S.L. Benfica in international football

Last updated

S.L. Benfica in international football
Benfica European cups in Museu Cosme Damiao (cropped).JPG
The 1961 and 1962 European Cup trophies on display at Museu Cosme Damião
Club S.L. Benfica
Seasons played65
First entry 1957–58 European Cup
Latest entry 2025–26 UEFA Champions League
Titles
Champions League 2 (1961, 1962)

Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a Portuguese professional football club based in the city of Lisbon whose involvement in European competition dates back to the 1950s. As champions of Portugal, Benfica were supposed to participate in the inaugural edition of the European Cup in 1955, but they were not invited by the organizers. Two years later, Benfica made their European debut against Sevilla in the European Cup, on 19 September 1957.

Contents

Benfica won its first international title in 1950, beating Bordeaux on home soil to win the Latin Cup. Its first European title came in 1961, defeating Barcelona to win the European Cup, and successfully retained the title in the following year after defeating Real Madrid. After that, they appeared in five more finals (1963, 1965, 1968, 1988 and 1990) but did not reconquer the title. Benfica has also reached three UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League finals (1983, 2013 and 2014).

With two consecutive European Cup titles, a Portuguese record, Benfica are the second most decorated Portuguese team in overall UEFA competitions and hold the Portuguese record for most appearances in finals of UEFA competitions, with ten appearances. Additionally, their 43 participations in the Champions League (formerly the European Cup) are only surpassed by Real Madrid, and as of September 2025, Benfica occupy the seventh place at the competition's all-time ranking.

Benfica's biggest European win is 10–0, which came against Stade Dudelange of Luxembourg for the 1965–66 European Cup, and their 18–0 aggregate win (8–0 in the first leg) constitutes a European Cup record. Brazilian defender Luisão holds the club record for most appearances in Europe, with 124 matches, while Portuguese striker Eusébio is the club's leading European goalscorer, with 56 goals.

Background

Before the start of UEFA-organized competitions, Benfica had already participated in the Latin Cup, an international tournament played between league winners from Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. The Latin Cup, created in 1949 and recognized by FIFA, is considered one of the precursors to European club competitions; it was organized by the respective national federations and had great prestige at the time. Benfica participated in several editions, notably reaching the final in 1950 and the 1957 against Bordeaux and Real Madrid, respectively. [1]

The first continental competition organised by UEFA was the European Cup in 1955. Conceived by Gabriel Hanot, the editor of L'Équipe , as a competition for winners of the European national football leagues, it is considered the most prestigious European football competition. [2] That year, Benfica had won the Primeira Divisão, but the European Cup organizers selected Sporting CP to take part in the first edition. [3] Another club competition, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, was established in 1955 and contested in parallel with the European Cup. It eventually came under the auspices of UEFA in 1971, who rebranded it as UEFA Cup. Since the 2009–10 season, the competition has been known as the UEFA Europa League. [4]

In 1957, Benfica won the league title and assured their European debut in the 1957–58 European Cup. The following years, UEFA created additional club competitions. The first, the Cup Winners' Cup, was inaugurated in 1960 for the winners of domestic cup competitions. Established in 1973, the UEFA Super Cup was originally a match played between the winners of the European Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup. Since 2000, it has been contested by the winners of the Champions League (formerly the European Cup) and the Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup). [5]

The Intercontinental Cup was a competition for the winners of the European Cup (the later UEFA Champions League) and its South American equivalent, the Copa Libertadores. Established in 1960, the Intercontinental Cup was jointly organised by UEFA and the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL). It ran until 2004, when it was replaced by the FIFA Club World Cup, which includes the winners of all six continental confederations' premier club competitions. [6]

Starting in 2025, FIFA introduced a new format for the Club World Cup, which now features 32 teams, including the winners of continental competitions from the previous four seasons. The tournament is played every four years, similar to the national teams World Cup, and represents the highest level of club competition globally. [7]

