There are a great many great managers who have never lifted the famous jug-eared trophy, designed to celebrate the best team in Europe.

The formidable Hector Cuper. The revolutionary Valeriy Lobanovskyi. The arch-sophisticate Arsene Wenger. Frankly, the list is long and it’s extremely illustrious.

Their collective non-fulfilment is mentioned here to place into even sharper context the achievements of the ever-calm and all-knowledgeable Carlo Ancelotti, who didn’t lead one side to Champions League glory, nor two like Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho. 

On a record five occasions – twice with AC Milan and three times at his present residence Real Madrid - the esteemed coach has managed to sculpt sides that have bested the continent’s elite, each time incidentally winning the competition in style. 

His most recent success was not an unexpected one, with Los Blancos at the absolute peak of their powers and completing a famous La Liga / Champions League double. 

Going into the Champions League showpiece with Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, the Spanish giants were favoured in the betting odds but Los Blancos needed two late goals to clinch the win.

For Real it ensured they were European champions for a quite remarkable 15th time. 

And while Madrid wildly celebrated, Ancelotti could take huge personal pride in cementing his status as the manager with the most Champions League triumphs - he truly is in a league of his own when it comes to Europe's elite club competition.

By any and every metric that’s an outstanding feat. Yet it only gets more impressive. 

In November 2022, in beating Celtic 5-1 at the Bernabeu, the 63-year-old claimed the record for the most Champions League victories, his substantial tally of 103 wins surpassing the tally held by Sir Alex Ferguson.

There is also the pretty sizable detail that as a player Ancelotti twice attained the ultimate club prize, when he bossed the midfield of AC Milan’s sublime late-eighties creation. 

On Seven different occasions therefore, the genial genius has attended Champions League victory dinners. Something about the tournament clearly suits him and he will go down as an all-time great in the competition. 

It’s a harmonious relationship that began – from a managerial perspective – in 2003, when a Rossoneri, resplendent with the likes of Nesta, Pirlo and Shevchenko, navigated their way past city rivals Inter in the semis to set up a dream final with Juventus. 

Sadly, the highly anticipated match-up failed to live up to the hype, eking its way to penalties, but for Ancelotti three missed spot-kicks by Juve placed him in rare company indeed. He had now been crowned champion of Europe as a player and manager.

Two years later disaster struck, when Milan capitulated in the second-half to Liverpool in Istanbul but to the club’s enormous credit they recovered well from that mortifying loss, gaining revenge over the Reds in 2007. Filippo Inzaghi was the hero that evening. 

Soon after followed a move to Chelsea, then PSG, before Real Madrid came calling, one of the most prestigious names in world football needing Ancelotti’s Champions League pedigree, having not reached a final for over a decade.

It took the brilliant coach just ten months to give them what they craved. Los Blancos were champions of Europe that May. 

When assessing the Champions League betting for this coming season, naturally club form comes into it, as too does each contender’s biggest stars.

Do not discount however the importance of the coaches at the helm, or more accurately, the well-dressed man standing thoughtfully in the technical area of the Bernabeu. 

The tournament evidently loves Carlo Ancelotti, and he loves it.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Being a Premier League manager is an immensely stressful affair. The weight of the world, and all its expectations, are permanently on your shoulders.

The fickle fates of football decide your employment status. The fans love or hate you depending on that weekend’s result.

Oldest Premier League Managers:

1. Roy Hodgson – 76 years, 192 days
2. Sir Bobby Robson – 71 years, 192 days
3. Sir Alex Ferguson – 71 years, 139 days
4. Neil Warnock – 70 years, 162 days
5. Claudio Ranieri – 70 years, 93 days

These five were immune to such concerns, and the same went for the passing of time. Even in their seventh decade they used the team coach in lieu of their bus passes. 

5) Claudio Ranieri

Never a man to hide his emotions, Ranieri was teary-eyed this week as his Cagliari side played out the final moments of the 2023/24 season. 

After 38 years in management, the man who once made an absolute mockery of the Premier League betting with Leicester, was hanging up his suit.

Players of both sides applauded, even the referee joined in, while a banner held aloft in the home end spoke volumes and spoke for many. “Eternal gratitude to a great man.”

Enjoy your retirement Claudio. You made us smile and rocked football to its very core. 

4) Neil Warnock

Managers as tumultuous as Warnock are not supposed to spend 44 years in the dug-out. They’re supposed to burn bright and burn out, complaining to all who will listen that the ‘game’s gone’. 

