Teams with sporting strangleholds after successive Sevilla Europa success

Not only were decorated and glamorous Los Blancos the first ever winners back in 1956, but they also hold the record with 10 trophies (with odds of 4/6 to add an 11th this season), as they famously captured the elusive La Decima back in 2014.

From the days of Ferenc Puskas to Raul Gonzalez and Zinedine Zidane, and now to the triumvirate of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, Real have provided Galactico sparkle and some of the most memorable moments. Also runners-up three times, their closest rivals for most prestige in Europe is AC Milan with seven crowns.

Real Madrid in Champions League: Winners in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014.

Old Lady jealously guards Serie A

Much more comfortable domestically, where they have lifted 32 Scudetti (not including revoked wins) including five in a row after triumphing this term, than in Europe, these home birds don’t look like letting another team pinch their title anytime soon. They really have no rivals for Serie A silverware, with Lombardy royalty AC Milan and Inter Milan trailing on 18 Scudetti apiece, though Juve have also placed second a whopping 21 times.

Juventus in Serie A: Winners in 1905, 1925/26, 1930/31, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1957/58, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1966/67, 1971/72, 1972/73, 1974/75, 1976/77, 1977/78, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1994/95, 1996/97, 1997/98, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05 [revoked], 2005/06 [revoked], 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16.

No contest for Colo-Colo

Colo-Colo, also aptly dubbed the Eternal Champion, has been a force in the now-named Chilean Primera Division since 1937, when the Santiago side won their first of 31 top-flight trophies, with another four non-professional titles from the defunct Liga Central de Football. Also, having never been relegated, the Macul men’s record below also includes Apertura (opening) and Clausura (closing) victories as the season is split into two halves. Another notable Chilean name is Universidad de Chile, though they have lifted just 17.

Colo-Colo in Chile’s first-tier: Winners in 1937, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1947, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997-C, 1998, 2002-C, 2006-A, 2006-C, 2007-A, 2007-C, 2008-C, 2009-C, 2014-C, 2015.

Bayern by far the Bundesliga’s big-guns

The Bavarian juggernauts have also been runners-up on 10 occasions and though Borussia Dortmund have re-emerged in recent terms to trouble Germany’s biggest team, you’d have to go back to the golden days of Nurnberg (who rank second with nine first division titles) in the 1920s and 1960s to see disruption of the Munich powerhouse.

Bayern Munich in German top-tier: Winners in 1931/32, 1968/69, 1971/72, 1972/73, 1973/74, 1979/80, 1980/81, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1993/94, 1996/97, 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16.

Benfica brilliance sees off league rivals

Yet, the Eagles are the ones who have surprisingly soared highest among the Portuguese elite – and by quite a distance. Looking back to their first triumph in 1936, Benfica have historically been the bigger fish, achieving Primeira Liga glory a record 35 times (and runners-up 27) with Porto and Sporting trailing some distance with 27 and 18 respectively. Not bad Benfica, not bad!

Benfica in Primeira Liga: Winners in 1936, 1937, 1938, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016.

Anderlecht upper hand in Belgium

Awesome Anderlecht have been anointed champions an impressive 33 times in the Belgian first division, known presently as the Belgian Pro League, with closest historical competitors Club Brugge lagging behind with 14.

Anderlecht in Belgian top division: Winners in 1946/47, 1948/49, 1949/50, 1950/51, 1953/54, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1958/59, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1971/72, 1973/74, 1980/81, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1999/2000, 2000/01, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14.

Grasshopper Zurich battling Basel

Last victors over a decade ago in 2003, with their pomp from the 1920s to 1990s, the Grasshoppers have now better known Basel chomping at the bit to overtake them, having taken the plaudits 19 times, though they show no signs of slowing after sweeping to seven successive league trophies.

Grasshopper Zurich in the Swiss Championship: Winners in 1898, 1900, 1901, 1905, 1921, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1937, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1956, 1971, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003.

Rampant Rapid Wien

Though their last triumph came in 2008, and though rivals Austria Wien are closest behind on 24 Austrian championships, it is new rich boys on the block Red Bull Salzburg (only currently on 10) that could be the main threat for years to come.

Rapid Wien in Austrian Championship: Winners in 1912, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1995–96, 2004–05, 2007–08.

Dangermen Dinamo dominant

Heavily decorated Dinamo have been champions 18 times, while for comparisons sake, to illustrate the club’s achievement, Hajduk Split are next in line with just six.

Dinamo Zagreb in Croatian top-flight: Winners in 1992/93, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2002/03, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16.

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