Latin Cup and European Rise

Benfica's first European silverware came in 1950 when, managed by Ted Smith, they beat French side Bordeaux at the Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, Portugal, to win the Latin Cup. [8] Seven years later, the team reached their second and last Latin Cup final, but lost to Alfredo Di Stéfano's Real Madrid. [9]

After an unsuccessful UEFA competition debut in the 1957–58 European Cup, where they lost to Sevilla in the initial round, [10] Benfica hired Hungarian manager Béla Guttmann, who led the team to their first ever European Cup final on 31 May 1961. [11] Having overcome Heart of Midlothian, Újpest Dózsa, AGF Aarhus and Rapid Wien, Benfica faced Barcelona in the final, where goals from José Águas, Mário Coluna and an own goal from Antoni Ramallets helped the club lift its first European Cup. [12] The following year, Guttmann guided the team to back-to-back European Cup successes. After defeating Austria Wien, 1. FC Nürnberg and Tottenham Hotspur, [13] [14] Benfica met Real Madrid in the final on 2 May 1962. A hat-trick from Ferenc Puskás put the Spanish champions ahead before half-time, but a double from Coluna and rising star Eusébio overturned the score to 5–3. [15] [16]

After consecutive European Cup wins, Guttmann reportedly approached the club's board of directors asking for a pay rise. As his demand was turned down, he left the club and reportedly professed his alleged curse. [17] Benfica replaced him with Fernando Riera, and while the Chilean manager led the team to a third-straight European Cup final, he was unable to emulate Guttmann's success. On 22 May 1963, against Milan, Benfica's chances were slim after a harsh tackle from Gino Pivatelli severely debilitated Coluna. [18] In a time when substitutions did not exist, Benfica played the rest of the match crippled, and two second-half goals from José Altafini sent the trophy to Italy. [19] [20] [21] After a poor performance in the 1963–64 European Cup, Benfica returned to the final in the following season. Led by Romanian manager Elek Schwartz, Benfica eliminated Real Madrid 5–1 in the quarter-finals on their way to meet the holders Inter Milan in the final, played at Inter's home ground, San Siro, in a muddy and waterlogged pitch. [22] A mistake from Alberto da Costa Pereira, allowing a shot from Jair to pass between his legs, cost Benfica their second attempt at a European Cup treble. [23]

The following season, Benfica defeated Stade Dudelange 18–0 on aggregate, establishing a European record for biggest win on aggregate. [24] However, in the quarter-finals, they suffered a record home defeat to Manchester United and were eliminated. [25] After one year competing in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, [26] Benfica returned to the European Cup and reached their fifth final in 1968. After eliminating Juventus 3–0 in the semi-finals, Benfica faced Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on 29 May 1968. Bobby Charlton opened the score, but Jaime Graça equalised on the 79th minute. Near the end of regular time, Eusébio squandered a one-on-one chance against Alex Stepney and the match went to extra time, where three goals in eight minutes gave the English side their first European title. [27]

In the following season, Benfica were stopped in the quarter-finals by Johan Cruijff's Ajax after a replay played in Paris. After beating Ajax 3–1 in Amsterdam [28] and losing by the same score in Lisbon in the return leg, [29] Benfica were eventually eliminated after conceding three goals in extra time in the replay, held in Paris. [30] The match is often described as a symbolic “passing of the torch”: Benfica, one of the dominant forces in European football during the 1960s, twice European Cup winners and five-time finalists, were seen as yielding the stage to the rising Ajax led by Cruijff and Rinus Michels side that would shape the following decade. [31] [32] [33]

Competitive record

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

Transitional Period

In 1969–70, Benfica were eliminated in the second round by eventual finalists Celtic, after losing 3–0 in Glasgow and winning by the same score in Lisbon. The tiebreaker was decided by a coin toss.coin toss decision. [34]

After a highly successful decade in the 1960s, where Benfica stood among the top contenders, the team entered a phase of renewal. With the departure of several key figures from their European triumphs, including José Augusto, Mário Coluna, Fernando Cruz and Cavém, Latin teams as a whole began to lose prominence on the European stage, as English, Dutch, and German clubs rose to dominance.

