Do Champions League winners get to keep the original trophy? In what situation?

Once upon a time, European Cup and Champions League winners had the chance to keep the trophy permanently, depending on their exploits in the competition. In 1967, UEFA handed the original piece of silverware over to Real Madrid in honour of them emerging victorious in the first five editions, with subsequent winners receiving a different trophy with a modified design. As it stands, 23 teams have lifted the trophy under either of the tournament’s two guises, but only five have been allowed to keep it.

How did clubs get to keep the original Champions League trophy?

Up until 2009, there were two ways that clubs could get their hands on the trophy on a permanent basis: winning the European Cup/Champions League five times, or triumphing three times in succession.

15 years ago, however, UEFA changed tact and clubs no longer get to keep the trophy no matter how many times they win it.

European soccer’s governing body now gives tournament winners exact copies for a few months, while they are also permitted to make replicas to show off in their trophy rooms. However, they are not allowed to be the same size as the original and clubs must make it clear it is a copy.

How many clubs have an original Champions League trophy?

Under the previous rules, five clubs earned the right to keep the original trophy due to their on-pitch achievements.

After Real Madrid, Ajax were next to achieve the feat, winning three consecutive titles between 1971 and 1973. The Dutch champions later added a fourth victory in 1995, their most recent triumph.

Immediately afterwards, Bayern Munich repeated the trick, doing a European Cup treble from 1974 to 1976. The Germans are now the joint third most successful team in the tournament’s history, with six victories.

Milan, in 1994, and Liverpool, in 2005, joined the exclusive club in Champions League era when they became European champions for the fifth time; they have since reached seven and six titles respectively.

Why Barcelona have five Champions League victories but no trophies

Spare a thought, however, for poor old Barcelona, who won the competition for the fifth time in 2015 but were prevented from keeping the trophy due to the regulation change. Instead, they are honoured by UEFA via a patch on the left sleeve of their jersey (not quite as impressive, is it?).

From 2000/2001 onwards, that has been the new reward for teams who secure their fifth Champions League victory, or win the tournament three times in a row.

The original patch depicts an image of the trophy with the number of times the team in question has won it above, although that changed in 2021/22, with the new patch showing the Champions League logo (a sphere made of stars) with the number of trophies won in the middle.

Additionally, since the 2012/13 season, the tournament winners wear another patch on their right sleeve which includes an image of the trophy and the year in which they won it.