In brief
Despite being the most prestigious competition in Europe, the Champions League has left some of the continent’s best clubs with unsettling memories.
Some of the biggest clubs that have never won the top award in European football are Tottenham, Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal.
PSG is the biggest team that has never won the Champions League because of their recent high-profile acquisitions and amazing spending.
The highest level of club football in Europe is the Champions League. As they compete against one another from the league to the final, one of the most watched athletic events of the year, only the top teams from each country may advance. For the losers, it is a day to forget, but the glory that follows triumph endures forever. The anguish and grief of losing swiftly crushes the exhilaration and anticipation that rises before the final.
Since its creation in 1955, 23 clubs have won the Champions League, originally known as the European Cup. While some English clubs have triumphed over mainland Europe under spectacular circumstances, Real Madrid has won it a record 14 times. However, the losers are on the other side of the tale.
Arsenal and PSG, in particular, will be fervently trying to win the trophy for the first time in what has already turned out to be a thrilling 2024–2025 Champions League season. Which other major teams, nevertheless, have never taken home the Champions League trophy?
Ranking Elements
Fanbase size: Clubs with larger fan bases and greater support have been ranked higher, and their history is taken into account.
How close they’ve come to winning: Whether they lost in the final or were eliminated in the semifinals, they were ranked higher if they were closer to winning the Champions League.
Financial power: Teams with greater wealth have been ranked higher because they can afford to pay players exorbitant fees.
The Top 8 Teams That Will Never Win the Champions League
Rank
Club
Year of Establishment
Value of the Club (£)
1.
Saint-Germain, Paris
1970
900 meters
2.
Real Madrid
1903
385 meters
3.
The Arsenal
1886
960 meters
4.
Tottenham Hotspur
1882
661 meters
5.
Roma
1927
284 meters
6.
Lyon
1950
167 meters
7.
Leverkusen Bayer
1904
487 meters
8.
Valencia
1919
170 meters
8Valencia
Valencia, one of the biggest teams in Spain, is at the top of the list because of their fervent supporters and skill on the game. They have made it to the UCL final twice, most recently in 2001. They were playing Bayern Munich at the time, and Gaizka Mendieta gave them the lead three minutes in. But Stefan Effenberg gave the German powerhouses an equaliser, and they went on to win 5–4 on penalties. It happened a year after Valencia’s first-ever Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, which ended in a 3-0 defeat. The third goal, scored by the legendary Spanish football player Raúl, sealed the victory and left Valencia in agony for years to come.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2000–2001
Lastly
The Bayern Munich
1999–2000
Lastly
Real Madrid
2006–2007
Quarterfinals
Chelsea
7Bayer Leverkusen
Under Xabi Alonso’s leadership, Bayer Leverkusen is dominating German football in the 2023–2024 season and won the Bundesliga title in spectacular way, surpassing long-time rivals Bayern Munich. They fell 2-1 to Real Madrid in the 2002 final. Their fate was sealed by a spectacular goal from Zinedine Zidane, which is considered by many to be among the best goals in the history of the competition. The Frenchman put on an incredible ‘Man of the Match’ performance. Unfortunately for them, Bayer Leverkusen lost a chance to win the treble in the last few weeks of the season, making them the second team after Barcelona in 1986 to finish second in the Champions League, domestic league, and cup competitions in the same season. They had only ever advanced past the quarterfinals once before.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2001–2002
Lastly
Real Madrid
1997–1998
Quarterfinals
Real Madrid
2004–2005
Round of 16
Liverpool
6Lyon
Marseille is the only French team to have ever won the Champions League. Lyon has endured years of suffering, including two semi-final losses, along with PSG and Monaco. They were defeated by Bayern Munich 3-0 in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced matches to be played in Portugal, making it a one-leg game. They did, however, lose their first semi-final eleven years prior. At the time, it was also against Bayern Munich. They suffered a 3-0 loss on one night, bringing their total to 4-0, much like in 2020. Ivica Olic’s hat-trick sent Lyon packing for another year, and it appears that their prospects of winning it are getting smaller each year.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2019–2020