After an early elimination from the 1970–71 Cup Winners' Cup, Benfica reached the semi-finals of the 1971–72 European Cup, defeating Feyenoord 5–1 at home in the quarter-finals. [35] However, they were eliminated in the semi-finals by a Johan Cruyff-led Ajax, who went on to win the competition for the second consecutive year. [36] [37]

After two disappointing seasons, Benfica reached the quarter-finals of the 1974–75 European Cup Winners' Cup before being eliminated by another Dutch team, PSV Eindhoven, after a 2-1 home defeat. [38]

In the mid-1970s, following the departure of several key figures such as Eusébio, Simões, Torres, and Jaime Graça, Benfica was unable to maintain the same level of European competitiveness shown in the previous decade. During this period, Benfica only reached two European Cup quarter-final presences in the late 1970s: in 1975–76 they lost 5–1 to the holders Bayern Munich; [39] and in 1977–78 they were knocked out by the defending champions Liverpool with a 6–2 aggregate score. [40]

Competitive record

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

European Resurgence

In the beginning of the 1980s, Benfica's domestic dominance had dwindled, leaving the team to play in second-level competitions, namely the Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup.

In 1980–81, the team reached the Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals but lost to Carl Zeiss Jena from East Germany. [41] This performance was bested two seasons later, as Benfica reached the 1983 UEFA Cup Final after overcoming a quarter-final bout against a Roma side featuring Falcão and Bruno Conti. In the two-legged final, Benfica faced Belgium's Anderlecht. In the first leg, on 4 May 1983, Benfica lost in Brussels with a sole goal from Kenneth Brylle. In the second leg, fourteen days later, Benfica manager Sven-Göran Eriksson chose not to start Zoran Filipović and João Alves, both undisputed starters, and the team drew 1–1, losing another European final. [42] [43] Benfica returned to the European Cup in the following two seasons, but defeats against Liverpool in both participations showed that the team was not yet ready to compete with Europe's best teams. [44]

Neckarstadion 2011 - 2.jpg
EHStadion040606w.jpg
Mercedes-Benz Arena (former Neckarstadion) and Ernst-Happel-Stadion (former Praterstadion)

After two unsuccessful seasons, Benfica returned to the European Cup, reaching the final. After getting revenge on Anderlecht in the quarter-finals, [45] and Steaua București in the semi-finals, [46] advancing to their sixth final in the competition, where they met PSV in a match played at Stuttgart's Neckarstadion on 25 May 1988. [47] Following a goalless draw at the end of extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out. The Dutch side – fielding five Netherlands national team players that would go on to conquer the UEFA Euro 1988 a month later – converted all of their penalty kicks, whereas António Veloso allowed goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen to defend his penalty kick, and sealed Benfica's fourth consecutive European Cup final loss. [48]

Two years later, Benfica returned to a European Cup final, again under the command of Sven-Göran Eriksson, with a team that included Brazilian internationals Ricardo Gomes and Aldair, and midfielders Valdo and Jonas Thern. The club eliminated Marseille in the semi-finals with a controversial goal by Vata, reaching its seventh European Cup final. [49] Before the final, Eusébio visited Béla Guttmann's grave in a symbolic attempt to break the supposed "curse". [50] On May 23, 1990, in Vienna, Benfica faced the reigning champion Milan at the Praterstadion, but could not prevent Frank Rijkaard's solitary goal, which gave the Italian team its second consecutive title in the competition. [51]

