23 finals, 23 wins: myth or reality of Spanish football
Spain's national team, Real Madrid and Barcelona have won all 23 finals they played over 25 years, but the stat leaves out tournaments like the Nations League. Reality or bias?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
23 finals, 23 wins: the stat dividing Spanish football
Among football fans, one remarkable figure keeps doing the rounds: the Spanish national team, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have supposedly won all 23 finals they have played over the last 25 years. Stated without any caveats, the claim draws both admiration and scepticism.
A look at the Champions League finals since 2000 shows overwhelming dominance by Spanish clubs: 11 titles out of 26 editions, eight for Real Madrid and three for Barcelona. But the list of "major finals" excludes competitions such as the UEFA Super Cup, the 2013 Confederations Cup (which Spain lost) or the Nations League (defeats in 2021 and 2025). Those defending the statistic argue that these competitions are "minor"; critics point out that the figure is tailored to fit.
The debate comes down to a question of definition: what counts as a "major final"? While some cling to the Champions League streak, others point out that Barcelona's last final defeat was in 1994 against Milan. The perfect statistic exists only if you choose the right framework.
Among football fans, one remarkable figure keeps doing the rounds: the Spanish national team, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have supposedly won all 23 finals they have played over the last 25 years. Stated without any caveats, the claim draws both admiration and scepticism.
A look at the Champions League finals since 2000 shows overwhelming dominance by Spanish clubs: 11 titles out of 26 editions, eight for Real Madrid and three for Barcelona. But the list of "major finals" excludes competitions such as the UEFA Super Cup, the 2013 Confederations Cup (which Spain lost) or the Nations League (defeats in 2021 and 2025). Those defending the statistic argue that these competitions are "minor"; critics point out that the figure is tailored to fit.
The debate comes down to a question of definition: what counts as a "major final"? While some cling to the Champions League streak, others point out that Barcelona's last final defeat was in 1994 against Milan. The perfect statistic exists only if you choose the right framework.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (15 replies).
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