🛒 Shop the best Water Polo Gear now! →
🤑 10% off on selected briefs & merch 🤑
Support the Total Waterpolo mission!
TW-Brandmark-Whitex2
  • News
  • Results

    National

    • France
      • French League 23/24 – Women
      • French League 23/24 – Men
    • Spain
      • Spanish League 23/24 – Women
      • Spanish League 23/24 – Men
    • Hungary
      • Hungarian League 23/24 – Women
      • Hungarian League 23/24 – Men
    • Italy
      • Italian League 23/24 – Women
      • Italian League 2324 – Men
    • Nordic League
      • Nordic League 23/24
    • Austria
      • Women’s Bundesliga 2023

    International

    • LEN Champions League
      • Season 23/24
        • Women
        • Men
    • NCAA
      • Men’s Finals 2023
    • Nordic League
      • Season 23/24
    • European Championships
      • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
      • Zagreb / Dubrovnik 2024 – Men
      • Split 2022
        • Women
        • Men
      • Budapest 2020
    • World Championships
      • Fukuoka 2023
        • Women
        • Men
      • Budapest 2022
        • Women
        • Men
    • Oympic Games
      • Tokyo 2020
        • Women
        • Men

    Amateur & Junior Divisions

    • BIWPA
      • Next Generation 2023 – Women
      • Next Generation 2023 – Men
    • Masters Tournaments
      • VAL League
      • Herceg Novi MNE
        • Herceg Novi Masters 2023 “40+”
        • Herceg Novi Masters 2023 “30+”

    Total Waterpolo Arena livescoring app: Stay in the game with real-time updates and stats for your next tournament.

    Contact Us
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop

    WearWaterpolo™ Webshop

    • Webshop
    • Men’s Briefs
    • Women’s Suits
    • Apparel
    • Game Balls
    • About

    Partner up with Total Waterpolo, the leading international water polo network worldwide and take your team gear to the next level. Our products are made to endure the harshest conditions from pro leagues around the world to your local squad rivalries. We can't wait to join your team!

    Get Total Waterpolo for your Team
✕
  • News
  • Results
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop
CroMasters '24
Support Us

Champions League history: Six decades of first-rate water polo

November 7, 2022

Pro Recco, the reigning champion Photo by Dj.Kostic/VK Novi Beograd

Today, we’ll pause the introduction of the Champions League clubs. Still, Total Waterpolo’s series of articles about the elite clubs’ competition continues.

We’ll look back at the history of the Champions League and present some facts about the beginnings, interesting finals, the most decorated coaches and players, etc.

In eight days, the 60th LEN Champions League will begin. The first edition was held in the season 1963/64.

To date, 25 clubs have won the title of European champion. Reigning champion Pro Recco is the record-holder with 10 trophies.

Throughout its history, the CHL changed its name four times: 1963 – 1996 European Water Polo Cup for national champions;1996 – 2003 Champions League;2003 – 2011 LEN Euroleague;2011 – present LEN Champions League.

First season with 15 clubs

Fifteen teams played in the first European Cup for national champions in the season 1963/64. They were split into two groups (in Naples and in Magdeburg) in the Preliminary Stage. The top three teams from each group advanced to the final tournament. Partizan was the host of the final group and organized the tournament in Zagreb, because Belgrade didn’t have an indoor pool then.

The final group was a round-robin tournament. Partizan won the trophy with five wins in as many games.

Partizan, European champion 1963/64 Photo:VK Partizan

The final tournament, ranking: 1. Partizan Belgrade (YUG) 10 pts, 2 Dynamo Moscow (URS) 8, 3. Dinamo Magdeburg (GDR) 6, 4. Amateur Duisburg (FRG) 4, 5. Canottieri Naples (ITA) 2, 6. Legia Warsaw (POL) 0.

The other national champions that applied for the first European Cup were: Barcelona (ESP), Gent (BEL), CSKA Sofia (BUL), WSU (AUT), Strasbourg (FRA), Ethnikos (GRE), Amersfoort (NED), and CH Kosice (TCH) and Ferencvaros (HUN), but the Hungarians withdrew.

The Belgrade-based daily Yugoslav Sports Newspaper “Sport” awarded the trophy to the winners in the first years of the European Cup.

“Football” result decided winner

The second final tournament was held in Milan and organized by Pro Recco. A “football result” decided the winner.

Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Total Waterpolo

Four teams played in the final group. It was a round-robin tournament, as well as in Zagreb. The decisive match for 1st place was an encounter between Pro Recco and Partizan in the last round. Both teams had two wins before this game. Pro Recco recorded a 1:0 victory (the only goal was scored in the third quarter) and won 1st place. However, a result like that wasn’t a big curiosity at that time. The game lasted for 20 minutes (four quarters of five minutes), and the possession of the ball for the attacking team wasn’t limited.

Mladost – the only team with three titles in a row

Two Yugoslav clubs – the first winner Partizan and Mladost Zagreb – dominated in the early years of the European Cup. Partizan was the first team that defended the title (1965 and 1966), while Mladost became the first and, so far, the only club to win three titles in a row (1968,1969,1970).

Mladost, the 1968 European champion Photo: HAVK Mladost

Partizan clinched its 6th title in 1976 and was the record-holder for 15 years – until Mladost won its 6th trophy.

In 1996, Mladost became the first club with seven titles of European champion.

Partizan equaled Mladost’s record in 2011, while Pro Recco won its seventh crown in 2012.  Pro Recco improved the record with its 8th title (2015) and added two more trophies to its treasury in the following years (2021 and 2022).

Three final matches in one season

The competition formula of the European Cup/Euro League/Champions League has been changed several times.

The season 1966/67 was interesting because three final matches were played. Partizan and Pro Recco faced in the final on a home-and-away basis. Partizan won 5:3 at home, while Recco took revenge in the return leg (2:1). Partizan was better in the aggregate score. But, the rule about an aggregate score wasn’t introduced in that season, and there were no penalty shootouts. A team had to win two games in the final to become the champion.

So, LEN scheduled the third final game in a neutral field. The champions of Yugoslavia and Italy played their third game in Geneva. Partizan recorded a 4:3 victory and won its third title.

Only two Champions League finals ended in penalty shootouts. Ferencvaros defeated Olympiacos 14:13 (10:10) in Hannover in 2019. In June this year, Recco won its 10th title after a 17:16 (14:14) victory over Novi Beograd

Titles in two (double) roles

Five months ago, Pro Recco became the first club to win the Champions League 10 times. At the same time, Recco’s coach Sandro Sukno became the 12th man to win the European title both as a player and a coach.

Sandro Sukno Photo by Djordje Kostic/VK Novi Beograd

Three of those 12 will feature in the 2022/23 Champions League. Besides Sukno, the titles in two roles have current Olympiacos’ head coach Igor Milanovic and Jug’s Vjekoslav Kobescak.

Counting titles as a player and a coach, Italian Giuseppe Porzio is a record holder with seven titles (two as a player and five as a coach).

Two players won titles in a double role. They were players and head coaches at the same time in the winning teams. Boris Cukvas did it with Partizan three times (1963/64, 1965/66 and 1966/67). Eraldo Pizzo played for Pro Recco and coached the team in the season 1964/65 when the Italians won the title, thanks to a 1:0 win over Partizan.

Giuseppe Porzio – player 2 titles (1996/97 and 1997/98 with Posillipo), coach 5 titles (2004/05 with Posillipo, 2006/07, 2007/08,2009/10, 2011/12).

Ozren Bonacic – player 5 titles (1963/64 with Partizan, 1967/68, 1969/69, 1969/70 and 1971/72 with Mladost), coach 1 title ( 1995/96 with Mladost)

Dusko Antunovic – player 3 titles (1970/71, 1974/75 and 1975/76 with Partizan), coach – 2 titles (1989/90 and 1990/91 with Mladost).

Igor Milanovic as Olympiacos coach Photo:Olympiacos SFP

Igor Milanovic – player 3 titles (1989/90 and 1990/91 with Mladost and 1994/95 with Catalunya), coach – 2 titles (2010/2011 with Partizan and 2014/2015 with Pro Recco).

Ivo Trumbic – player 3 titles (1966/67,1967/68, 1968/69 with Mladost), coach – 1 title (1987/88 with Sisley Pescara)

Paolo De Crescenzo – player 1 title ( 1977/78 with Canottieri Naples), coach – 2 titles ( 1996/97 and 1997/98 with Posillipo)

Veselin Djuho – player 1 title (1980/81 with Jug), coach – 1 title (2000/01 with Jug).

