Most successful German teams in European competitions

Bayern Munich are not the only German club to have tasted glory in European competitions.

German football has a rich history of success in European competitions, with several teams making their mark on the continental stage. From capturing the prestigious UEFA Champions League to clinching the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and other notable tournaments, German clubs have consistently displayed their prowess.

In this article, we take a closer look at the most successful German teams in various European competitions.

Which German teams have won the Champions League?

Bayern Munich have remained the most successful German club in the European Cup/ Champions League since their first golden era in the 1970s. The Bavarian giants have won the coveted title on six occasions. They clinched their first European crown in 1974 and went on to claim the trophy in 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013, and 2020.

In addition to Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg are the other German teams to have won the Champions League. Dortmund claimed the title under the guidance of legendary coach Ottmar Hitzfeld in 1997, beating Juventus in the final.

Hamburg, on the other hand, won the European Cup in the 1982-1983 season, becoming the first German club to achieve the feat since Bayern Munich’s back-to-back triumphs in the 1970s.

German clubs that have won the Europa League

The UEFA Europa League has also witnessed German success. Borussia Mönchengladbach was the first German team to win the competition, triumphing in 1975. The Foals repeated their success four years later.

Another notable achievement came in 1997 when Schalke 04 defeated Inter’s star-studded squad to lift the trophy.

Eintracht Frankfurt are the only German team beside Gladbach that have won the trophy twice. The Eagles claimed their first European trophy by winning the 1980 UEFA Cup but had to wait for more than four decades to repeat their success in 2022.

Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich have also won the Europa League in 1988 and 1996, respectively.

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA Intertoto Cup

German teams were among the most successful teams competing in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. The trophy came to Germany five times, with Hamburger, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, and Magdeburg winning a title each.

Moving on to the UEFA Super Cup, German teams have had limited success in this competition. Bayern Munich triumphed twice, first in 2013 and then again in 2020. These victories both came on the back of treble-winning campaigns.

Lastly, the UEFA Intertoto Cup, although not as prestigious as the other competitions, has seen German teams with a taste of European success. In total, German teams won the competition nine times. Karlsruhe, Schalke, Stuttgart, Werder Bremen, Hamburg and Hertha claimed the trophy before it’s abolition in 2008.