Sevilla among the cream of the crop?

Sevilla defeated Roma via penalty shootout in the Europa League Final Wednesday to win their seventh UEL trophy and grow their reputation as one of the most dominant soccer teams in Europe.

The club’s dominance in the competition has made it feel like their second home, no matter their form domestically or in other tournaments. Strangely, they are not the only team that has a history of shrugging off performance-based woes to find their footing in a particular event.

These are the most dominant soccer teams in various competitions in Europe.

The best and most dominant soccer teams

Sevilla – Europa League

As we mentioned in the intro, Sevilla has been nothing short of dominant in the Europa League during the 21st century. All seven of their trophies have come since the 2005-06 season despite the team being absent from the competition six times during that stretch. They are also the only team to win the Europa League title three times in a row (2013-16) and have not lost in a UEL final.

only reached extra time and the decisive penalty shootout because of a Gianluca Mancini own goal

Their most recent triumph came with a stroke of luck as they only reached extra time and the decisive penalty shootout because of a Gianluca Mancini own goal and despite not finding the back of the net themselves. 

Perhaps the most impressive part of Sevilla’s success in the competition is that they have done it by cycling through managers. There’s just something about stepping onto the pitch on a night of European competition that makes the team feel right at home, a trait that is shared by another Spanish soccer giant coming up on this list.

Manchester City – English Premier League

The EPL is widely considered to be the most competitive and talented soccer league in the world, but Manchester City has made it seem like a walk in the park. They have claimed five of the last six titles and, in the one year they did not win, came in second during a historic Liverpool season.

City’s era of dominance has coincided with the managerial reign of Pep Guardiola, the sharpest tactician in the world, and the cultivation of a deep, fully functional squad. They are never caught on the precipice of losing players integral to their success or falling victim to age because they are so prepared for the next generation, which is currently led by record-setting striker Erling Haaland.

The Citizens haven’t been able to translate their domestic reign into European dominance, but they have a chance with the upcoming Champions League Final against Inter Milan and are inarguably the strongest side in the world over the past few years.

Real Madrid – Champions League

The Champions League – with its beautiful opening symphony and thick game-day atmosphere – is considered the cream of the crop in the world of soccer. And more times than any other team in the world, Real Madrid has been the final team left standing.

won the European Cup/Champions League 14 times

The Spanish side has won the European Cup/Champions League 14 times, starting in 1955-56 and most recently in 2021-22. That includes three straight titles from 2015-18 and four in five years thanks to the help of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and others.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Madrid’s unrelenting dominance in the most competitive soccer competition in the world is that it has only lost in the final three times, giving it a winning percentage of 82.4%. Just like Sevilla in the Europa League Final, Madrid enjoys a sense of comfort and belonging on the biggest stage, even when it is undermanned and an underdog to its opponent.

Bayern Munich – Bundesliga

Bayern Munich is the most dominant domestic club in Europe’s major leagues, having won the Bundesliga a ridiculous 11 times in a row and picking up two Champions League and two Club World Cup trophies during the same stretch.

The German giants may now be in a position where they are often able to poach the best talents in the country and attract player interest from around the world, but there have been many seasons where they have come under fire from challengers, most notably Borussia Dortmund. Even this year, they finished level on points with Dortmund, but won the league by way of goal difference.

32 league titles since the 1968-69 season

With 32 league titles since the 1968-69 season, it’s safe to say that Bayern is the unavoidable behemoth in the German league. But until a worthy challenger can finally displace them, they are going to keep ripping off trophies and extend their run as the most winning soccer team in the league.