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Decoding the UEFA Europa League Winners (1971-2023)

One of the most sought-after prizes in European football is the Europa League. Let’s examine the teams that have achieved the greatest success in previous tournament editions.

Unveiling the Essence of the UEFA Europa League

The UEFA Europa League is the second-tier continental competition in Europe, ranking higher than the Europa Conference League and lower than the UEFA Champions League. Teams from all around Europe fight to win the Europa League trophy in this competition.

With a rich history of memorable games and teams, the Europa League is one of the most well-known competitions in Europe. Let’s look at how it all started and why it’s so significant.

Tracing the Evolution of the UEFA Europa League

Europa League Winners
History of Europa League (Getty Images)

The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was the original name of the competition that would eventually become known as the Europa League.

It was held from 1955 to 1971 and saw a growth in the number of participating teams from 11 to 64. Before changing to the UEFA Europa League in 2009, it was renamed as the more well-known UEFA Cup in 1971.

Prestige and Significance of the UEFA Europa League

Even if it’s not the best continental competition in Europe, the Europa League trophy is nonetheless highly sought after and deserves respect.

Numerous outstanding teams and athletes have participated in the competition and won awards. For many players, winning the Europa League would be a career-high achievement.

The Quest for UEFA Europa League Glory

Like other tournaments, the Europa League demands its winners to put in a full season of work, competing valiantly at every turn to win the title.

Navigating the Road to the UEFA Europa League Final

It may be an arduous journey to reach the Europa League final. Although it is less typical, teams that must compete in the early qualifying rounds may have to travel from the preliminary qualifying round to the final, covering a distance of over a year. There will be six, occasionally seven, stages in the journey for those who automatically advance to the group stage.

Based on their results from the previous season, 12 teams are automatically qualified for the Europa League group stage. These are the four fifth-placed teams from nations ranked one through four, the fourth-placed team from a nation ranked five, the six domestic cup winners from the top six ranked nations, and the winners of the Europa Conference League competition from the previous season.

There is a qualification process for the remaining 20 teams. The remaining ten teams are made up of the six losing teams from the “Champions League third qualifying round and play-off round for non-champions” and the four losers from the “Champions League play-off round for champions.” Ten of those teams qualified by winning their matches in the play-off round of qualification.

Navigating the Knockout Rounds

The Group Stage features 32 teams divided into eight groups of four, engaging in a round-robin tournament with home and away fixtures. Group winners advance directly to the round of 16, while runners-up enter a preliminary knockout round against third-place Champions League teams.

The round of 16 and subsequent quarter-finals adhere to a two-leg format, with extra time and penalties determining winners if scores remain level. The semi-finals, also two-legged, exclude the away goals rule. Instead, ties may proceed to extra time and penalties. Victors secure a coveted spot in the final showdown.

The Epic Confrontation: UEFA Europa League Final

One of the most important games on the European football schedule, the Europa League final matches the finest teams on the continent against one another and has produced some memorable games in the past.

Every year, before the tournament even begins, a “neutral” venue is chosen to host the final. It normally happens within the same week as the Champions League final, with Wednesday nights typically hosting the Europa League final.

The Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, will host the season’s championship game on May 22, 2024.

Noteworthy Europa League Winners

Europa League Winners
UEFA Europa League Champions Sevilla – 2022/23 (Getty Images)

Impressive Achievements and Records

The UEFA Europa League boasts remarkable records and statistics, showcasing the tournament’s prestige and allure:

  • Club Title Record: Sevilla holds the record for the most UEFA Europa League titles, securing the trophy seven times.
  • Player Title Record: Jose Antonio Reyes holds the record for the most UEFA Europa League titles by a player, with five wins.
  • Consistent Participation: Club Brugge holds the record for the most consecutive seasons in the UEFA Europa League, participating for 20 seasons.
  • Goal-Scoring Feats: Aritz Aduriz holds the record for the most goals scored in a single UEFA Europa League match, netting five goals.
  • Seasonal Prowess: Radamel Falcao holds the record for the most goals scored in a single UEFA Europa League season, with 17 goals.
  • All-Time Leading Scorer: Henrik Larsson holds the record for the most goals scored in UEFA Europa League history, tallying 40 goals.

Iconic UEFA Europa League Finals

Throughout its history, the UEFA Europa League has witnessed unforgettable finals, showcasing the clash of European football giants:

  • Chelsea’s Dominance: In 2019, Chelsea delivered a memorable performance against rivals Arsenal in Baku. Led by the farewell narrative of Eden Hazard and the stellar contributions of Olivier Giroud, Chelsea secured a resounding 4-1 victory, with Hazard netting twice and Giroud adding to the scoresheet.
  • Porto’s Triumph: The 2003 final, contested when the tournament was known as the UEFA Cup, saw Porto emerge victorious over Celtic with a 3-2 win after extra time. This final, decided by the silver goal rule, marked the beginning of Jose Mourinho’s illustrious managerial career and featured a standout performance from Deco.

Europa League Winners: The Full List

Europa League winners by year (1971-1999):

SeasonWinners
1971-1972Tottenham Hotspur
1972-1973Liverpool FC
1973-1974Feyenoord
1974-1975Borussia Monchengladbach
1975-1976Liverpool FC
1976-1977Juventus
1977-1978PSV Eindhoven
1978-1979Borussia Monchengladbach
1979-1980Eintracht Frankfurt
1980-1981Ipswich Town
1981-1982IFK Goteborg
1982-1983Anderlecht
1983-1984Tottenham Hotspur
1984-1985Real Madrid
1985-1986Real Madrid
1986-1987IFK Goteborg
1987-1988Bayer Leverkusen
1988-1989Napoli
1989-1990Juventus
1990-1991Inter Milan
1991-1992Ajax
1992-1993Juventus
1993-1994Inter Milan
1994-1995Parma
1995-1996Bayern Munich
1996-1997Schalke 04
1997-1998Inter Milan
1998-1999Parma

Modern Era (2000-2023)

SeasonWinners
1999-2000Galatasaray
2000-2001Liverpool
2001-2002Feyenoord
2002-2003Porto
2003-2004Valencia
2004-2005CSKA Moscow
2005-2006Sevilla
2006-2007Sevilla
2007-2008Zenit
2008-2009Shaktar Donetsk
2009-2010Atletico Madrid
2010-2011Porto
2011-2012Atletico Madrid
2012-2013Chelsea
2013-2014Sevilla
2014-2015Sevilla
2015-2016Sevilla
2016-2017Manchester United
2017-2018Atletico Madrid
2018-2019Chelsea
2019-2020Sevilla
2020-2021Villareal
2021-2022Eintracht Frankfurt
2022-2023Sevilla

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