Kings of the Champions League – Real Madrid hunt down 15th title at Wembley vs Borussia Dortmund

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Numbers behind Madrid in UCL 

We are once again at the stage of the season where the Champions League final is upon us. The biggest and most coveted single game in Europe. And, to no great surprise, Spanish giants Real Madrid will be there. The toughest competition in club football has been dominated by ‘Los Blancos’ throughout its history, and if they are to be victorious against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley this Saturday, the club will be crowned champion for a 15th time. No other club has won the competition more than seven times (AC Milan are the only club with seven titles). 

The Champions League has become a competition synonymous with Real Madrid, and when it comes to statistics in Europe’s top club tournament they are largely in control. Their run to the final this season can come as no huge surprise, with young superstars like Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo leading their latest charge – without forgetting the industrious work of Stoke City cult hero Joselu in the semi-finals where he scored a brace against Bayern Munich. At Transfermarkt, we have run through some of the numbers to really emphasise just how superior Madrid have been in the Champions League, and the daunting task Borussia Dortmund face trying to stop them in London this weekend. 

Given Real Madrid’s illustrious history with the European Cup and its successor the Champions League, it’s actually quite difficult to find statistics where the Spanish giants aren’t top of the tree. Right back until the 1950’s, their prominence has been evident – Real Madrid won five European Cups in a row between 1956 and 1960. In the modern day, as you can see on the graphic below, no club has registered more wins in the competition this century. Madrid’s 170 wins since 2000 trumps second placed Bayern Munich’s 160. Only Bayern and Barcelona even get with in 50 wins of ‘Los Blancos’ – 151 wins for Barca. Madrid also have the most goals in the Champions League this century with 281 – once again Bayern are in second with 257 goals.

When we continue to look at the modern era of the Champions League (since the 1992/93 season) Madrid’s supremacy persists to be glaring. When we look at the players with the most Champions League titles in that timeframe, nine of the top 10 represented and won the majority of their titles with Real Madrid. Only Andrés Iniesta with 4 titles makes the top 10 without having played for Madrid, and from the other nine players, only Cristiano Ronaldo won any of his UCL titles away from the Santiago Bernabéu (one with Man United in 2007/08).

As a team Real Madrid have carried a particular furore in the Champions League in the last decade or so. In the last 11 seasons they have been to six finals, and only not made it to at least the semi-finals on two occasions (2018/19 & 2019/20). After no team had ever retained the trophy in the Champions League era, Real Madrid won it three times in a row between 2015/16 and 2017/18 under the stewardship of Zinedine Zidane. Legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti is hunting down his third Champions League title with Real Madrid this season, and his fifth trophy in total.

When we take a look at the biggest occasion – the final itself, once again Real Madrid have their name up in lights. Since the 1992/93 season no team has scored more than 10 goals in the final itself, apart from Real Madrid of course – 19 for the ‘Los Blancos’. Nine more than closest rival Barcelona with 10. Remarkably they have won all of the last eight Champions League finals they have been involved in; the last time they lost a final was 1981, losing 1-0 to Liverpool. Good luck Borussia Dortmund.