The football season is a marathon, but it always starts with a sprint. For European clubs, that sprint is the UEFA Super Cup, the annual curtain-raiser that pits the continent's best against each other in a one-off final. While it's sometimes seen as a minor trophy compared to the Champions League or Europa League, its history is a fascinating journey that mirrors the evolution of European football itself.
The Early Years: The Two-Legged Affair (1973-1997)
The Super Cup's story begins with an unofficial challenge. Dutch sports journalist Anton Witkamp came up with the idea in 1971 as a way to definitively crown the best club in Europe, believing that the European Cup winner (Ajax at the time) should face a greater test. After the first unofficial match in 1972 between Ajax and Rangers, UEFA officially sanctioned the competition in 1973.
The early format was a two-legged tie, with each team hosting a match. The participants were the winners of the European Cup (now the Champions League) and the now-defunct European Cup Winners' Cup. This era was defined by iconic matches and the sheer grit of teams battling it out on home soil. Think of the 1970s, where teams like Liverpool and Anderlecht clashed in high-scoring affairs, or the late 80s and early 90s when AC Milan established its European dominance.
The Modern Era: The Single-Match Final (1998-Present)
A major shift came in 1998. UEFA streamlined the competition into a single, decisive match. The first of these one-off finals saw Chelsea defeat Real Madrid, a sign of things to come. The format change coincided with the discontinuation of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, which meant a new competitor was needed. From 2000 onwards, the Super Cup became a battle between the UEFA Champions League winner and the UEFA Cup winner (renamed the Europa League in 2009).
For 15 years, from 1998 to 2012, the Stade Louis II in Monaco was the permanent home of the Super Cup. It became an annual pilgrimage for European football fans. Since 2013, the match has been hosted in a different city each year, bringing the spectacle to fans across the continent, from Prague to Helsinki to Warsaw.
The Record Books: Who Rules the Super Cup?
When it comes to the Super Cup, a few teams and players have etched their names into the record books.
Most Wins: Real Madrid stands alone at the top, having secured their sixth title in 2024. Just behind them with five titles each are a pair of European giants: AC Milan and Barcelona.
Most Appearances: Real Madrid and Barcelona share the top spot for appearances, with nine each. Sevilla holds the unfortunate record for most losses, with six runner-up finishes.
Most Successful Manager: Carlo Ancelotti holds the record for most Super Cup victories as a manager, with five titles.
Most Successful Players: Two Real Madrid legends, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modrić, lead the way with five Super Cup titles each, won across a decade of dominance.
Complete List of Winners
Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Ajax | 6-1 (agg.) | AC Milan | Two-legged |
1974 | Not Held | |||
1975 | Dynamo Kyiv | 3-0 (agg.) | Bayern Munich | Two-legged |
1976 | Anderlecht | 5-3 (agg.) | Bayern Munich | Two-legged |
1977 | Liverpool | 7-1 (agg.) | Hamburg | Two-legged |
1978 | Anderlecht | 4-3 (agg.) | Liverpool | Two-legged |
1979 | Nottingham Forest | 2-1 (agg.) | Barcelona | Two-legged |
1980 | Valencia | 2-2 (agg.) | Nottingham Forest | Two-legged (away goals) |
1981 | Not Held | |||
1982 | Aston Villa | 3-1 (agg.) | Barcelona | Two-legged |
1983 | Aberdeen | 2-0 (agg.) | Hamburg | Two-legged |
1984 | Juventus | 2-0 | Liverpool | One-off |
1985 | Not Held | |||
1986 | Steaua București | 1-0 | Dynamo Kyiv | One-off |
1987 | Porto | 2-0 (agg.) | Ajax | Two-legged |
1988 | KV Mechelen | 3-1 (agg.) | PSV Eindhoven | Two-legged |
1989 | AC Milan | 2-1 (agg.) | Barcelona | Two-legged |
1990 | AC Milan | 3-1 (agg.) | Sampdoria | Two-legged |
1991 | Manchester United | 1-0 | Red Star Belgrade | One-off |
1992 | Barcelona | 3-2 (agg.) | Werder Bremen | Two-legged |
1993 | Parma | 2-1 (agg.) | AC Milan | Two-legged |
1994 | AC Milan | 2-0 (agg.) | Arsenal | Two-legged |
1995 | Ajax | 5-1 (agg.) | Real Zaragoza | Two-legged |
1996 | Juventus | 9-2 (agg.) | Paris Saint-Germain | Two-legged |
1997 | Barcelona | 3-1 (agg.) | Borussia Dortmund | Two-legged |
1998 | Chelsea | 1-0 | Real Madrid | One-off |
1999 | Lazio | 1-0 | Manchester United | One-off |
2000 | Galatasaray | 2-1 (AET) | Real Madrid | One-off |
2001 | Liverpool | 3-2 | Bayern Munich | One-off |
2002 | Real Madrid | 3-1 | Feyenoord | One-off |
2003 | AC Milan | 1-0 | Porto | One-off |
2004 | Valencia | 2-1 | Porto | One-off |
2005 | Liverpool | 3-1 (AET) | CSKA Moscow | One-off |
2006 | Sevilla | 3-0 | Barcelona | One-off |
2007 | AC Milan | 3-1 | Sevilla | One-off |
2008 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2-1 | Manchester United | One-off |
2009 | Barcelona | 1-0 (AET) | Shakhtar Donetsk | One-off |
2010 | Atlético Madrid | 2-0 | Inter Milan | One-off |
2011 | Barcelona | 2-0 | Porto | One-off |
2012 | Atlético Madrid | 4-1 | Chelsea | One-off |
2013 | Bayern Munich | 2-2 (5-4 pens) | Chelsea | One-off |
2014 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Sevilla | One-off |
2015 | Barcelona | 5-4 (AET) | Sevilla | One-off |
2016 | Real Madrid | 3-2 (AET) | Sevilla | One-off |
2017 | Real Madrid | 2-1 | Manchester United | One-off |
2018 | Atlético Madrid | 4-2 (AET) | Real Madrid | One-off |
2019 | Liverpool | 2-2 (5-4 pens) | Chelsea | One-off |
2020 | Bayern Munich | 2-1 (AET) | Sevilla | One-off |
2021 | Chelsea | 1-1 (6-5 pens) | Villarreal | One-off |
2022 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Eintracht Frankfurt | One-off |
2023 | Manchester City | 1-1 (5-4 pens) | Sevilla | One-off |
2024 | Real Madrid | 2-0 | Atalanta | One-off |