An all-time ranking of every European league to have won international trophies, plus a lowdown on the continent’s ‘Super Six’
ARL Football Success Ranking System
The ARL Football Success Ranking System for men’s European club-football establishes for certain which clubs are the most successful of each nation and in the whole of Europe.
The football clubs of all of UEFA’s national leagues are awarded points based on what ‘competitive trophies’ and how many they have won, based on a ‘glory’ criteria.
Here, the leagues themselves are ranked based on how many international trophies have been won by their respective clubs (almost entirely UEFA and FIFA competitions) since 1955.
Europe, UEFA and FIFA
Association Football was founded in England in 1863. The oldest national club competition – the English FA Cup – was launched in 1872 and the sport’s popularity quickly began to spread. The ‘beautiful game’ took root across the British Isles before making early inroads into South America. And it spread even more across Europe, with many of the continent’s most colossal clubs founded before the 19th Century was up.
As the reputations of various clubs burgeoned across the continent, early international tournaments were organised in the early 20th Century such as the Mitropa Cup, Coupe des Nations, and Latin Cup. Yet, it was only with the formation of UEFA in the 1950s that ‘European football’ officially commenced.
The oldest UEFA European trophy – the European Cup (later rebranded the Champions League) – was launched in the 1955-56 season for the champions of each country to decide who played the ultimate football. More trophy competitions followed as UEFA expanded: National cup winners could play in the Cup Winners Cup from 1960; a second-tier competition – the UEFA Cup (Europa League) – commenced in 1971; and the Super Cup in ’73. The Cup Winners Cup was discontinued in 1999, but in 2021 UEFA’s third tier of European competition was launched: the Conference League.
The creation of the European Cup was inspired by the Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones that was first contested in 1948. A hunger to then compete with the South Americans and, later, the rest of the world saw the Intercontinental Cup kick off in 1960. In the 2000s, the cup became an expanded super cup, now called the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The quadrennial edition of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup was launched in 2025.
*Scroll down to the bottom for a lowdown of the ‘Super 6’!
Tournament and Points Table
Key | Competition | Points | Years Played |
| UEFA SC | UEFA Super Cup | 4 | 1973 1975-1980 1982-1984 1986- |
| IC | Intercontinental Cup annual FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Intercontinental Cup | 6 | 1960-1974 1976-1977 1979-2004 2005- |
ECL | UEFA Conference League | 8 | 2021- |
EL | UEFA Cup UEFA Europa League | 12 | 1971- |
UEFA CWC | UEFA Cup Winners Cup | 13 | 1960-1999 |
FIFA CWC | quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup | 15 | 2025- |
CL | UEFA European Cup UEFA Champions League | 17 | 1955- |
The 18 Most Successful European Football Leagues, Ranked
| Position | League | Points subtotals | Success Points Total |
| 1 | Spanish La Liga | UEFA SC: 17 x 4 = 68 IC: 13 x 6 = 78 EL: 14 x 12 = 168 UEFA CWC: 7 x 13 = 91 CL: 20 x 17 = 340 | 745 |
| 2 | English Premier League | UEFA SC: 10 x 4 = 40 IC: 5 x 6 = 30 ECL: 2 x 8 = 16 EL: 10 x 12 = 120 UEFA CWC: 8 x 13 = 104 FIFA CWC: 1 x 15 = 15 CL: 15 x 17 = 255 | 580 |
| 3 | Italian Serie A | UEFA SC: 9 x 4 = 36 IC: 9 x 6 = 54 ECL: 1 x 8 = 8 EL: 10 x 12 = 120 UEFA CWC: 8 x 13 = 91 CL: 12 x 17 = 204 | 511 |
| 4 | German Bundesliga | UEFA SC: 2 x 4 = 8 IC: 5 x 6 = 30 EL: 7 x 12 = 84 UEFA CWC: 5 x 13 = 65 CL: 8 x 17 = 136 | 323 |
| 5 | Dutch Eredivisie | UEFA SC: 2 x 4 = 8 IC: 3 x 6 = 18 EL: 4 x 12 = 48 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 6 x 17 = 102 | 189 |
| 6 | Portuguese Primeira Liga | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 IC: 2 x 6 = 12 EL: 2 x 12 = 24 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 4 x 17 = 68 | 121 |
| 7 | Belgian Pro League | UEFA SC: 3 x 4 = 12 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 UEFA CWC: 3 x 13 = 39 | 63 |
| 8 | French Ligue 1 | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 2 x 17 = 34 | 51 |
| 9 | Scottish Premiership | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 UEFA CWC: 2 x 13 = 26 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 | 47 |
| 10 | Ukrainian Premier League | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 UEFA CWC: 2 x 13 = 26 | 42 |
| 11 | Russian Premier League | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 EL: 2 x 12 = 24 | 28 |
| 12 | Swedish Allsvenskan | EL: 2 x 12 = 24 | 24 |
| 13 | Serbian SuperLiga | IC: 1 x 6 = 6 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 | 23 |
| 14 | Romanian SuperLiga | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 | 21 |
| 15 | Turkish Süper Lig | UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 | 16 |
| =16 | Georgian Erovnuli Liga Slovakian First Football League | UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 | 13 |
| 18 | Greek Super League | ECL: 1 x 8 = 8 | 8 |
The lowdown of the six most successful leagues in Europe
6. Primeira Liga
Success points: 121
Earliest trophy: UEFA European Cup, Benfica, 1961
Most successful decade: 1960s – 47 success points
Most recent trophy: UEFA Europa League, Porto, 2011
It took the 1950s to prise Real Madrid’s grasp off the European Cup, but once done, Hungarian coach Béla Guttmann led Benfica to triumph in the 1960-61 European Cup. Then, with the great Eusabio at the club, the Eagles won the next European Cup also. Guttman left in acrimony, cursing Benfica that they ‘would not win another European Cup for 100 years’ – a curse which remains.
