Real Madrid extends historic Champions League streak
Los Blancos beat Benfica to reach the knockout stage for the 29th consecutive season, cementing their place as Europe’s most consistent club.
Real Madrid survived a minor scare to defeat Benfica in the knockout phase playoffs and reach the 2025-26 Champions League round of 16, as most expected, even when they briefly fell 1-0 behind against the Portuguese side in the first half at the Bernabéu.
The LaLiga giants’ progression to the last 16 extends a remarkable streak in the competition, which has seen them reach at least that stage in 29 successive seasons.
A standard of excellence
For most clubs, simply qualifying for the Champions League for 29 years in a row would be an extraordinary achievement. For Real Madrid, Europe’s elite club competition is the ultimate prize every season, reflected in their sensational results.
Since the European Cup became the Champions League in 1992, Real Madrid has featured in 30 of the 34 editions of the tournament. Los Blancos missed out in four of the first five years after the rebrand, when only league champions were allowed to compete.
The road to consistency
In 1992-93 and 1994-95, Madrid played in the UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League. In 1993-94, they took part in the Cup Winners’ Cup, which was disbanded in 2001. In 1996-97, they failed to qualify for Europe altogether, an unthinkable outcome in the modern era.
Since 1997-98, however, it has been Champions League all the way, with unparalleled success. Prior to the format change, Real Madrid never once failed to advance from the initial group stage. The Spaniards have featured in the knockout rounds every single time they have qualified for the competition, including in 1995-96, before their current streak began.
Real Madrid: European kings
Madrid has been crowned European champions 15 times, more than twice as often as the next most successful team, AC Milan, which has seven titles. Nine of those victories have come in the Champions League era, all during their 29-season streak.
Real Madrid’s Champions League record during that period is:
Winners: 9 times
Semifinals: 8 times
Quarterfinals: 3 times
Round of 16: 8 times
Los Merengues also reached the quarterfinals in 1995-96, before their long knockout stage run began.
Unbeaten in finals
Incredibly, they have never lost a Champions League final. They have won 15 of the 18 finals they have played, with their three defeats all coming in the European Cup era.
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.