Real Madrid 2022

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid won a record-extending fourteenth European Cup in 2022 through a string of astonishing knockout-stage comebacks that stunned European football, eliminating Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City in successive rounds via dramatic late goals before beating Liverpool 1-0 in the final through a Vinícius Júnior strike, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing a string of outstanding saves to preserve the lead. Karim Benzema was the driving force behind the run, scoring hat-tricks against both PSG and Chelsea and providing a stoppage-time equaliser against City in the semi-final second leg before Rodrygo's extra-time winner completed another remarkable turnaround, form that earned Benzema the Ballon d'Or that December after over a decade playing in the shadow of teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Carlo Ancelotti, returning for a second spell in charge, became the first manager to win the competition four times, adding to his titles with Milan and his first Real Madrid stint. The sheer frequency and drama of the comebacks across this campaign made this run one of the most celebrated in the entire history of the competition.