Porto also enjoyed much glory in later decades. The Dragons were crowned kings of Europe in 1987, then in 2002 José Mourinho took over as manager. He justified labelling himself ‘the Special One’ by winning the 2003 UEFA Cup followed by Porto’s 2nd European crown – the Champions League – the year after.
Sporting Lisbon won the Cup Winners Cup in 1964.
5. Eredivisie
Success points: 189
Earliest trophy: UEFA European Cup and Intercontinental Cup, Feyenoord, 1970
Most successful decade: 1970s – 166 success points
Most recent trophy: UEFA Cup, Feyenoord, 2002
Ajax and Feyenoord‘s ferocious rivalry created the brand of ‘total football’ which the Dutch became renowned for in the 1970s. The Eredivisie’s most successful club, Ajax, with Johan Cruyff among their ranks – the greatest player of the latter 20th Century – ruled Europe between 1971-73. Indeed, ‘total football’ was so supreme that being crowned European champions wasn’t enough for them; the UEFA Super Cup was created specifically so that Dutch clubs could prove their mastery on a 2nd stage.
PSV and Feyenoord have also won UEFA silverware including a European Cup each.
4. Bundesliga
Success points: 323
Earliest trophy: UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Borussia Dortmund, 1966
Most successful decade: 1970s – 119 success points
Most recent trophy: UEFA Europa League, Eintracht Frankfurt, 2022
The Bundesliga’s powerhouse club, Bayern Munich, have had the biggest impact on the European stage. Udo Lattek led a team which included Gerd Muller and der Kaiser, Franz Beckenbauer – the greatest player to come out of Germany – to take over from Dutch giants Ajax and rule Europe with three European Cups between 1974-1976. Bayern went on to clinch another three European crowns in the 21st Century, including in 2020 when Die Bayern won all six trophies up for grabs both home and abroad.
Borussia Dortmund also reached the pinnacle of European football by winning the Champions League in 1997 as well as Hamburger with a European Cup in 1983.
A host of other Bundesliga clubs have enjoyed success in Europe, including Eintract Frankfurt, Schalke 04, and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
3. Serie A
Success points: 511
Earliest trophy: UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Fiorentina, 1961
Most successful decade: 1990s – 164 success points
Most recent trophy: UEFA Europa League, Atalanta, 2024
The two clubs based in Milan – Inter and AC Milan – have been Serie A’s standout clubs in Europe. They have won a total 10 European crowns. AC Milan won Italy’s first European Cup in 1963, before coach Helenio Herrero employed his ‘doorbolt’ system of counterattacking football to lead Grande Inter to two European Cups and two Intercontinental Cups between 1964 and 1965. AC won two European Cups in a row between ’89 and 90 with Dutch trio Gullit, van Basten and Rijkaard leading the Rossoneri to glory. Italian giants Juventus have won two European Cups of their own.
Other Serie A clubs to have lifted silverware include Napoli, Parma, and Atalanta.
2. Premier League
Success points: 580
Earliest trophy: UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Tottenham Hotspur, 1963
Most successful decade: 1970s – 125 success points
Most recent trophies: UEFA Europa League, Tottenham Hotspur ; UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, Chelsea, 2025
Despite initially rejecting playing in Europe, plus a later five-year ban, the Premier League (Previously the Division 1 of the Football League) has frequently proven that its clubs are amongst the most competitive in the world. Seven European Cups were won by Football League teams in eight seasons between 1976-1984. Bob Paisley‘s all-conquering Liverpool team won two before the iconic Brian Clough led the then little-known Nottingham Forest to win two crowns on the trot. Liverpool won another cup before Aston Villa weighed in on the scene with a crown of their own. Liverpool then won their fourth cup in 1984. Two UEFA Cups were also won by Football League clubs in this glittering period before hooliganism ended the good times for five years.
Chelsea, and the two Manchester clubs have also been crowned continental champions a total five times. Other clubs to have enjoyed success include Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.
1. La Liga
Success points: 745
Earliest trophy: UEFA European Cup, Real Madrid, 1956
Most successful decade: 2010s – 221 success points
Most recent trophies: UEFA Champions League and Super Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Real Madrid, 2024
Spain’s La Liga comes out on top as the most successful league in Europe, largely thanks to the biggest club in the world by virtually every metric, Real Madrid. Club president Santiago Bernabéu set out his stall to make Los Blancos Europe’s premier football club by instigating a policy of assembling teams of the greatest players – Galacticos. With Stefano and Puskás, Madrid won the first five European Cups in a row – their crowning achievement. They won many more Euro crowns, particularly in the 21st Century with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo – arguably the greatest player of his generation. Real Madrid have now won 15 Champions Leagues, more than twice as many as any other club!
Barcelona have won five Champions Leagues of their own, three with Argentina’s greatest ever player -Lionel Messi – leading the line.
It’s not just La Liga’s two big giants that are responsible for the league’s dazzling domination over Europe. Other clubs to have won major silverware include, Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla. Los Nervioneses performed remarkably between 2006-2023 to win seven Europa Leagues. This was most impressive given their modest financial resources.
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