English clubs in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League a victory over Barcelona in the opening group game. English clubs in the European Cup and UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (previously known as the European Cup) is a seasonal club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 1955 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. The prize, the European Champion Clubs' Cup, is considered the most prestigious club trophy in the sport. As of the end of the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League season, English clubs have twelve European Cup wins along with clubs from Italy. Incidentally, Real Madrid from Spain have
European Cup and UEFA Champions League history European Cup and UEFA Champions League history The history of the European Cup and UEFA Champions League spans over sixty years of competition, finding winners and runners-up from all parts of the continent. Club competitions between teams from European countries trace their origins back as far as 1897, when the "Challenge Cup" was founded as a competition between clubs of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that under normal circumstances would not meet in competition. This competition ran until 1911, with its last winners, Wiener Sportclub, retaining the trophy. The Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy was played for in 1909 and 1911 in Turin,