So many of Warnock’s ilk found themselves out of step with modern football, dismissed as dinosaurs and put out to pasture. 

To ‘Colin’s enormous credit however he rolled with the punches, evolved along the way, and maintained a reputation as someone who can fix a club up and put it back on track. Even at the vintage age of 75 he’s still doing that, stepping in as interim boss at Aberdeen, his 20th club.

His last game in charge of a Premier League side saw him take an already doomed Cardiff to Old Trafford for the conclusion of the 2018/19 season. Against expectation, the Bluebirds won. Of course they did. 

3) Sir Alex Ferguson

On two prior occasions, Manchester United’s overlord had intended to call it a day.

The first time he was talked out of it. The second extension came about when Sergio Aguero struck one of the most dramatic and devastating goals in living memory. 

After reclaiming English football’s perch by winning a multitude of titles, the great man wasn’t going to go out on that.

So he stayed, hauling and cajoling what was in truth a bang average United side to a 13th Premier League crown. It was arguably his finest ever achievement. 

Ferguson’s final game took place at the Hawthorns in 2013 and appropriately entertained, producing the only 5-5 scoreline in the top-flight in modern times. 

2) Sir Bobby Robson

In two decades as a player, and three decades in management, Robson fulfilled monumental achievements, just one of which would be enough for some. 

He made numerous appearances for his country. He guided both Ipswich Town and Barcelona to European honours. He won the league in Holland and Portugal and navigated England to a World Cup semi-final.

Yet throughout this extraordinary brace of careers there was always a hole that needed filling, that being the chance to either play for or manage his beloved Newcastle United.

At the grand age of 66 that dream came true in 1999, Robson steadying the ship in the North-East and staying for five seasons. His sad passing in 2009 is still felt today. 

1) Roy Hodgson

Across eight countries and including two stints as an international boss, Hodgson saw it all in management. Tactics evolve and other tactics die out. Players making their debuts and those same players retiring.

By the time he took on the reins at Crystal Palace he was a walking, talking encyclopaedia of a game that so obsessed him.

Regrettably, in his second spell at Selhurst Park, all of that vast experience counted for little, with the Eagles struggling and even tipped to drop in the football betting.

And so when Palace lost to Chelsea in February 2024, the club reluctantly took the decision to part ways with their veteran gaffer, seeking a new direction.

To put Hodgson’s age that afternoon into perspective, only half of his Premier League peers (in 2023/24) were born when he started out at Halmstad in 1976.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

When Pep Guardiola arrived on our shores a section of the British media were rooting for him to fail.

Who did this guy think he was, coming over here with his fancy tiki-taka ways? The hustle and bustle of the English Premier League would soon put him right.

A costly error by Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo therefore, early into the Catalan’s tenure, brought a degree of satisfaction, acting as proof that playing out from the back – and sacrilegiously not practising tackling – were highfalutin ideas best left on the continent.

Fast forward to the here and now and of course we know what transpired, for Guardiola has not only conquered the Premier League but heavily influenced every corner of English football. 

These days, even in the lower leagues, if a keeper goes long it is greeted by surprise, while a much greater emphasis on the technical and tactical sides of the game have a direct link back to the coaching genius. 

So far, so common knowledge.

Yet a really interesting aspect to Guardiola’s long and hugely successful stint in England is increasingly becoming apparent as his stay extends to a seventh season.

Because now not only is the feted grandmaster changing our game for the better from within, but we are beginning to see evidence of a long-term legacy.

It’s a legacy that comes in the form of a handful of proteges, who either played under the master-tactician or learnt alongside him in the dug-out, who are excelling in their own regard.

Crucially, by carrying forward their mentor’s philosophies we can safely surmise that Pep-ball is here to stay and though a great many of us will be delighted at that prospect, what’s the betting those journalists alluded to above will be furious. 

Never mind them though. What matters – and what excites – is that to date the wider implementation of Guardiola’s ways and means is proving to be a success. 

Indeed, two sides currently inhabiting the top six of the top-flight have coaches who served a priceless apprenticeship under the Catalan, meaning intriguingly that two former charges of Guardiola are now his major rivals. 

Top of the pile and short-priced in the Premier League odds against all expectation is Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the former midfielder having spent three years as Pep’s assistant, soaking up every morsel of knowledge from the managerial legend.

Competing for a top four spot meanwhile, having completely transformed Manchester United’s fortunes is Erik Ten Hag.

Between 2013 and 2015, the Dutchman took charge of Bayern Munich’s reserves during a period when Guardiola bossed the German champions.