The semifinals
The Bayern Munich
2009–2010
The semifinals
The Bayern Munich
2005–2006
Quarterfinals
Milan AC
5Roma
As one of the biggest clubs in Italy, Roma is rich in heritage and history. They haven’t been able to duplicate their success in the Champions League, though. In 1984, they made it to the final but lost to Liverpool. Liverpool prevailed on penalties following a 1-1 draw, but the Italian powerhouses entered the game as the favourites because they were hosting at the Stadio Olimpico. Italian hearts were broken when Alan Kennedy scored the game-winning kick. In 2018, they made it to the semi-finals, but Liverpool halted them once more. After a thrilling 5-2 victory in the first leg, the Reds won 7-6 on aggregate. Let’s talk about drama.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
1983–1984
Lastly
Liverpool
2017–2018
The semifinals
Liverpool
2007–2008
Quarterfinals
United Manchester
4Tottenham Hotspur
A Tottenham supporter will likely cite the Champions League final as their most miserable game as a fan. By defeating Dortmund 4-0 on aggregate, Man City on away goals, and Ajax on away goals, they defied the odds and advanced to the final in 2019. They played Liverpool in Madrid after Lucas Moura scored a thrilling hat-trick in the second half in Amsterdam. However, Divock Origi’s late goal and Mohamed Salah’s penalty in the first minute caused them to lose 2-0. The Lilywhites had the better chances in this tough encounter, but they were still without a title for another year. They have only ever made it to the final once.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2018–2019
Lastly
Liverpool
1961–1962
The semifinals
Benfica
2010–2011
Quarterfinals
Real Madrid
3Arsenal
There are other North London clubs that have failed to win the Champions League besides Tottenham. Although it was thirteen years ago, Arsenal has also lost a final. Arsenal advanced to the season’s most important game in 2006 after defeating Real Madrid, Juventus, and Villarreal in the knockout stages. Sol Campbell gave them the lead in the first half of their match against Barcelona, but late goals from Juliano Belletti and Samuel Eto’o put them out of the game for another year. A year later, Arsenal’s situation worsened when club legend Thierry Henry moved to Barcelona. They’ve only made it to the final once, and their 2009 semi-final loss to Manchester United only irritated fans.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2005–2006
Lastly
Barcelona
2008–2009
The semifinals
United Manchester
2007–2008
Quarterfinals
Liverpool
2Atletico Madrid
Losing to your fiercest enemies is even more devastating than losing a Champions League final. Atletico Madrid experienced that twice in three years, and both times they had extra time. After extra time, they defeated 4-1 in 2014. Before Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo won victory, Sergio Ramos scored a thrilling equaliser in the 93rd minute to force extra time. Atletico Madrid was brutally defeated on penalties two years later. Atletico’s Yannick Carrasco equalised in the 79th minute, but the game ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Ronaldo then proved to be Real Madrid’s hero in the shootout. They have lost all three of their Champions League final appearances.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2015–2016
Lastly
Real Madrid
2013–2014
Lastly
Real Madrid
1973–1974
Lastly
The Bayern Munich
1Paris Saint-Germain
In the twenty-first century, PSG has been the most successful club in France. They have signed some of the best players in the world, like as Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi, while being funded by Qatari funds, but they have yet to win the Champions League. They made it to the final for the first time in 2020. Despite Neymar and Mbappe’s skill, they fell 1-0 because they were unable to score. They lost to Man City in the semi-finals a year later. The English team defeated PSG 4-1 overall, sending them home disappointed for yet another season. The French team was then eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals once more in May 2024, leaving Luis Enrique’s team to wonder what might have been. PSG’s issues in European competitions cannot be resolved by money alone.
Time of year
The best Champions League campaign
knocked out by
2019–2020
Lastly
The Bayern Munich
2023–2024
The semifinals
Dortmund Borussia
2020–2021
The semifinals
Man City
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