In 1991–92, Benfica took part in the last edition of the European Cup before being reformulated and converted into the UEFA Champions League. They reached the tournament's group stage after beating the English champion Arsenal, in Highbury, with Isaías and Vasili Kulkov scoring in extra time. [52] In the group stage, Benfica ended in third place, behind Barcelona and Sparta Prague, being eliminated after losing to the Catalans in the last and decisive game. [53] In 1992–93, Benfica reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, beating eventual winners Juventus at home (their only loss in the competition), but losing 3–0 in Turin. [54]

The following season, Benfica returned to the Cup Winners' Cup and reached the semi-finals after a 5–5 aggregate draw against Bayer Leverkusen in the quarter-finals, advancing on the away goals rule. In the first leg of the semi-finals, played at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Benfica defeated Parma 2–1, despite Vítor Paneira missing a penalty. However, in the return leg, centre-back Carlos Mozer was sent off on the 20th minute and the team resisted for 55 minutes before Roberto Sensini scored the only goal of the match, which put the Italians through. [55] In the 1994–95, in Benfica made its debut in the reformulated Champions League, winning its group but falling to title holders Milan in the quarter-finals. [56]

Competitive record

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

European Decline

In the late 1990s, the club's European performances did not match Benfica's historic record, with only a quarter-final presence in the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup as a highlight. [57] The team's performances were subpar, with their lowest peak coming in the form of a 7–0 loss against Celta Vigo, Benfica's heaviest European defeat. [58]

After missing two seasons of European football for the first time since 1959–60, [59] Benfica returned to UEFA competitions in 2003–04. They entered that season's Champions League in the third qualifying round, but defeats against Lazio demoted them to the UEFA Cup. There, the team played its first European match at the new Estádio da Luz (3–1 win against Molde) and reached the fourth round, where they were eliminated by Inter Milan with a 4–3 away loss. [60]

After another season without playing in the Champions League, Benfica returned to UEFA's main competition in 2005–06, where they achieved their best performance in eleven years. Benfica knocked Manchester United out of the competition in the group stage, beating them 2–1 at home, [61] and by winning both ties, eliminated the title holders Liverpool in the subsequent round, [62] grabbing the club's first-ever win in Anfield. [63] In the quarter-finals, Benfica were eliminated by Barcelona after a 2–0 loss at Camp Nou. [64] [65]

The next two seasons were fairly similar; in 2006–07 and 2007–08, Benfica finished third in the group stage and were demoted to the UEFA Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals. [66]

Competitive record

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

European Reaffirmation

In 2009–10, Benfica had a noteworthy run in the newly created UEFA Europa League, progressing all the way from the play-off round to the quarter-finals. Their campaign featured five wins in six group stage matches, most notably a 5–0 thrashing of English side Everton in the group stage and an aggregate 3–2 win against Marseille in the round of 16. [69] The following season, Benfica returned to the Champions League, but as in 2006–07 and 2007–08, they were demoted to the Europa League. This time, however, the team overcame the quarter-final stage to reach their first European semi-final in 17 years. In the first ever European match between Portuguese teams, Benfica were surprised by Braga and missed the chance to qualify to the final. [70]

Benfica improved their European performance in the 2011–12 Champions League, progressing all the way to the quarter-finals. [71] In the group stage, Benfica topped their group, knocking Manchester United out of European competitions once again, and defeated Zenit Saint Petersbourg in the last 16 before losing 3–1 on aggregate to eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-finals. [72]

Benfica faced Chelsea in the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final, played at the Amsterdam Arena. 2012-13 Europa League final - Chelsea FC vs. SL Benfica, Amsterdam ArenA, kick-off.jpg
Benfica faced Chelsea in the 2013 UEFA Europa League Final, played at the Amsterdam Arena.