Pertinently, as is common with most big teams these days, the second string were instructed to mirror the style and set-up of the first team.

Both men undeniably have their own ideas and answer only to themselves. Yet watching the Gunners and the Red Devils in action it’s impossible not to see key elements of Pep-ball at play. That’s because both men learnt from the best.

This same thinking applies too in the Championship, where Guardiola’s former foot-soldier Vincent Kompany is succeeding in some style at Burnley, while in La Liga, Xavi has got Barcelona back to winning ways, largely by replicating the fluid, possession-based fare he learned from his former gaffer. 

And even now, in the present day Pep's influence is clear for all to see. Enzo Maresca, the new manager of Chelsea Football Club, was one of Guardiola's assistants at Manchester City just two years ago.

Maresca led Leicester to the Championship title in 2023/24 and he's been rewarded with the Stamford Bridge job. His style of play and tactical nous are very much based on Guardiola's own philosophy.

In 2016, Pep Guardiola came to the Premier League and made it more beautiful. Thankfully, all the evidence so far suggests that beauty won’t be fleeting.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Euro 2024 kicks off on 14th June with Germany taking on Scotland in Munich. The tournament runs until the final on 14th July.

Pre-tournament Euro 2024 odds price England and France as the two betting favourites, with the Three Lions looking to go one step further after losing the Euro 2020 final on penalties.

Italy are the defending champions, while hosts Germany are aiming to win the competition for a record fourth time. Die Mannschaft have not won the competition since 1996. 

Stadiums & Host Cities For Euro 2024:

• Olympiastadion – Berlin
• Cologne Stadium – Cologne
• Signal Iduna Park – Dortmund
• Merkur Spiel-Arena – Düsseldorf 
• Deutsche Bank Park – Frankfurt
• Veltins-Arena – Gelsenkirchen 
• Volksparkstadion – Hamburg
• Red Bull Arena – Leipzig
• Allianz Arena – Munich
• MHPArena – Stuttgart

While none of the venues for Euro 2024 rank among the world’s 10 biggest stadia, there are still some seriously impressive arenas in use this summer. 

Olympiastadion

Home to the 2006 World Cup final and the 2015 Champions League final, the Olympiastadion in Berlin is one of Europe’s most famous stadiums.

The German Cup final is held at the venue every year, and it will host a quarter-final and the final this summer.

Berlin is a must-visit for any football fan. The city might not have the same footballing heritage as some other German cities, but it is a fascinating, varied place with immense recent history.

A tour of the Olympiastadion is well worth doing if you get the chance. 

Cologne Stadium

Home to FC Köln, Cologne Stadium was reconstructed ahead of the 2006 World Cup. It hosted the 2020 Europa League final.

While the stadium will not be the same without the ferocious home support, it is still an impressive place to watch (and probably play) football.

Perhaps surprisingly, the ground has only been given one knockout match.

Signal Iduna Park

With a round of 16 match and a semi-final allocated, plenty of fans are going to get to enjoy the experience of a matchday at Signal Iduna Park.

While there will be no Yellow Wall, the home of Borussia Dortmund is still an incredible place for fans to visit. 

Dortmund was the home of industry a few decades ago, but the city has evolved into a tech hub.

Their football team has been reborn over the last 15 years, and there are few cities in Europe as passionate about sport. 

Merkur Spiel-Arena

It’s not often a second-tier team gets to host major international matches.

While Düsseldorf finished third in the 2. Bundesliga, their arena is more than worthy of getting a few Euro 2024 fixtures. With a 54,600 capacity, this is the fourth-biggest stadium in use this summer.

It is the only one of the 10 venues which was not used for the 2006 World Cup, though Düsseldorf did host matches for Euro 1988.  

Deutsche Bank Park

Home to five games at Euro 2024, including Denmark vs England and Switzerland vs Germany, this is not the first time Deutsche Bank Park will host major international matches. 

Eintracht Frankfurt’s stadium is the only venue in Hesse being used for Euro 2024 fixtures this summer.

They could get a blockbuster round of 16 match with Group F winners (likely Portugal) facing a third-placed team from A, B, or C (possibly Spain, Croatia, or Italy). 

Veltins-Arena

It’s been a bleak couple of years for Schalke. After suffering relegation in 2022-23, they could only muster a 10th-placed finish in 2. Bundesliga in 2023-24.

The Euros at least will provide a brief distraction from the home team’s woes.

This was the location of Portugal’s shootout success over England at the 2006 World Cup. Veltins-Arena also hosted the 2004 Champions League final. 

