The UEFA Super Cup, the traditional curtain-raiser to the European season, pits the reigning champions of the continent’s two premier club tournaments — the Champions League and the Europa League — against each other.
While logic might suggest the Champions League winners should always be favored, the history of this one-off match has shown that the Europa League champions are more than capable of springing an upset.
The last team to achieve this feat was Atletico Madrid in 2018. In a thrilling contest in Tallinn, the Europa League holders, led by Diego Simeone, faced their fierce rivals, Real Madrid, fresh off their Champions League triumph. The match turned into a roller coaster of emotions, finishing 4-2 in extra time thanks to goals from Diego Costa, Saul Niguez, and Koke.
With that victory, Atletico Madrid not only lifted the trophy but also proved that grit and determination can overcome pedigree, sealing one of the most memorable wins for a team coming from Europe’s second-tier competition.
How many times have the Europa League representative beat the Champions League winner?
Throughout the history of the UEFA Super Cup, winners of the UEFA Cup/Europa League have managed to prevail on seven occasions. This is even more notable when considering that in the early years of the competition, there wasn’t a direct link between the European Cup champions and the Cup Winners’ Cup, the forerunner of the UEFA Cup/Europa League.
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Here is the complete list of UEFA Cup/Europa League winners defeating Champions League holders:
- Ajax (1973): The first UEFA Cup champions to win the UEFA Super Cup, defeating AC Milan, champions of the European Cup.
- Anderlecht (1976): Beat Bayern Munich.
- Juventus (1984): Defeated Liverpool.
- Parma (1993): Overcame AC Milan.
- Liverpool (2001): Topped Bayern Munich.
- Zenit Saint Petersburg (2008): Beat Manchester United.
- Atletico Madrid (2012): Defeated Chelsea.
- Atletico Madrid (2018): Most recent winners from the Europa League to claim the trophy, beating Real Madrid.
The UEFA Super Cup is a reminder that in soccer, pedigree and history do not always guarantee victory. Clubs emerging from the Europa League, motivated by the chance to prove themselves against the continent’s giants, have written some of the competition’s most thrilling chapters.
Who holds the most titles in the competition?
While Europa League winners have delivered historic shocks, the Super Cup’s honors list is dominated by Champions League royalty. Real Madrid lead the way with six titles, followed closely by AC Milan and Barcelona with five each, showing that despite the epic triumphs of clubs from Europe’s secondary tournament, the competition’s history has largely been shaped by the continent’s most decorated teams.