In the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons, Benfica's run in the Champions League was not so successful, but the club managed to reach two Europa League finals, the first of them 23 years after their last appearance in a European final. Benfica lost the first final on 17 May 2013 to then Champions League holders Chelsea, with a 2–1 injury-time header from Branislav Ivanović, [73] and drew 0–0 against Sevilla on 15 May 2014, losing the match penalty shoot-out 4–2. [74] This extended the club's run of European finals unsuccesses to eight, [75] in a total of ten finals – a domestic record that ranked them seventh among UEFA clubs with most finals, in 2014. [76]

In the mid-2010s, Benfica reached the Champions League knockout stage twice in a row, the first time since the competition was revamped. They qualified to the quarter-finals for an eighteenth time in 2015–16, where they lost 3–2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich, [77] [78] and were eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 in 2016–17. [79]

The following seasons, Benfica did not advance to the later stages of UEFA's prime tournament. In 2017–18, the club set the worst ever performance by a Portuguese team in the competition's group stage, with 6 losses and a negative goal difference of 13, [80] [81] including a 5–0 loss to Basel, equaling their previous biggest loss in the competition, against Borussia Dortmund in 1963–64. [82] In 2018–19, they were eliminated once again in the Champions League group stage, eventually reaching the Europa League quarter-finals.

Competitive record

Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

Current European Landscape

After another elimination in the 2019–20 Champions League group stage and an early exit from the Europa League, [83] Benfica, again managed by Jorge Jesus, missed out on qualifying for the Champions League group stage for the first time in ten years. [84]

In the following season, the club once again excelled in the Champions League, advancing from the group stage for the first time in four years, after eliminating Barcelona with a 3–0 victory in Lisbon. [85] In the round of 16 against Ajax, Benfica drew 2–2 at home and won 1–0 in the Johan Cruijff Arena, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in five years, [86] where they were eliminated by Liverpool, drawing 3–3 in the second leg at Anfield. [87] In 2022–23, Benfica finished first in their Champions League group, twice beating and eliminating Juventus along the way. [88] The team again advanced to the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by Inter Milan, once again drawing 3–3 away in the return leg. [89]

In the 2023–24 season, Benfica failed to repeat the success of previous seasons, being eliminated in the Champions League group stage and transferred to the Europa League. In the secondary competition, they reached the quarter-finals, but after a victory in Lisbon, they were eliminated in the second leg on penalties by Marseille. [90] In the following season, already in the new Champions League league format, Benfica adapted well, winning four and drawing one of its eight games. Highlights included a 4–0 home win over Atlético Madrid, [91] and away wins against Juventus [92] and Monaco. [93] In the round of 16, after beating Monaco in the play-offs round, Benfica were knocked out by Barcelona.

In 2025, Benfica made its debut in the new FIFA Club World Cup, finishing first in its group after a 2–2 draw with Boca Juniors, [94] a 6–0 win over Auckland City and a historic 1–0 victory against Bayern Munich, the club's first ever win over the German giants. [95] In the round of 16, Benfica were eliminated, 4–1 after extra time, by the eventual winner Chelsea. [96]

Competitive record

Last updated: 5 November 2025
Note: Benfica score is always listed first.

Records

Eusebio is the Benfica player with the highest goal tally in international competitions, with 56 scored. Eusebio (1963 version2).jpg
Eusébio is the Benfica player with the highest goal tally in international competitions, with 56 scored.
As of 5 November 2025

Benfica were the first Portuguese side to reach the final of the European Cup, the first to win it and the only one to this day to win the trophy in consecutive years. [98] In the 1960s, they reached the final five times, more than any other team, surpassing Real Madrid and Milan, who reached three finals each. [99] Their ten European finals are also a domestic record, [100] and with 42 participations in the Champions League (formerly the European Cup), only Real Madrid has played more seasons in the competition. [101]

By competition

S.L. Benfica record in European football by competition[ citation needed ]
CompetitionPldWDLGFGAGDWin% [g]
UEFA Champions League / European Cup 31313971103510372+138044.41
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 42211296734+33050.00
UEFA Europa League / UEFA Cup 141703437230159+71049.65
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 421175+2050.00
Intercontinental Cup 5104615−9020.00
FIFA Club World Cup 4211106+4050.00
Total507235117155827588+239046.35