Volksparkstadion

Having hosted matches at the 1974 Euros and two World Cups, the Volksparkstadion is familiar with the demands of tournament football.

The venue has been through plenty of changes over the years, however. The most notable were made in the late 1990s, including the removal of the athletics track.

It was the adopted home of Shakhtar Donetsk for this season’s Champions League. 

Red Bull Arena

Recently announced as the host of the 2026 Europa Conference League final, the Red Bull Arena might be home to Germany’s most controversial football club, but that hasn’t stopped RB Leipzig from hosting three group matches and a round of 16 clash.

The group fixtures are particularly appealing with Croatia facing Italy, the Netherlands taking on France, and Portugal going up against the Czech Republic.

Formerly known as the Zentralstadion, the Red Bull Arena is referred to as the RB Arena for UEFA matches - and England's base camp for Euro 2024 isn't a million miles away from the iconic venue.

It has been listed as Leipzig Stadium on the official UEFA website, but it is impossible to ignore the stadium’s association with the energy drink company. 

Allianz Arena

Opened in 2005, Bayern Munich’s home stadium hosted the Champions League final in 2012, and will host the finale of Europe’s premier club competition again in 2025. It will host a round of 16 match and the first semi-final of Euro 2024. 

The venue held several matches at Euro 2020. With a capacity of 66,000, it is the second-largest stadium for this summer’s Euros. 

Munich is a fun city to visit with plenty of history and an array of beer halls, which are bound to be packed with fans during the tournament. 

MHPArena

There’s plenty of football history at the MHPArena. Stuttgart have also enjoyed an excellent campaign, which will have contributed to a feel-good campaign around the city. 

The stadium has had plenty of work done over the years, which is hardly surprising seeing as it was initially opened in 1933.

Over £100 million has been spent getting the venue ready for Euro 2024, with the lower level of the main stand completely rebuilt and numerous facilities revamped.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Airtime and website pages are often devoted to player salaries. Less focus is placed on the wages of managers, aside from when clubs have to pay out vast sums after a firing.

The best managers are at least as significant as the top players when it comes to deciding the biggest football betting markets, however.

Arne Slot - £6.8 million

The Liverpool manager will earn almost £10 million a year less than Jurgen Klopp but that could change in the coming years if he is a success at Anfield.

Slot has earned himself a huge pay increase compared to his salary at Feyenoord though and he sneaks into this list of the highest earning football managers.

Unai Emery - £8.3 million

Taking Aston Villa from relegation battlers to a Champions League team, it's only right Unai Emery is one of the highest-paid managers on the planet. 

Emery signed a five-year contract extension at Villa Park in 2024, seeing a considerable increase in his salary. 

Jose Mourinho - £9.2 million

When he's been employed, Jose Mourinho has been a stalwart on this list for two decades. A league winner in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy, the self-acclaimed 'Special One' remains one of the most well-known managers in the world.

Currently plying his trade at Fenerbahce after winning the Conference League with Roma, Mourinho is consistently linked with a return to the Premier League. The days of being named the World's Best Club Coach might be behind him, but Mourinho will continue to accumulate riches. 

Matthias Jaissle - £9.6 million

The least famous manager on this list, Matthias Jaissle's career highlight was a two-year stint with Red Bull Salzburg before joining Ah-Ahli in 2023. 

Immediately leading the Saudi Arabian club to a third placed finish, Jaissle guided them to their first ever continental trophy in just his second season in charge. 

Luis Enrique - £9.6 million

Is Luis Enrique the best value manager in the world right now? Since taking over at PSG in 2023, the Spaniard has won a double and a treble, including the club's first ever Champions League triumph over Inter in 2025.

Enrique collected all the managerial awards in 2015. He's set to add to that trophy cabinet 10 years later. 

David Moyes - £12.5 million

Returning to Everton after spells at Manchester United, Real Sociedad, Sunderland, and West Ham, David Moyes immediately became one of the highest-paid managers in world football.

Moyes guided the Toffees to safety in his first season in charge. It was fitting he was leading the club for their final match at Goodison Park. 

Stefano Pioli - £15.5 million

Winner of Serie A with Milan in 2022, Stefano Pioli swapped the glamour of the Italian city for the riches of the Saudi Pro League when he took over at Al-Nassr.

Pioli is renowned for his tactical flexibility and his development of young players throughout his career. It will be interesting to see how long he sticks in Saudi Arabia given the inevitable interest from European clubs. 

