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There is no need to stress the importance of winning trophies and titles in football. The thirst for success that originates on the field lends itself to the clubs' working and that's how the greatest teams have survived the test of time.
There is no feeling like winning a trophy. There is no feeling like coming close and losing the chance to lift it. Trophies are simply the most significant parameter by which success is measured these days.
On that note, let's take a look at the top 10 teams with the most trophies in the 21st century in Europe.
#10 Paris Saint-Germain (France) - 29 titles
The Ligue 1 champions have been the most dominant French side of the 21st century. The club has benefitted greatly from the 2011 takeover by the Qatar Sports Investments which made them one of the richest clubs in Europe.
As a result, Paris Saint-Germain have been able to sign some of the greatest players in the world and broke the bank twice in consecutive seasons to sign the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe who led them to the UEFA Champions League final this term.
After going the first 10 years of the 21st century without a league title, Paris Saint-Germain have racked up 7 French top-flight titles between 2013 and 2020. They have also won 8 Coupe de France and 7 Coupe de la Ligues titles. Paris Saint-Germain have also garnered 7 Trophee des Champions.
#9 Real Madrid (Spain) - 30 titles
No team has dominated the UEFA Champions League as Real Madrid have in the 21st century. Real Madrid have repeatedly fielded some of the best players in Europe and continue to be the biggest club in Europe.
The Blancos won the La Liga title once again this season and now have 7 top flight league titles in the last 20 years. They have also won the Copa Del Rey on 2 occasions since the turn of the century. In addition to this, they have also won the Supercopa de Espana 6 times and the UEFA Super Cup on 4 occasions.
They have been spectacular in the UEFA Champions League particularly in the second decade of the 21st century with 4 of their 6 Champions League triumphs in the last 20 years coming between 2013 and 2018. They also emerged as the winners of the Intercontinental Cup in 2002.
#8 FC Sheriff Tiraspol (Moldova) - 33 titles
FC Sheriff Tiraspol of the Republic of Moldova is the youngest club on the list having been founded in 1996. However, they started their dominance almost immediately, winning the Moldovan Cup in their second season.
In the 21st century, Sheriff Tiraspol have clinched 18 league titles, and 9 Moldovan Cups in addition to other domestic silverware. They reached the UEFA Champions League playoffs in the 2010-11 season but have failed to get past the group stages of Europa League in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
#7 Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) - 33 titles
The most successful Croatian football club in history, Dinamo Zagreb are one of the few teams in the country that have never been relegated. The club was founded as an unofficial successor to HSK Gradanski in 1945 after the new communist government banned clubs like them as they were deemed fascist and nationalistic.
They have undergone a couple of name changes since but what hasn't changed is their absolute dominance in the Croatian top-flight.
In the 21st century, Dinamo Zagreb have won 16 Croatian First League titles, 11 Croatian Cups and 6 Croatian Super Cups. They are also a regular feature in the UEFA Champions League but haven't tasted European glory ever.
#6 Celtic (Scotland) - 33 titles
One of the only 5 clubs to have won over 100 titles in their history, Celtic is a Scottish club from Glasgow that was founded to serve the purpose of alleviating poverty in the immigrant Irish population of Glasgow.
The reigning champions of Scotland, Celtic have won 15 league titles in the last 20 years. They have now won the league title in 9 consecutive seasons. They have won the Scottish Cup 9 times and the Scottish League Cup 9 times as well.
However, the last time Celtic tasted European glory was in 1967 and haven't really left a mark in Europe's elite tournament since.
#5 FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) - 33 titles
Ukraine's most popular football club, FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a regular feature in the UEFA Champions League. They were the first club in independent Ukraine to win the UEFA Cup and they did it in 2009 right before the competition's name was changed to Europa League.
FC Shakhtar have won 33 titles in the 21st century. They have won the Ukranian Premier League 13 times, the Ukranian Cup 11 times, the Ukranian Super Cup 8 times and the UEFA Europa League once in the last 20 years.
#4 FC Porto (Portugal) - 33 titles
Though they are only the second most decorated team in Portugal football history, they are the most successful Premeira Liga side of the 21st century. Porto have also famously won the Portuguese top flight without any defeats twice and both these title wins came in the last 20 years, namely in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons.
Nobody can forget Jose Mourinho breaking onto the management scene winning the UEFA Champions League with underdogs Porto in the 2003-04 season. That is their only European triumph of the 21st century.
But in the last 20 years, Porto have won the league 11 times and the Taca de Portugal on 8 occasions. They have also won the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira 10 times. In addition to their Champions League triumph, Porto have also won the UEFA Europa League on 2 occasions in 2002-03 and in 2010-11.
In 2004, Porto won the Inter Continental Cup as well.
#3 FC Barcelona (Spain) - 34 titles
Barcelona are going through a very rough period. Amid questions being asked of the recruitment strategy and the management policies, Lionel Messi has asked to leave the club after a trophyless season. However, the fall feels more severe because of how successful the Blaugrana have been all throughout history and also in the 21st century.
Barcelona have won 34 titles since the turn of the century. Under Pep Guardiola they also fielded arguably the best club team in Europe in the 21st century.
They have won 10 La Liga titles and 6 Copa Del Reys in the last 20 years. Barcelona have also won the UEFA Champions League title on 4 occasions. They have won the UEFA Super Cup thrice as well in addition to winning the Supercopa de Espana 8 times.
They have also won the FIFA Club World Cup on 3 occasions. Barcelona might need some time to re-evaluate the path they're on right now but they will certainly bounce back or at least their storied history suggests so.
#2 Lincoln Red Imps FC (Gibraltar) - 40 titles
Lincoln Red Imps FC might be the least known name on the list but it's interesting to note that they hold the record for Europe's longest chronological unbeaten run which went on for 1959 days (over five years). The run saw the Lincoln Red Imps go without losing for 88 games from May 2009 to September 2014.
They have won 26 league titles in their history but 14 of them were amassed in successive seasons between 2003 and 2016. They are also the first team from Gibraltar to take part in the UEFA Champions League.
In addition to winning 17 league titles since the turn of the century, Lincoln Red Imps have also won 12 Rock Cups and 11 Pepe Reyes Cups.
#1 Bayern Munich (Germany) - 40 titles
The current champions of Europe and continental treble winners Bayern Munich are the most successful club of the 21st century in Europe. Bayern's dominance in the Bundesliga has rarely been under threat. The Bavarians have been starving their top-flight contemporaries of trophies with an insatiable hunger.
They have won the Bundesliga 15 times since the 1999/2000 season and the DFB-Pokal 11 times. Bayern have been crowned Champions of Europe 3 times in the 21st century.
Bayern have won the Continental treble on two occasions- in the 2012-13 season and in the 2019-20 season where they won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the UEFA Champions League.
