European Champion Clubs' Cup

Lore & Background

The original European Cup trophy was donated by L'Équipe, a French sports newspaper. This trophy was awarded permanently to Real Madrid in March 1967. The replacement trophy, with a somewhat different design from the original, was commissioned by UEFA from Jörg Stadelmann, a jeweller from Bern, Switzerland. At a cost of 10,000 Swiss francs, it was silver, 74 cm high, weighing 11 kg. The shape of the handles have earned it the nickname of 'big ears' in multiple languages. Between 1967 and 1994, the trophy bore the title 'Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens' in sentence case; AC Milan were the last team to win this type of trophy. Since then, the trophy bears the title fully in capital letters. The trophy that currently is awarded is the sixth and has been in use since 2006, following a redesign that was planned independently and not because of Liverpool's fifth win in 2005. Since the 2005/06 season, Champions League winners have not kept the real trophy, which remains in UEFA's custody at all times. A full-size replica trophy, the Champions League winners trophy, is awarded to the winning club with their name engraved on it. Winning clubs are permitted to make replicas of their own, which must be clearly marked as such and can be a maximum of eighty percent the size of the actual trophy.

In Their Own Story

The air in Moscow was thick with tension, the Luzhniki Stadium buzzing under the floodlights. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to the penalty spot, the weight of the club resting on his shoulders. He struck the ball cleanly into the corner; the net rippled, and the roar that followed was deafening. It wasn't just a goal; it was the culmination of a decade-long pursuit, sealing United's third European crown with a moment of pure, unadulterated triumph.

Reader's Guide

A rule introduced before the 1968–69 season allowed a club to keep the original trophy after five wins or three consecutive wins. Five clubs have been permanently awarded the real trophy under the old rules, from the 1968–69 to 2008–09 seasons: Real Madrid after their sixth title in 1966, Ajax after their third consecutive title in 1973, Bayern Munich after their third consecutive title in 1976, Milan after their fifth title in 1994, and Liverpool after their fifth title in 2005. Prior to 2008-09, a club whose Champions League title was not a fifth overall or third consecutive win kept the real trophy for ten months after their victory and received a scaled-down replica to keep permanently. Since 2009, the real trophy remains in UEFA's custody at all times. The winning club receives a full-size replica trophy, the Champions League winners trophy, with their name engraved on it.

Did You Know?

• The original European Cup trophy was donated by L'Équipe, a French sports newspaper.
• The replacement trophy was commissioned by UEFA from Jörg Stadelmann, a jeweller from Bern, Switzerland, at a cost of 10,000 Swiss francs.
• The trophy's shape of the handles has earned it the nickname 'big ears' in multiple languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Arabic.
• The current trophy is the sixth and has been in use since 2006, following a redesign that was planned independently and not because of Liverpool's fifth win in 2005.
• Since the 2005/06 season, the real trophy remains in UEFA's custody at all times; winning clubs receive a full-size replica.