Architects of Champions League history

On Sunday, the club season will culminate with the final match of the 62nd edition of the Champions League.

On the eve of the 2025 Final Four in Malta, Total Waterpolo takes a look back at the rich history of the Champions League, revisiting both the milestones and some lesser-known facts from the history of the world’s best club water polo competition.

Names and formats

Throughout its history, the Champions League has undergone several name changes:

1963–1996: European Cup (full name: European Water Polo Cup for National Champions)
1996–2003: Champions League
2003–2011: LEN Euro League
2011–present: LEN (European Aquatics) Champions League

The format of the final tournament and gold-medal matches has changed more frequently than the competition’s name:

1963/64 – 1964/65: Round-robin final tournaments
1965/66 – 1969/70: Two-legged home-and-away finals
1970/71 – 1981/82: Round-robin final tournaments
1982/83 – 1995/96: Two-legged home-and-away finals
1996/97 – 2012/13: Final Four
2013/14 – 2016/17: Final Six
2017/18 – 2022/23: Final Eight
2023/24 – present: Final Four (reintroduced)

Partizan’s and Mladost’s legacy

When revisiting the rich history of the Champions League, it’s impossible not to spotlight Partizan Belgrade and Mladost Zagreb.

Just days ago, Pro Recco and Ferencvaros—while promoting their upcoming matches in the USA—reaffirmed their status as two of the most iconic clubs in modern water polo.

However, the clubs that set the standards in the 20th century were Partizan and Mladost, fierce rivals from former Yugoslavia. They dominated and defined an era of this sport.

These two giants left an indelible mark on the early decades of the Champions League (then known as the European Cup). Between them, they claimed nine of the first ten titles. But they added more trophies and set records in the following decades.

Here are  some  milestones from their legacy:

-1963/64: Partizan triumphed in the inaugural edition of the European Cup.

-1966/67: Partizan became the first club to defend the title, winning its third trophy. That season remains unique in Champions League history, as it was the only time a final required three matches to determine the winner. The final was contested on a home-and-away basis against Pro Recco.Partizan won 5:3 at home but lost 1:2 in Italy. Under the rules at the time, only wins—not aggregate goal difference—counted. Therefore, a decisive third match was played on neutral ground in Geneva, where Partizan edged out Pro Recco 4:3.

–1967/68: For the first time, one country had two clubs competing in the European Cup. Until 2003, when the Champions League was rebranded as the Euro League, only national champions and the reigning title holder were allowed to participate. Partizan won the European Cup in 1967 but finished second in the Yugoslav League, behind Mladost. As a result, both teams represented Yugoslavia in the competition. Ultimately, Mladost won the European trophy.

-1969/70: Mladost became the first team to win three European Cups in a row. This record remained unattained for more than 50 years. Recco repeated Mladost’s success, winning its third (and 11th in total) title in 2023. All titles between 2021 and 2023, Recco won in Belgrade in the pool of the SC “April 11”

-1970/71: Goal difference played a crucial role in determining first place at the final tournament only once. Mladost and Partizan were both involved in this competition. Mladost participated as the reigning champion, while Partizan entered the European Cup as the winner of the Yugoslav League. Both teams qualified for the final tournament, with Partizan hosting the event in Belgrade. The round-robin tournament featured the two Yugoslav powerhouses, Dinamo Moscow and Stockholm (the Swedish champion reached the Top 4, believe it or not).

Both Partizan and Mladost defeated the champions from the USSR and Sweden, but their match ended in a 4:4 draw. Consequently, both teams finished the tournament with five points each. However, Partizan won the trophy due to a better goal difference.

-1975/76: For the first time, a team that was not the host of the final tournament secured the title. The Dutch club De Robben Hilversum organized the tournament, but Partizan emerged victorious, claiming its sixth title. Partizan achieved this by winning all three of its matches by a single goal, defeating Vasas Budapest, Canottieri Naples, and De Robben Hilversum.

-1975/76: Mladost and Partizan faced off in the first-ever European Super Cup. Mladost, which won the Cup Winners’ Cup that season, beat Partizan 11:10 in the game played in Ljubljana.

 –1990/91: Mladost won the European title for the 7th time. Partizan caught up with Mladost in 2011. Pro Recco became the third team with seven trophies in 2012 and added four more European crowns in the following years.

Partizan and Mladost have clinched the trophies in four European competitions (Champions League, Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup, and the LEN Trophy/Euro Cup). Besides them, Posillipo, Pescara, Ferencvaros, and Vasas completed their treasuries with four different European trophies.

Barceloneta’s and Ferencvaros’ milestones

Now, let’s reflect on and explore some details about the Champions League winners, particularly those related to the clubs participating in the tournament in Malta, Ferencvaros and Barceloneta.

Both Barcelona and Ferencvaros won their first Champions League titles in their debut appearances in the final games.

Barceloneta hosted the first edition of the Champions League Final Six in 2014 and surprisingly won the trophy. Since then, no home team has managed to win the Champions League trophy. More precisely, in the 2016/17 season, Szolnok served as the technical organizer and triumphed in the Champions League; however, the final tournament was held in Budapest, not Szolnok.

