The Champions League, formerly known as the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, is one of the biggest tournaments in the world of football. It is a competition that consecrates the best clubs in Europe, immortalizes those that break logic and overcome giants, and every edition adds new chapters to its glorious history.
It is the main club competition in Europe and has been since its first edition was held in 1956. Real Madrid is the most decorated winner with 15 titles, followed by AC Milan (seven) and Liverpool and Bayern Munich (each five).
In recent years it has become one of the most-watched sports events in the world. The final has even surpassed the Super Bowl in terms of television audiences.
From the round of 16 onwards it follows a traditional knockout format. Teams play two matches against each other, with the home team hosting the first leg. The team that scores more goals over the two legs advances to the next round.
After the round of 16 there are quarter-finals and semifinals (both two-legged), and then a single one-off final at a venue selected by UEFA.
In the past, the official trophy was only presented to those clubs that had won the competition three times in a row or five times overall. However, as of 2008, it was made possible for any club that qualified to receive a replica of the official Champions League trophy. This resulted in potential sensations such as the win of FC Porto under Jose Mourinho in 2004 or Dynamo Kyiv in 1998-99, although only a few clubs have achieved the feat of winning the competition five times.
