The UEFA Champions League is considered to be the most prestigious European club tournament. The Champions League got its current name in 1992, before that it was called the “European Champion Clubs' Cup”. The format of competition has been modified, too: it has stepped up from the play-off system to the group tournament followed by knockout games. For the 1^st time the championship was organized in 1955 and won by “Real Madrid”.

From 1960 to 2004, the winner of the Champions League took part in the Intercontinental Cup, where they met the winner of the South American CONMEBOL Libertadores Cup. At present the winner of the tournament gets the right to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The number of teams in the competition depends on the place of association in the UEFA coefficients table:

•  associations, ranked 1–3 in the table, are represented by the first 4 teams

•  associations, ranked 4–6 in the table, are represented by the first 3 teams

•  associations, ranked 7–15 in the table, are represented by the first 2 teams

•  associations, ranked 16 and below in the table, are represented by 1 team

The tournament itself consists of several stages: four qualifying rounds, a group tournament, and a play-off.

Each team that enters the UEFA Champions League receives 3 million euros from the UEFA as a reward, another 2.4 million they get for participation in the group stage. Each victory at the group stage brings 600 thousand euros. In addition, each participant of the quarter final receives 2.5 million, the semi-final – 3 million, the final – 4 million, and the winner gets 7 million euros.

The Champions League winner keeps the Cup for 10 months. In tribute to their victory the team receives a reduced copy of the trophy. The club winning 5 times or 3 times in a row, may keep the trophy forever. “Real Madrid” obtained this right when it won 5 times in succession.

Only five teams got the right to keep a cup with them:

•  “Real Madrid”. 5 wins in a row

•  “Ajax”. 3 wins in a row

•  “Bayern Munich”. 3 wins in a row

•  “Milan”. 5 wins

•  “Liverpool”. 5 wins

“Real Madrid” is the most award-winning club of the Champions League with 10 victories to their name, the last one took place in 2014.

Fast facts:

•  Over its history the Champions League was won by 22 clubs only, 12 of them became triumphants more than once.

•  Nobody managed to win the tournament twice in a row since the moment of renaming the tournament to the Champions League.

•  “Bayern”, “Benfica” and “Juventus” are the unluckiest teams, having lost the final 5 times.

•  5 English teams have won the Champions League, so this country is a leader.

•  “Real Madrid” went through the group stage without losing points twice (2011/12, 2014/15).

•  “Manchester United” did not lose 25 matches in a row: from September 19, 2007 to May 27, 2009.

•  “Bayern” won 10 Champions League matches in a row – from April 2, 2013 to December 10, 2013.

•  The greatest victory of the tournament is “Dinamo București” 11 – 0 “Crusaders” (the 1973/74 season).

•  The fastest goal of the Champions League was scored by Roy Makaay on the 10th second in the 2006/07 season.

•   The greatest number of goals in one match: Lionel Messi, Luiz Adriano – 5 balls each of them.