Standouts: The best teams in Champions League history

Europe’s top clubs have thrilled fans with unforgettable Champions League moments, but only a select few have achieved legendary status. These aren’t just teams—they’re icons of European football, the best of the best in the ultimate competition, the UEFA Champions League.

Dive into the exhilarating history of these powerhouses at Sportsbet.io, where you’ll discover the stories behind these globally recognized giants. Ready to relive the magic? Get to know the iconic squads that have forever changed European football right here!

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Manchester United (1998/99)

England has always been a powerhouse country, with its football clubs competing in European competitions. Most English fans can remember what happened in the 1980s when Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest were the most dominant sides in the continent. However, in the 1990s, the Premier League was launched and Manchester United took over.

Despite their dominance in the domestic league, they could not do it in Europe for most of the ‘90s. That all changed in the 1998/99 season when they won a European treble, where they won the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Man United’s homegrown talent

The core squad for Man United was powered by the homegrown talent from the Academy in Carrington. It was one of the strongest teams in England as they had talents like David Beckham, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes. They were all vital members of the squad, as they contributed with the skill set they built at Carrington.

The rest of the team was filled with players they imported around Europe with stars like Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Peter Schmeichel, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who scored the UCL-winning goal.

Alex Ferguson’s leadership

While he was not the best tactical mind out there, Sir Alex was always an exceptional manager. He knew how to motivate his team, which was evident during this 1999 run. It was the most successful year in Manchester United’s history, and it could be largely attributed to how much Ferguson led the team.

Barcelona (2008/09)

Considered by many as the best football team of all time, the 2008/09 Barcelona squad won a treble under manager Pep Guardiola. It was one of the most successful sides of all time as they played beautiful football and had the success to back it up.

Not only did they win the UCL, but they followed that up with a treble consisting of the Copa del Rey and La Liga. It is possibly the greatest collection of talented players ever, as Barça built a near-perfect team with world-class players in every position.

A legendary squad

The headliner talent will always be Lionel Messi, but he had the best teammates within this squad. Having a midfield trio of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets would make any team successful. That kind of stability and talent in the middle of the park could make it easy for any player on their team.

However, the rest of the squad carried their weight. Players like Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure were on the team. It is probably the greatest collection of talents the football industry has ever seen as there were world-class players in every position, but their back-ups were also superb.

A lasting legacy

What cements this team as one of the best in Champions League history is their legacy. When one talks about the pinnacle of football, this Barça team gets brought up quite often. With players like Messi leading the charge for this team, they are hard to forget and will always remain in the pantheon of greats.

Real Madrid (2015 to 2018)

The Champions League has always been dominated by Real Madrid, but there was no more dominant time during the mid-to-late-2010s when they won three consecutive Champions League trophies. Under Zinedine Zidane, the club was always competitive since they had a fantastic manager at the helm.

However, they also had a remarkable squad and culture that made the club such a strong side. It is hard to see the weaknesses of these squads for three straight years since they cemented themselves as the greatest side in Europe without other clubs getting close.

The star power was overwhelming

Anyone who watched Real Madrid during this time would not have been surprised when they saw the club competing at the highest level. That was because of the quality of their team, headlined by Cristiano Ronaldo. Given that he had teammates like Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro, it was hard to pass up this team.

The squad had star power, but they were also balanced with their team. They did not have the overwhelming ego that could ruin the fun for everyone, but they proved that this team could balance the stars and the talent to form a strong team.

Winning culture

It is hard to go against Real Madrid as they have the best winning culture in European football. They proved they could get past anyone and any obstacle during this run from 2015 to 2018. Winning the UCL three times in a row proves that they were strong enough to keep building and succeeding with Zizou as the manager.

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Bayern Munich (2019/20)

Arguably the most dominant side of recent history, Bayern Munich was not only successful in Europe, but they won a sextuple of trophies under Hansi Flick. This was one of the most underrated sides in the sport’s history since they had superb talents across the pitch.

A special group of players

With Robert Lewandowski playing at his peak during this time, it was hard to defend against Bayern since he always popped up with a goal. However, the rest of the team was superb as well with talents like Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Alphonso Davies, and more. Most of the core players from this squad are still with the team, which proves the winning culture.

Lewa and Flick might be at Barcelona now, but they set the tone for this team. It was a special group of players and people need to understand how good the Bayern side was as they cemented themselves as a dominant team that deserves more recognition for their success.

A special kind of success

This 2020 Bayern squad could be considered one of the most successful in football history. Only the 2009 Barça side could match the Sextuple, which is a special achievement of winning every tournament they played in. They have proved to be the best team in Europe for an entire year.

Flick was a big part of that given that his style of aggressive football made it work for the team. This was the right situation for him, which made it baffling to know that they parted ways for the German national team job, but now, he’s back in club football with Barcelona.

Manchester City (2022/23)

Talking about successful football sides will always bring Man City in the spotlight. They have been the titan of the football world over the past decade, and they will not stop anytime soon.

Their most successful time had to be during the 2022/23 season when they won a treble with the EPL, UCL, and FA Cup. They were pushed to the brink in the Prem by Arsenal, but the other two competitions were dominant for the Cityzens because of a fantastic squad and great tactics.

A special group of players

Man City has been building up a special group of players before 2022, and they reached the greatest heights in 2023. Their star players included Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Rodri, and Phil Foden. It was an incredible group of players, and they deserved all their success as they had the skill set to overpower anyone.

Haaland was the biggest standout, but the rest of the team was also fun to watch. They had impressive skill sets that could not be matched by any team in Europe during that time.

The Pep effect

With Guardiola at the helm, they had the most astute tactical mind out there. City was already talented, but having the greatest football mind helped their cause as they won another Premier League, but followed that up with their first UCL.

Fans should get used to City succeeding since they have got over the UCL hump, and they look to be contenders for the foreseeable future with or without Pep since he instilled a culture that might never go away.

2024/25 clubs that could reach that level in the UCL

With the 2024/25 Champions League well underway, there should be some clubs that could reach the same level as those that have been historically exceptional in this competition. Thankfully, there are some talented teams out there that could match their achievements.

Here are some of the best candidates:

• Real Madrid - The perennial powerhouses are always up there with the contenders, especially since they want to defend their win during the 2023/24 season.

• Man City - Like Real, this club will always be up there, especially with most of the core from the 2023 win still there, ready to lock in and win.

• Arsenal - They might not have the same pedigree as the other clubs, but they have the talent, manager, and intangibles to win a major trophy like this when they are in their best form.

• Bayern Munich - Like Real and City, Bayern has the pedigree and with talents like Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala, it is tough to go against them, especially with the number of goals they are scoring under Vincent Kompany.

• Barcelona - After years of disappointment, Barça are back to their best thanks to Flick. However, the rise of Lamine Yamal could be credited as a big part of their potential success this season.

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