The annual UEFA Champions League is the most prestigious European club title that can be won in Europe and arguably the world. It is composed of the best teams in Europe and has a much higher standing than the UEFA Cup. Ideas had been floating around in Europe about such a cup even before World War II, since 1927 with the Mitro-Cup and similar tournaments such as the Coupe Latine. However these cups did not involve as many nations as desired and it was the goal of the European Champion Club's Cup, out of which the Champions League emerged, to include more nations and to some degree to put an end to British claims that their teams were the best in the world. In 1955/1956 the first cup was held which included 16 teams and was won by Real Madrid. In 1992 UEFA took over the management of the cup and in the same season (1992/1993) Olympique Marseille won.

Real Madrid is the most successful team with nine victories, however five were won prior to 1992. The second most successful team is AC Milan with seven titles followed by FC Liverpool with five. Benfica Lissabon and Juventus Turin have both won two titles but hold the shared record of five lost finals. Paolo Maldini from AC Milan is the player with the most games in the Champions League with a staggering 139 games for the same side. Raul Gonzalez Blanco from Real Madrid is second with 110 games and first in goals scored with 56, scoring one goal every two games on average.

• • Wikipedia: European Cup and Champions League History
• 1954: UEFA is founded in Basel, Switzerland
• 1955: European Cup organized as a competition between European national football league winners
• 1958: Munich Air Disaster
• 1985: Heysel Disaster
• 1992: Renamed UEFA Champions League; eligibility includes domestic champions and runners up
• 1995: Bosman ruling allows free trade of players when contract expires