Mikel Arteta - £15.6 million

Tasked with transforming Arsenal from top four candidates to Premier League champions, Arteta has been a huge hit at the Emirates Stadium since arriving at the helm and he has now led the Gunners to back-to-back second place finishes.

That is an achievement in itself when you remember Arsenal are facing one of football's greatest ever powerhouses in Manchester City - who became the team to win the most Premier League titles in a row.

Arteta is likeable and he has the support of the Arsenal fans. The Spaniard has done a fantastic job over the past couple of years and another big campaign awaits in 2025/26.

Pep Guardiola - £20.7 million

Pep Guardiola is unquestionably among the greatest football managers ever. The Spaniard also manages one of the richest clubs in the world, so it’s no surprise his salary is so high.

Guardiola took City to the treble in 2022-23. The Spaniard has already managed more Manchester City matches than he did for Barcelona B, Barcelona and Bayern Munich combined.

What initially looked to be a three- or four-year project at the Etihad Stadium has extended into something more significant. Why would Guardiola stop when his team are so dominant? 

Simone Inzaghi - £21.9 million

After winning Serie A with Inter in 2023-24 and leading the Italian giants to the Champions League final in 2023 and 2025, Simone Inzaghi left the San Siro to join Al Hilal in June 2025.

Inzaghi, who had a signing bonus in the region of £4 million, received a two-year contract worth just shy of £22 million per season. The deal made him the second-highest paid manager in world football. 

Diego Simeone - £25.9 million

There have been murmurs that Diego Simeone could leave Atletico Madrid for a few years. He is the most successful and longest-serving manager in club history, having won two La Liga titles and managed over 600 fixtures.

Atleti have dropped off title-contending pace over the last few seasons. Even so, whichever manager succeeds Simeone at the Wanda Metropolitano has an almost impossible task.

Check All Sports Betting Odds Here!

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Influence, innovation, trophies. These are the three key factors as we consider the greatest football managers of all-time. The very best bring a combination of all three, others will be pure winners or people who changed the game forever.

The arrival of a top-level managers changes a team’s football betting status. An upgrade in the dugout can mean more than any single player, altering the fortunes of a club in the long-term.

Greatest Football Managers:

• Sir Alex Ferguson

• Pep Guardiola

• Arrigo Sacchi

• Rinus Michels

• Bob Paisley

• Jose Mourinho

• Johan Cruyff

• Carlo Ancelotti

• Helenio Herrera

• Brian Clough

Narrowing this down to 10 wasn’t easy. Perhaps there’s an unfair bias towards the modern era, perhaps some could be deemed a contentious selection.

Starting with the man who dominated English football through the 1990s and noughties, here are our greatest managers of all-time…

The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football. Reaching a Champions League final is the highest height for many players, it’s an event greater than the Super Bowl, watched in over 200 countries by nearly 400 million people.

Some of the most influential teams in Champions League history suffered heartbreak in finals. Others made their mark, making the world aware of their arrival.

The matches aren’t always classics, the combination of nerves and well-planned tactics can guide a match toward stalemate. When the world’s best are thrown together, occasionally a match for the ages is produced.

It won’t have been orchestrated that way, and it isn’t necessarily a result of quality, but the outcome of an entertaining final is what so many fans want. On that note, here are the five greatest Champions League finals...

AC Milan 3-3 Liverpool (2005)

The top of the pile, Liverpool’s comeback in Istanbul was a footballing miracle.

Rafael Benitez’s side were hefty underdogs before a ball was kicked. An experienced, ostentatiously talented Milan side had won the competition two years before and kept five clean sheets in their six knockout matches.

Cafu, Kaka, Jaap Stam and Hernan Crespo were added to the XI that had drawn 0-0 with Juventus in the 2003 final.

Paolo Maldini put the Serie A club one up in the first minute. A quickfire brace from Crespo before half-time looked to have sealed the trophy for Milan.

Steven Gerrard inspired the fightback, scoring a header in the 54th minute before Vladimir Smicer made it 3-2 a couple of minutes later.

The Liverpool captain burst into the box five minutes after that and won a penalty. Xabi Alonso scored a rebound from the spotkick to equalise, leaving Carlo Ancelotti and his superstar Milan side stunned.

Jerzy Dudek’s heroics began before the shootout, keeping the scores level with some remarkable reflex saves.

Even the shootout had twists and turns, Liverpool going two up before John Arne Riise missed. Dudek saved Milan’s fifth penalty, a weak effort from Andriy Shevchenko, to secure Liverpool’s fifth European Cup.

Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt (1960)

Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas is the greatest attacking partnership in the history of the game.