The 2026 edition of the Final Four will take place in Malta, just as in 2024 and 2025. Thus, it is certain that no home team will celebrate winning the Champions League trophy until at least 2027.

In 2014, three clubs that had never won a trophy before shared the medals: Barceloneta, Radnicki Kragujevac, and Primorje. This has not happened since then. The seven-time European champion, Partizan, finished in fourth place in Barcelona 11 years ago.

In 2019, Ferencvaros won its first Champions League title. Remarkably, it was the only time that a team finishing fourth in the Preliminary Stage group won the trophy at the Final Eight. Additionally, Ferencvaros became the first club to win the title in a penalty shootout in the final. “Fradi” triumphed over Olympiacos 14:13 (after a 10:10 tie) in the gold-medal match held in Hannover that year. Since then, there has been only one other penalty shootout in the final, where Pro Recco defeated Novi Beograd 17:16 (13:13) in the 2022 final held in Belgrade.

Prlainovic, Perrone, Mandic

Many players have won three or more Champions League gold medals, with most of them having played for clubs such as Partizan, Mladost, Spandau, and Pro Recco. However, only five have achieved this feat with more than two clubs, and three of these players will participate in the Final Four in Malta.

Felipe Perrone (Barceloneta) and Dusan Mandic (Ferencvaros) are among those who have won three titles with three different clubs. Perrone’s victories came while playing for Pro Recco (2012), Barceloneta (2014), and Jug (2016). Before his triumph with Ferencvaros last season, Mandic won titles with Partizan (2011) and Pro Recco (2021).

Andrija Prlainovic (Marseille) holds a unique place in Champions League history. He is the only player to have triumphed in the tournament with four different clubs. Prlainovic secured three consecutive titles with three teams: Partizan (2011), Pro Recco (2012), and Crvena Zvezda (2013). He then won additional titles with Pro Recco (2015) and Szolnok (2017). The upcoming tournament will be his 13th appearance at the Champions League final tournaments.

Besides these three players, only two others have won the Champions League wearing the caps of three different clubs. Aaron Younger won with Szolnok (2017), Ferencvaros (2019), and Pro Recco (2021, 2022, 2023). Dusko Pijetlovic has four titles in the treasury (with Partizan in 2011, Pro Recco in 2012 and 2015 and Crvena Zvezda in 2013).

Younger, like Prlainovic and Pijetlovic, won three consecutive titles with different clubs, but he achieved this feat in four years, as the 2019/20 season was canceled.

If you examine the years and clubs mentioned, it’s evident that Prlainovic was a teammate of Pijetlovic, Younger, Mandic, and Perrone in one or more of the winning teams.

Prlainovic’s connections with other participants in the 2025 Final Four extend further. Milos Cuk, the captain of Novi Beograd, was his teammate at Partizan in 2011. Prlainovic won the 2017 Champions League in Szolnok alongside Novi Beograd’s coach, Zivko Gocic, Marseille’s captain Ugo Crousillat, and Marton Vamos, who returned to Ferencvaros last summer.

Record-holders

Both Andrija Prlainovic and Aaron Younger are part of a small group of players who have won five Champions League trophies.

Only three players have more titles. The record holder is Pietro Figlioli, who won seven titles with Pro Recco in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Djordje Perisic won six European championships with Partizan, taking the title in 1964, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1975, and 1976. Maurizio Felugo secured titles with Posillipo in 2005 and with Pro Recco in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2015.

Perisic played in all of Partizan’s final games during their championship victories. In contrast, neither Figlioli nor Felugo participated in every season their respective clubs won the trophies. Figlioli missed the 2012 Final Four and the 2023 Final Eight, while Felugo was not on Pro Recco’s roster for the 2015 Final Six.

Four MVPs in Malta

Four players who will participate in the 2025 Final Four have been voted the MVP of the final tournament.

Marseille’s Andrija Prlainovic was the MVP when he won titles with Crvena Zvezda in 2013 and Szolnok in 2017.

Felipe Perrone was also awarded twice – in 2015, finishing in 3rd place with Barceloneta, and in 2016, leading Jug to the title.

Dusan Mandic was the MVP of the previous final tournament, making a significant contribution to Ferencvaros’ triumph. He received the award in 2021, too, when Pro Recco won its ninth title, the first after a seven-year hiatus.

Alvaro Granados (Barceloneta) hasn’t won a Champions League yet, but he was selected as the MVP of the 2023 Final Eight, playing for Novi Beograd, the silver medalist.

Chance for Gocic and Fatovic

Zivko Gocic (Novi Beograd) and Elvis Fatovic (Barceloneta) have a chance to join the circle of those who have won the Champions League both in their playing and coaching careers.  Fatovic won two European titles while playing for Jug, while Gocic served as Szolnok’s captain during the Hungarian club’s outstanding 2017 season.

After the first day of the Final Four, only one of these two will still have a chance, as Novi Beograd and Barceloneta will face off in the semifinals.

Marseiille’s coach, Milos Scepanovic, won the 2018 LEN Euro Cup as the goalkeeper of Marseille, while Balazs Nyeki (Ferencvaros) didn’t clinch a European trophy during his playing career. But he led Ferencvaros to the 2024 title in his first season as the head coach.

