 2016 | Real Madrid | 1-1 (5-3 PK) | Atletico Madrid |
| 2017 | Real Madrid | 4-1 | Juventus |
Most Champions League titles
| Club | No. of titles |
| Real Madrid | 12 |
| Milan | 7 |
| Bayern Munich | 5 |
| Barcelona | 5 |
| Liverpool | 5 |
| Ajax | 4 |
| Manchester United | 3 |
| Inter | 3 |
| Juventus | 2 |
| Benfica | 2 |
| Nottingham Forest | 2 |
| Porto | 2 |
| Celtic | 1 |
| Hamburg | 1 |
| Steaua București | 1 |
| Marseille | 1 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 1 |
| Chelsea | 1 |
| Feyenoord | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 1 |
| PSV Eindhoven | 1 |
| Red Star Belgrade | 1 |