Real Madrid have won the European Cup/Champions League more than any club, which has been the case since the very first time a ball was kicked in the competition back in 1956. Ahead of chasing title number 14, we look back on each record-breaking triumph.
1956
The first-ever European Cup final saw Real beat Reims in the final in what was arguably their toughest victory of all 13 titles. The irreplaceable Alfredo Di Stefano scored first, before Reims took a 2-1 lead. However, Hector Rial scored twice before Marquitos added a fourth to give them a 4-3 win as they came from 3-2 down at one stage.
1957
Real were defending their title with Fiorentina coming to town as the Spanish giants also had the honor of hosting the final at their home ground, the Santiago Bernabéu. Di Stefano stole the show once more as he scored in the 69th minute before Francisco Gento added a second in the 2-0 win.
1958
Title number three came in the third year as Real made it three in a row. This was, however, the first time we had seen soon-to-be seven-time champions AC Milan play in their first European Cup final. But once more, Rial, Di Stefano and Gento stole the show with a goal each in a 3-2 win after extra time.
1959
The 1959 final was a rematch of the inaugural year as Reims looked for revenge against Real at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart. Unsurprisingly, Di Stefano scored again to make it a goal in a fourth European Cup final, but Enrique Mateos scored the game’s opening goal after just seconds into the final.
1960
In what remains an unprecedented feat even after almost seven decades of action, Real were aiming for title number five in five attempts. It’s also the highest-scoring European Cup final in history, as Eintracht Frankfurt were stunningly beaten 7-3 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
What’s more, after scoring in every final to date, Di Stefano incredibly netted a hat-trick to make it seven goals in five consecutive finals – no man in history comes close to this.
At the same time, while it’s outrageous to score a hat-trick in a final, Puskas scored four that day, which in itself is something no player has ever come close to matching.
1966
A six-year wait without the title would come after their almighty triumph in 1960, as the likes of Di Stefano and Puskas edged into the twilight of their career as the rest of the continent began to catch up.
Partizan Belgrade were the team to watch in 1966, as the likes of Mustafa Hasanagić, Milan Galić and Milutin Šoškić led out a legendary team of players. It still wasn’t enough to beat Real back in 1966, however, as Amancio Amaro and Fernando Serena scored a goal each in the final to win Real’s sixth European Cup title in just 11 years.
1998
Real’s European domination came to an end after the 1966 triumph before reclaiming the throne in 1998 once more. The legendary managerial figure of Jupp Heynckes led the likes of Raul, Clarence Seedorf, Fernando Hierro, and Roberto Carlos to a final win at the Amsterdam Arena over a phenomenal Juventus.
In fact, given the strength of the Turin outfit compared to that of Real’s, it’s arguably their greatest triumph of all 13 wins.
2000
It was an all-Spanish affair in the 2000 final as Valencia’s golden era looked to add a Champions League triumph to their two La Liga titles in four years. However, Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman and Raul all scored in a comfortable win at the Stade de France.
2002
The final that will always be remembered for one of the greatest goals ever scored as Zinedine Zidane claimed his one and only triumph as a player with Real with that stunning volley to get the victory. Raul also scored the opener in the 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen, as they won for the second time in as many attempts in a final hosted at Hampden Park.
2014
It was a 12-year wait to claim title number 10, as Real were in search of ‘La Decima’. It was a unique final where they met with city rivals Atletico Madrid in what was the first-ever same city affair in a Champions League final. It also looked as if Atletico would win, until Sergio Ramos equalized in the 93rd minute. Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo then scored in extra time to win the game in Lisbon.
2016
Having conceded the title to rivals Barcelona the year prior, Zidane was now in charge to bring the Champions League back to Madrid. The Frenchman would claim his first of three European Cups with the club through a penalty shootout as they met for the second time in three years with city rivals, Atletico.
2017
The second of their famous three in a row saw them meet with Juventus in what is perhaps their most comfortable victory following the 7-3 win over Frankfurt back in 1960.
Ronaldo scored twice to make it four goals in five Champions League finals for him, as Casemiro and Marco Asensio netted a goal each too in what was an easy night for Zidane’s record-breakers as they became the first team to win the trophy consecutively since the rebranding to the Champions League back in 1993.
2018
Their record-breaking 13th and most recent win, ironically, came in a carbon copy of this weekend’s clash against Liverpool. The game is best remembered for Bale’s two strikes, including a famous overhead kick which has since been regarded by many as the greatest goal ever scored in the competition.
Karim Benzema – the man set to captain the side in Paris on Saturday – scored that day in the 3-1 win too.
-Grant McQuillan
Twitter: @Grant_McQuillan