Already with four consecutive European Cups to their name, Real Madrid travelled north to Hampden Park to face German side Eintracht Frankfurt in front of 127,621 people, the biggest crowd in European Cup/Champions League final history.

Richard Kress gave Frankfurt an improbable lead early on. The strike awakened Los Blancos, who quickly rejected any idea of an upset in emphatic fashion.

Di Stefano scored twice before the interval, Puskas scored a hat-trick between half-time and the hour mark and a fourth in the 71st minute. The Hungarian’s fourth started a wild few minutes with four goals going in between the 71st and 75th.

Erwin Stein followed Puskas, Di Stefano completed his hat-trick in the 73rd and Stein added a further consolation in the 75th.

Di Stefano was the reigning Ballon d’Or winner at the time, and although Puskas had to settle for second in 1960, they are considered one of the greatest teams to play the game.

Milan 4-0 Barcelona (1994)

There were 70,000 in Athens to see a depleted Milan team, led by former England manager Fabio Capello, stun Barcelona.

Barcelona had beaten Sampdoria two years before, and Johan Cruyff’s side were heavily favoured having just secured their fourth consecutive La Liga crown.

Rules at the time meant only three non-nationals could be named in the team. Capello was forced to leave out Florin Raducioiu, Jean-Pierre Papin and Brian Laudrup.

Cruyff opted to not pick Michael Laudrup, who promptly left for Real Madrid in the following summer.

No Champions League tips would have fancied Milan. Aside from the aforementioned trio, Capello was also without Marco van Basten, Franco Baresi, the world’s most expensive player Gianluigi Lentini and Alessandro Costacurta.

One of Milan’s non-nationals was Dejan Savicevic, who had won the European Cup with Red Star in 1991. Savicevic created the first goal for Daniele Massaro, and the Italian forward added a second in added time.

The Montenegrin, who was Ballon d’Or runner up three years earlier, scored the third soon after half-time before Marcell Desailly made it four.

Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Juventus (1997)

The final that saw Paul Lambert duel with Zinedine Zidane in central midfield.

Borussia Dortmund were underdogs ahead of their meeting in Munich with Juventus, who were the reigning European champions and boasted a squad littered with all-time great talent.

Karl-Heinz Riedle started up top for Dortmund and found the net twice in five first half minutes to give the Bundesliga club a comfortable lead at the interval.

Marcello Lippi turned to Alessandro del Piero, who got the Old Lady back in the game with a goal in the 65th minute.

Substitute Lars Ricken scored within seconds of coming the bench to seal the trophy for Dortmund. His chip from outside the area was divine.

Dortmund’s win is their only Champions League success to date and started Juventus’ long drought in the competition. The Old Lady has lost four finals since that frustrating night in Munich. 

Could this be the year Juve get their hands on the trophy? Check out the latest sports betting for their outright odds.

Benfica 3-2 Barcelona (1961)

Real Madrid had won the first five European Cups. The year previous they thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the final with Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas running riot.

Barcelona replaced their Spanish rivals in the final in 1961 and took the lead through Sandor Kocsis just after the 20-minute mark.

In front of 26,000 fans in Bern, Benfica quickly fought back. Jose Aguas equalised 10 minutes after the opener and an own goal followed a minute or so after to give Benfica the lead.

Having broken his nose early on, Benfica midfielder Mario Coluna was lurking outside the area during a Benfica attack in the second half. As the ball dropped to him in the air, he struck a sweet volley to make it 3-1.

Zoltan Czibor got one back later on, but Barca were unable to overturn the deficit and fell to a 3-2 defeat. The Catalan giants had to wait until 1986 to return to the European Cup final, and until 1992 to finally lift the trophy.

Check out the latest football betting for odds on Barcelona to win a fifth Champions League of the century in 2020.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Awarded to the best player in world football, the Ballon d'Or is the ultimate prize for any professional footballer.

It is one of the most coveted individual awards in sport and some of the best players to have stepped onto a football pitch have failed in their pursuit of Ballon d'Or glory.

Here, we look at the five players with the most Ballon d'Or wins and how each star has impacted football betting odds with their performances on the pitch.

Most Ballon d'Or Wins

• Marco van Basten - 3

• Johan Cruyff - 3

• Michel Platini - 3

• Cristiano Ronaldo - 5

• Lionel Messi - 8

Messi is the only player to win more than five Ballon d’Or awards and he has cemented his spot as the greatest footballer of all-time. Will anyone ever match the Argentina legend's tally?

