+19 | Please play responsibly | T&C's Apply | Commercial Content  | Publishing Principles

3. Liga

3. Liga Overview

Winners and losers of 2025 GFX

Football's 20 biggest winners and losers of 2025

New Year's Eve is almost upon us, meaning 2025 is about to be consigned to the past - but how will it be remembered by the football world? It was certainly an unforgettable year for some players, coaches and clubs. Paris Saint-Germain, for example, finally got their hands on the trophy they craved above all others, the Champions League, thus vindicating a sensible change in recruitment strategy by the club's owners, who went from signing superstars to investing millions in youth.

FBL-CORRUPTION-WC2018-WC2022-FIFA

Dutch union backs billion-euro legal challenge against FIFA transfer rules

The Dutch professional footballers' union (VVCS) has joined a growing class action lawsuit against FIFA, the KNVB and several national football associations over what it calls an “unfair” transfer system. The legal challenge, spearheaded by the Justice for Players foundation, could impact over 100,000 players across Europe and potentially reshape football’s transfer rules.

More
Advertisement

Standings

PosTeamPWDLFA+/-PTSForm
1Osnabrueck crestOsnabrueck28167545252055
W
W
W
W
D
2Energie Cottbus crestEnergie Cottbus28158553391453
D
W
D
W
D
3RW Essen crestRW Essen28131055546949
W
W
L
L
W
4MSV Duisburg crestMSV Duisburg27139547331448
D
D
W
L
W
51860 Munich crest1860 Munich2814684537848
W
W
W
W
W
More

Frequently asked questions

Current title holders Real Madrid are miles ahead of any other club in Europe's most prestigious competition, having gone all the way whopping 15 times – more than twice the number of titles lifted by any other club.

The newest format, introduced ahead of the 2024-25 season, features 36 teams, four more than in the previous format. The competition was known as the European Cup at the time of its inception in 1955 before being rebranded to the UEFA Champions League ahead of the 1992-93 season. In its inaugural edition in 1955-56, only 16 teams contested.

Cristiano Ronaldo sits at the top of the appearance-making charts, having played in 183 Champions League games, representing Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.

No surprises here! It's Mr. Champions League, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the leading goalscorer in the Champions League with an astonishing 141 goals to his name!

Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a prolific goalscorer, but also has a keen eye for his team-mates as his record 42 assists in the Champions League prove.

Former Italian goalkeeper Marco Ballotta holds the distinction of being the oldest player ever in the Champions League. Playing for Lazio against Real Madrid in the 2007-08 season, Ballotta was aged 43 years and 252 days.

Borussia Dortmund prodigy Youssoufa Moukoko is the youngest player ever to feature in a Champions League game. He set the record on December 8 2020, in Dortmund's group stage fixture against Zenit St. Petersburg, aged 16 years and 18 days.

Gianluigi Buffon, Raul, Robert Lewandowski, Ronaldinho, Clarence Seedorf, Arjen Robben, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Zinedine Zidane, Paolo Maldini, Lionel Messi, and Mo Salah, to name a few, are some of the greatest and most famous footballing faces to have graced the Champions League over the decades.

Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez, Frank Rijkaard, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Zinedine Zidane, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger are some of the most famous managers to have coached a club in the Champions League.