By country

Finals

UEFA competitions

YearCompetitionOpposing teamScoreVenue
1961 European Cup Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Barcelona 3–2 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Wankdorf Stadium, Bern
1961 Intercontinental Cup Flag of Uruguay.svg Peñarol 1–0 Flag of Portugal (official).svg Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
0–5 Flag of Uruguay.svg Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
1–2 [i]
1962 European Cup Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Real Madrid 5–3 [15] Flag of the Netherlands.svg Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam
1962 Intercontinental Cup Flag of Brazil.svg Santos 2–3 Flag of Brazil.svg Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro
2–5 Flag of Portugal (official).svg Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
1963 European Cup Flag of Italy.svg Milan 1–2 [19] Flag of England.svg Wembley Stadium, London
1965 Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan 0–1 Flag of Italy.svg San Siro, Milan
1968 Flag of England.svg Manchester United 1–4 ( a.e.t. ) Flag of England.svg Wembley Stadium, London
1983 UEFA Cup Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Anderlecht 0–1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Heysel Stadium, Brussels
1–1 Flag of Portugal (official).svg Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
1988 European Cup Flag of the Netherlands.svg PSV Eindhoven 0–0 ( a.e.t. )(5–6 p) Flag of Germany.svg Neckarstadion, Stuttgart
1990 Flag of Italy.svg Milan 0–1 Flag of Austria.svg Praterstadion, Vienna
2013 UEFA Europa League Flag of England.svg Chelsea 1–2 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
2014 Flag of Spain.svg Sevilla 0–0 ( a.e.t. )(2–4 p) Flag of Italy.svg Juventus Stadium, Turin

Other international competitions

YearCompetitionOpposing teamScoreVenue
1950 Latin Cup Flag of France.svg Bordeaux 3–3 ( a.e.t. ) Flag of Portugal (official).svg Estádio Nacional do Jamor, Oeiras
2–1 ( a.e.t. ) [j]
1957 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Real Madrid 0–1 Flag of Spain.svg Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Semi-finals

UEFA competitions

YearCompetitionOpposing teamAgg.Other semi-finalists
1961 European Cup Flag of Austria.svg Rapid Wien 4–1 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Barcelona
Flag of Germany.svg Hamburg
1962 Flag of England.svg Tottenham Hotspur 4–3 [14] Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Real Madrid
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Standard Liège
1963 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Feyenoord 3–1 Flag of Italy.svg Milan
Flag of Scotland.svg Dundee
1965 Flag of Hungary.svg Győri Vasas ETO 5–0 Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan
Flag of England.svg Liverpool
1968 Flag of Italy.svg Juventus 3–0 Flag of England.svg Manchester United
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Real Madrid
1972 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Ajax 0–1 Flag of Italy.svg Inter Milan
Flag of Scotland.svg Celtic
1981 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Flag of East Germany.svg Carl Zeiss Jena 1–2 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Dinamo Tbilisi
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Feyenoord
1983 UEFA Cup Flag of Romania.svg Universitatea Craiova 1–1 (a) Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Anderlecht
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Bohemians ČKD Prague
1988 European Cup Flag of Romania.svg Steaua București 2–0 Flag of the Netherlands.svg PSV Eindhoven
Flag of Spain.svg Real Madrid
1990 Flag of France.svg Marseille 2–2 (a) Flag of Italy.svg Milan
Flag of Germany.svg Bayern Munich
1994 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Flag of Italy.svg Parma 2–2 (a) Flag of England.svg Arsenal
Flag of France.svg Paris Saint-Germain
2011 UEFA Europa League Flag of Portugal (official).svg Braga 2–2 (a) Flag of Portugal (official).svg Porto
Flag of Spain.svg Villarreal
2013 Flag of Turkey.svg Fenerbahçe 3–2 Flag of England.svg Chelsea
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Basel
2014 Flag of Italy.svg Juventus 2–1 Flag of Spain.svg Valencia
Flag of Spain.svg Sevilla

