Europa League records and statistics
Europa League records and statistics
Born from the ashes of the Fairs Cup back in 1971 and initially called the UEFA Cup, only in 2009 did it take the name it still has today: the Europa League. The second most important European competition, reserved for teams that do not qualify for the most prestigious Champions League, has provided a lot of emotions over the years, as well as obviously interesting records and statistics. On the other hand, from teams that have missed access to the Champions League or have gone out in the same group or from unknown teams from various European countries with nothing to lose, one could not expect otherwise. Here are the most interesting records of the Europa League.
The team with the most wins: Sevilla have five cups.
Thanks above all to recent history, Sevilla are the team to have put the trophy on the palmares more times than anyone else. The Nervionenses quickly became the most titled team, thanks in part to another record, that of consecutive victories, which they won only in the 2005-06 season. With three triumphs in a row between the 2013–14 and 2015–16 seasons, the Spaniards have in fact reached five triumphs.
Most victorious nation: 11 victories for Spain
The most successful nation of all in the history of the Europa League is Spain. Spain owes a lot to Sevilla and its five cups, but Atletico Madrid, with the colchoneros who were able to win three and then, a bit surprisingly, two consecutive successes for Real Madrid in the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons, also makes a significant contribution. The second step of the podium is divided between two nations: England and Italy, each with nine successes. The first to get there was Italy, thanks to three victories for Juventus, three for Inter, two for Parma, and one for Napoli. One more team instead for the English, who reach nine thanks to the three triumphs of Liverpool, the two of Chelsea and Tottenham, and the only one each of Manchester United and Ipswich Town. Germany has six victories. Borussia Monchengladbach is the only German team to have two victories, with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, and Schalke 04 each having one. Among the nations of the top five European leagues, France is bad, still at zero but with five finals lost.
Player with most goals ever: 40 for Henrik Larsson
Swede Henrik Larsson is the player who has scored the most goals in the history of the Europa League. Considering both the preliminary rounds, in which he scored nine goals, and the group and knockout stages, where he instead scored 31, Larsson can in fact boast 40 goals in just 56 appearances, with an average of 0.76 goals per game. Following him with 34 goals, we find Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who, unlike the Swede, is still active and therefore has the possibility of reaching or even exceeding the record. For the Dutch average of 0.66 goals per game.
Player with the most appearances: 96 for Giuseppe Bergomi
The footballer with the most appearances ever in the Europa League is an Italian; he is the former Inter captain and defender of the Italian national team, Giuseppe Bergomi, who, with the Nerazzurri, has totaled 96. Bergomi was also a protagonist in all three of the successes of the Milanese, lifting the last two with the captain’s armband. In second place, we find the German Frank Rost, who instead stopped at 90. Among the players still active, Atiba Hutchinson and Pepe Reina are the closest, with 74 appearances each.
The most successful player and coach in history: José Antonio Reyes and Giovanni Trapattoni/Unai Emery
In a few years, José Antonio Reyes managed to win the record as the player with the most victories in the Europa League, no less than five. After lifting the trophy with Atletico Madrid in 2010 and 2012, the Spaniard, who died in a car accident at the age of 35, lifted it three times in a row with Sevilla in the 2014-2015 season and in 2016. As for the coaches, however, the record holder is an Italian, Giovanni Trapattoni, who shares first place with Unai Emery. The first to reach the quota of three triumphs was Trapattoni, who, after winning in 1977 with Inter, managed to triumph twice with Juventus in 1991 and 1993. Three consecutive victories instead for Emery, author of the historic hat-trick for Sevilla: 2014–2015–2016.
Oldest and youngest goalscorer ever: Gary McAllister and Vagner Love
The oldest player ever to score a goal in a Europa League final was Gary McAllister in the famous final between Liverpool and Alaves of the 2000/01 season, which ended with the Reds winning after extra time. The Scotsman scored the momentary 3-1 goal for him from the penalty spot at the ripe old age of 36 years, four months, and 22 days. More recently, however, the record of youngest scorer in a final has belonged to Vagner Love, who scored the final 1-3 goal in the final between Sporting Lisbon and CSKA Moscow in the 2004/05 season. At the time of the goal, the Brazilian was 20 years, 11 months, and 11 days old.