Marco van Basten

Van Basten was the forward of his generation. Similar to the Robert Lewandowski of today, he was clearly the best striker in the world, finishing his club career with an incredible 218 goals in 280 games.

Whichever way you look at it, that is an unbelievable record.

The Netherlands striker claimed three Ballon d’Or awards during his career and ranked 25th on a list of the greatest Dutch people of all-time.

Johan Cruyff was the only footballer to rank above him but Van Basten will go down as the country’s greatest ever striker.

Johan Cruyff

A key figure in that dominant Ajax side in the 1970s, Cruyff will go down in history as one of the most influential footballers of his time.

Ajax’s “total football” style was tailor-made for Cruyff and he reaped the rewards, winning the Ballon d’Or in 1971, 1973 and 1974.

The best Dutch footaballer of all-time, Cruyff was the first ever player to win three Ballon d’Or awards in a row and that record can never be broken. He was full value for all three FIFA World Player of the Year triumphs.

Arguably the most naturally gifted player to step onto a football pitch, Cruyff was a man playing at a level way before his time. It was his world.

Michel Platini

Platini was plying his trade for Juventus when he claimed all three Ballon d’Or awards – he was football’s star man in the early 1980s.

His stint at the top was relatively short though, he failed to finish in the top three in any of the non-winning years.

As well as securing three Ballon d’Or victories, Platini finished sixth in the FIFA Player of the Century voting.

His tenure as FIFA President is shrouded in controversy but there is no doubting his natural ability as a footballer and he thoroughly deserved all three awards.

Cristiano Ronaldo

With five Ballon d’Or triumphs to his name, Ronaldo has been compared directly to Messi throughout his career. Both players are frequently named in football predictions for upcoming matches.

His first success came at Manchester United in 2008 and he was in a league of his own from 2013 to 2017, winning four Ballon d’Or awards in a row.

Clear as the second most decorated player on the list, Ronaldo is in the 'Greatest Of All Time' debate and many believe that his success across Europe - with United, Real Madrid and Juventus - gives him the edge over his rival.

Lionel Messi

Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 – and that success would spark an era of dominance. He has been consistently up there in the FIFA World Player of the Year voting ever since.

Leading Barcelona to unprecedented levels of glory, Messi claimed four Ballon d’Or awards in a row before having to wait until 2015 for his fifth accolade.

Since then, Messi has influenced Paris Saint-Germain to Ligue 1 titles and is now plying his trade in Major League Soccer but his greatest feat - quite possibly of his career - came at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Messi led Argentina to a famous World Cup victory, confirming himself as the greatest footballer to have ever played the game and this led to his eighth Ballon d'Or award in 2023.

His ability to have a positive impact on football matches is unrivalled and his tally of eight Ballon d'Or accolades is unlikely to be emulated.

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Often online football betting favourites, the most supported clubs on the planet have hundreds of millions of fans worldwide.

There are different ways of looking at this – social media following, attendance – but generally success equals support. Fans are more likely to Google their own team. The most-searched teams are likely the best-supported.

There’s no surefire guarantee of how many fans a team has, such is the uncertain definition of fandom. Real Madrid claim over 450 million supporters worldwide, while other estimates are around half that figure.

Here are the 10 most supported clubs in world football, starting with Los Blancos…

Football Teams With Most Fans:

• Real Madrid

• Arsenal

• Manchester United

• Liverpool

• Barcelona

• Ajax

• Paris Saint-Germain

• Juventus

• Chelsea

• Bayern Munich

• Flamengo

• Wembley has hosted the most Champions League finals

• 10 different stadia have hosted the final at least three times

• Read below for a list of Champions League final locations and more

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The aim of every team featuring in Champions League betting odds is to reach the final. Such aspirations are more realistic for some than others, of course, and the road to the final begins long before the high-profile group stage fixtures.

For the biggest clubs, all focus is on taking part in club football’s biggest fixture. Hosting the Champions League final is an honour for any stadium and city.

The Champions League final is one of the biggest yearly betting events. Hundreds of millions watch the match from all over the world.

It’s a fixture where careers are made and legacies can be tarnished – the lights don’t get brighter than this. Let’s learn about more about the history of Champions League final host cities.

How are Champions League host cities chosen?

Much like the Super Bowl, Champions League final host cities are planned out years in advance.

Teams not only know the city they’re aiming for at the end of the upcoming Champions League campaign – they will also be aware of the Champions League final locations for three of four years afterwards.

Stadia are only eligible to host a Champions League final if they class as a Category 4 Stadium under UEFA’s Stadium Infrastructure Regulations.