Other international competitions

YearCompetitionOpposing teamScoreOther semi-finalists
1950 Latin Cup Flag of Italy.svg Lazio 3–0 Flag of France.svg Bordeaux
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Atlético Madrid
1956 Flag of Italy.svg Milan 2–4 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Athletic Bilbao
Flag of France.svg Nice
1957 Flag of France.svg Saint-Étienne 1–0 Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Real Madrid
Flag of Italy.svg Milan

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ English teams were banned due to the Heysel Stadium Disaster.
  2. ↑ Partizani were disqualified due to the behaviour of their players and officials, having four players sent off in their first leg match. Benfica qualified on a walkover.
  3. 1 2 Due to UEFA not approving the Estádio Nacional (Benfica's temporary home) for European competitions, the match was played at the Estádio do Bessa. [67] [68]
  4. ↑ The match was played as a one-legged tie in Thessaloniki due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  5. ↑ The match was moved to Stadio Olimpico in Rome, due to restrictions imposed by Portugal on travelers from the United Kingdom out of concern of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7. [97]
  6. ↑ The match was moved to Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, due to restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom on travelers from Portugal. [97]
  7. ↑ Win% is rounded to two decimal places.
  8. ↑ Win% is rounded to two decimal places.
  9. ↑ Play-off
  10. ↑ Replay match

References

  1. ↑ "Benfica: o primeiro troféu internacional chegou há 75 anos". Abola.
  2. ↑ "Football's premier club competition". UEFA . Archived from the original on 27 December 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2011.
  3. 1 2 "50 years of European Cup" (PDF). UEFA . October 2004. pp. 6–7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Uefa Cup given new name in revamp". BBC Sport . 26 September 2008. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Club competition winners do battle". UEFA . Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Competition format". UEFA . 13 July 2005. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "FIFA Club World Cup 2025™". FIFA.com. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  8. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 220.
  9. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 261.
  10. ↑ "1957/58: Di Stéfano shines for Madrid". UEFA . Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  11. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 287.
  12. ↑ "1960/61: Eagles soar to end Madrid monopoly". UEFA . 31 March 1961. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  13. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 294.
  14. 1 2 3 Spurs V Benfica (1962). British Pathé. 13 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2019– via YouTube.
  15. 1 2 3 Real Madrid V Benfica - European Cup Final In Amsterdam (1962). British Pathé. 13 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 15 April 2019– via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "1961/62: Eusébio strikes gold for Benfica". UEFA . 2 May 1962. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  17. ↑ "Benfica 'curse': What is the Curse of Bela Guttman and where does it rank among sports greatest superstitions?". The Independent . 15 May 2014. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  18. ↑ "Trapattoni inocente no "caso Coluna"" [Trapattoni innocent in the "Coluna case"] (in Portuguese). Record. 17 March 2005. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 1963 European Cup Final - Milan V Benfica (1963). British Pathé. 13 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2019– via YouTube.
  20. ↑ "Final: Lesão de Coluna hipoteca "tri" do Benfica, em 1963" [Coluna's injury compromises Benfica's 'treble']. Futebol365.com (in Portuguese). 10 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "1962/63: Altafini strikes for Milan". UEFA . 22 May 1963. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  22. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 316.
  23. ↑ "1964/65: Jair the difference for Inter". UEFA . 27 May 1965. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  24. ↑ Stokkermans, Karel. "Champions' Cup Records". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  25. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 323.
  26. ↑ Tovar 2012, p. 334.
  27. ↑ "1967/68: Charlton leads United charge". UEFA . 29 May 1968. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "Benfica – «regresso» de gala em noite de neve e frio". Diário de Lisboa. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
  29. ↑ "Na fronteira do impossível". Diário de Lisboa. p. 22. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
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