Giuseppe Porzio is a record holder for the number of Champions League titles won both as a player and a coach. During his playing career, he won two titles (1997 and 1998 with Posillipo) and added five as a coach (2005 with Posillipo, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012).

The others who have won the titles, both playing in the pool and sitting on the bench, are:

-Ozren Bonacic – player 5 titles (1964 with Partizan, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1972 with Mladost), coach 1 title ( 1996 with Mladost)

– Dusko Antunovic – player 3 titles (1971, 1975 and 1976 with Partizan), coach – 2 titles (1990 and 1991 with Mladost).

– Igor Milanovic – player 3 titles (1990 and 1991 with Mladost and 1995 with Catalunya), coach – 2 titles (2011 with Partizan and 2015 with Pro Recco).

– Ivo Trumbic – player 3 titles (1967,1968, 1969 with Mladost), coach – 1 title (1988 with Sisley Pescara)

– Paolo De Crescenzo – player 1 title ( 1978 with Canottieri Naples), coach – 2 titles ( 1997 and 1998 with Posillipo)

– Sandro Sukno – player 1 title (2012 with Pro Recco), coach – 2 titles (2022 and 2023 with Pro Recco)

–  Veselin Djuho – player 1 title (1981 with Jug), coach – 1 title (2001 with Jug).

– Marco Baldineti – player 1 title (1984 with Pro Recco), coach – 1 title (2003 with Pro Recco)

– Vjekoslav Kobescak – player 1 title (1996 with Mladost Zagreb), coach – 1 title (2016 with Jug)

Two players won the European Cup serving as players and coaches at the same time: Boris Cukvas (three titles with Partizan -1964, 1966, and 1967), Eraldo Pizzo (1965 with Pro Recco)

Follow the live scores and the statistics  of the Champions League Final Four on Total Waterpolo Arena

All winners

1963/1964 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1964/1965 Recco (ITA)
1965/1966 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1966/1967 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1967/1968 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1968/1969 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1969/1970 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1970/1971 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1971/1972 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1972/1973 OSC Budapest (HUN)
1973/1974 MGU Moskow (USSR)
1974/1975 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1975/1976 Partizan Belgrade (YUG)
1976/1977 CSK VMF Moscow (USSR)
1977/1978.Canottieri Naples (ITA)
1978/1979 OSC Budapest (HUN)
1979/1980 Vasas Budapest (HUN)
1980/1981 Jug Dubrovnik (YUG)
1981/1982 Barcelona (ESP)
1982/1983 Spandau Berlin (FRG)
1983/1984 Stefanel Recco (ITA)
1984/1985 Vasas Budapest (HUN)
1985/1986 Spandau Berlin (FRG)
1986/1987 Spandau Berlin (FRG)
1987/1988 Sisley Pescara (ITA)
1988/1989 Spandau Berlin (FRG)
1989/1990 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1990/1991 Mladost Zagreb (YUG)
1991/1992 Jadran Koteks Split (CRO)
1992/1993 Jadran Koteks Split (CRO)
1993/1994 Ujpest Budapest (HUN)
1994/1995. Catalunya Barcelona (ESP)
1995/1996 Mladost Zagreb (CRO)
1996/1997 Posillipo Naples (ITA)
1997/1998 Posillipo Naples (ITA)
1998/1999 POSK Splitska Banka (CRO)
1999/2000 Becej (YUG)
2000/2001 Jug Dubrovnik (CRO)
2001/2002 Olimpiacos Piraeus (GRE)
2002/2003 Pro Recco (ITA)
2003/2004 Honved Budapest (HUN)
2004/2005 Posillipo Naples (ITA)
2005/2006 Jug Dubrovnik (CRO)
2006/2007 Pro Recco (ITA)
2007/2008 Pro Recco (ITA)
2008/2009 Primorac Kotor (MNE)
2009/2010 Pro Recco (ITA)
2010/2011 Partizan Belgrade (SRB)
2011/2012 Pro Recco (ITA)
2012/2013 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade (SRB)
2013/2014 Barceloneta (ESP)
2014/2015 Pro Recco (ITA)
2015/2016 Jug Dubrovnik (CRO)
2016/2017 Szolnok (HUN)
2017/2018 Olimpiacos Piraeus (GRE)
2018/2019 Ferencvaros Budapest (HUN)
2019/2020 season was canceled
2020/2021 Pro Recco (ITA)
2021/2022 Pro Recco (ITA)
2022/2023 Pro Recco (ITA)
2023/2024 Ferencvaros Budapest (HUN)

Titles by clubs – 11: Pro Recco, 7: Mladost and Partizan, 4: Spandau and Jug, 3: Posillipo, 2: OSC, Vasas, Jadran Split, Olympiacos, Ferencvaros, 1: MGU Moscow, CSK VMF Moscow, Canottieri Naples, Barcelona, Pescara, Ujpest, Catalunya, POSK, Becej, Honved, Primorac, Crvena Zvezda, Barceloneta, Szolnok.

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