In simpler terms, this is about sufficient capacity, room for media members and floodlight standards. There are lots of boxes that need to be checked for a stadium to even meet the minimum requirements in all sorts of categories.

Importantly, though, being a Category 4 isn’t sufficient to be considered. Since 2007, UEFA has generally aimed for finals to be played in arenas with a capacity of at least 70,000.

Of course, this hasn’t always been feasible, with Estádio do Dragão (capacity of 50,000) hosting the 2021 final, but unsurprisingly UEFA wants its showpiece fixture played in a ground with a sizeable capacity.

Football isn’t exactly famed for its transparency. There is no list we can scroll through of Category 4 stadia, though it has been reported that only half of the stadiums that meet the initial criteria are considered for Champions League finals.

The actual process for picking a stadium is similarly unclear. The UEFA Executive Committee Meetings are conducted every few months to tackle many issues around European football.

One thing that falls under their jurisdiction is deciding on Champions League final locations years in advance. This committee is elected by the UEFA Congress, and contains 20 members with no more than one per country.

Most Champions League Finals Hosted

Wembley has hosted the most Champions League finals with eight, most recently hosting the European showpiece fixture in 2024. Of course, these have been split across the old and new Wembley, with three finals (2011, 2013 and 2024) being played under the arch.

Hampden Park, another British stadium, is one of 10 stadia to have hosted three of more Champions League finals. It was also the venue for one of the best Champions League final goals courtesy of Zinedine Zidane in 2002.

Five stadia have hosted the biggest fixture in Champions League predictions four or more times, including Wembley (seven) and Heysel Stadium (five).

The Santiago Bernabeu, San Siro and Stadio Olimpico have hosted four Champions League finals apiece – none of this triumvirate are scheduled to host a final in the coming years.

Champions League Final Host Cities

• 1956 – Parc des Princes, Paris

• 1957 – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

• 1958 – Heysel Stadium, Brussels

• 1959 – Neckarstadion, Stuttgart

• 1960 – Hampden Park, Glasgow

• 1961 – Wankdorf Stadium, Bern

• 1962 – Olympisch Stadium, Amsterdam

• 1963 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 1964 – Praterstadion, Vienna

• 1965 – San Siro, Milan

• 1966 – Heysel Stadium, Brussels

• 1967 – Estadio Nacional, Lisbon

• 1968 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 1969 – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

• 1970 – San Siro, Milan

• 1971 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 1972 – De Kuip, Rotterdam

• 1973 – Red Star Stadium, Belgrade

• 1974 – Heysel Stadium, Brussels

• 1975 – Parc des Princes, Paris

• 1976 – Hampden Park, Glasgow

• 1977 – Stadio Olimpico , Rome

• 1978 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 1979 – Olympiastadion, Munich

• 1980 – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

• 1981 – Parc des Princes

• 1982 – De Kuip, Rotterdam

• 1983 – Olympic Stadium, Athens

• 1984 – Stadio Olimpico, Rome

• 1985 – Heysel Stadium, Brussels

• 1986 - Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville

• 1987 – Praterstadion, Vienna

• 1988 – Neckarstadion, Stuttgart

• 1989 – Camp Nou, Barcelona

• 1990 – Praterstadion, Vienna

• 1991 – Stadio San Nicola, Bari

• 1992 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 1993 – Olympiastadion, Munich

• 1994 – Olympic Stadium, Athens

• 1995 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna

• 1996 – Stadio Olimpico, Rome

• 1997 – Olympiastadion, Munich

• 1998 – Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam

• 1999 – Camp Nou, Barcelona

• 2000 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

• 2001 – San Siro, Milan

• 2002 – Hampden Park, Glasgow

• 2003 – Old Trafford, Manchester

• 2004 – Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen

• 2005 - Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul

• 2006 – Stade de France, Saint-Denis

• 2007 – Olympic Stadium, Athens

• 2008 – Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

• 2009 – Stadio Olimpico, Rome

• 2010 – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

• 2011 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 2012 – Allianz Arena, Munich

• 2013 – Wembley Stadium, London

• 2014 – Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

• 2015 – Olympiastadion, Berlin

• 2016 – San Siro, Milan

• 2017 – Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

• 2018 – NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kyiv

• 2019 – Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid

• 2020 – Estadio da Luz, Lisbon

• 2021 - Estádio do Dragão, Porto

• 2022 - Stade de France, Saint-Denis

• 2023 - Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul

• 2024 - Wembley Stadium, London

• 2025 - Allianz Arena, Munich

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*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*