Marco Baldineti – player 1 title (1983/84 with Pro Recco), coach – 1 title (2002/2003 with Pro Recco)

Vjekoslav Kobescak – player 1 title (1995/96 with Mladost Zagreb), coach – 1 title (2015/16 with Jug)

Sandro Sukno – player 1 title (2011/12 with Pro Recco), coach – 1 title (2021/22 with Pro Recco)

PLAYER AND COACH AT SAME TIME

Boris Cukvas – player and coach – 3 titles (1963/64, 1965/66 and 1966/67 with Partizan)

Eraldo Pizzo – player and coach – 1 title (1964/65 with Pro Recco)

Figlioli caught up with Perisic and Felugo

The last season’s title was something special for Pietro Figlioli, not only for Sandro Sukno. He won his 6th European title as a player. Before him, only two players managed to achieve this feat – Djordje Perisic and Maurizio Felugo.

Pietro Figlioli (Recco) Photo:Pro Recco

Djordje Perisic – 6 titles with Partizan (1963/64; 1965/66; 1966/67; 1970/71; 1974/75; 1975/76)

Maurizio Felugo – 1 title with Posillipo (2004/2005) and 5 with Pro Recco (2006/07, 2007/08; 2009/10; 2011/12; 2014/15).

Pietro Figlioli – 6 titles with Pro Recco (2006/07, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2014/15, 2020/21, 2021/22 with Pro Recco)

Perisic played in all six finals in which Partizan triumphed. Felugo and Figlioli missed one final each. Figlioli wasn’t on the roster in the final in 2012. Felugo missed the 2015 Final Six.

Budapest, home of five champions

Six cities are home of two or more European water polo champions. Even five clubs from Budapest clinched the title. Barcelona has three, Belgrade, Split, Naples and Moscow have two Champions League winners each.

Ferencvatos, winner in 2019

Budapest – OSC (2), Vasas (2), Ujpest (1), Honved (1), Ferencvaros (1)
Barcelona: Barcelona (1), Catalunya (1), Barceloneta (1)
Belgrade – Partizan (7) and Crvena Zvezda (1)
Naples: Posillipo (3), Canottieri (1)
Split – Jadran (2) and POSK (1)
Moscow – MGU Moscow (1) and CSK VMF (1)

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 canceled
2020/2021 Pro Recco (ITA)
2021/22 Pro Recco (ITA)

Titles by clubs – 10: Pro Recco, 7: Mladost and Partizan, 4: Spandau and Jug, 3: Posillipo, 2: OSC, Vasas, Jadran Split, Olympiacos, 1: MGU Moscow, CSK VMF Moscow, Canottieri Naples, Barcelona, Pescara, Ujpest, Catalunya, POSK, Becej, Honved, Primorac, Crvena Zvezda, Barceloneta, Szolnok, Ferencvaros.

More articles about the Champions League

Ivan Curcic
Ivan Curcic

Related posts

Filip Filipovic (NBG) and Francesco Faraglia (BRE) Photo by Slobodan Sandic

November 22, 2023

Novi Beograd and Olympiacos earn their tickets for Champions League Top 8


Read more

Ferencvaros Photo by Slobodan Sandic

November 21, 2023

Ferencvaros and Barceloneta cement top spots; Jadran Split joins them in quarterfinal stage


Read more

Photo: VK Jadran HN/V.Ilic

November 20, 2023

Penultimate week in first half of European season: Crucial matches in Split, Marseille and Belgrade


Read more

Featured Projects

01 - 06 July, 2024 - Limited Availability

Book NowLearn More

SUPPORT US ON PATREON

If you share our passion for water polo worldwide, consider becoming a cherished contributor to our cause, with as little as 5$/month.

SUPPORT US

Learn More

Custom Team Gear

LEARN MORE

Shop Now

Looking for something?

✕
  • 0
    California crowned NCAA champions for third consecutive year
    December 4, 2023
  • 0
    Novi Beograd wins its first-ever Serbian Cup
    December 3, 2023
  • 0
    Ferencvaros keeps perfect record, earning hard-fought win over OSC
    December 3, 2023
  • Home
  • Water Polo News
  • WearWaterpolo Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Project Superstar – TW Camp
  • BIWPA
  • Custom Team Equipment
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2021 Total Waterpolo. All Rights Reserved.
Total Waterpolo Arena
✕
CroMasters '24
Support Us
  • News
  • Results
    • International
      • NCAA
        • NCAA Men’s Finals 2023
      • LEN CHL
        • 2023/24
          • Women
          • Men
        • 2022/23
      • European Championships
        • Eindhoven 2024 – Women
        • Croatia 2024 – Men
        • Split 2022
          • Women
          • Men
        • Budapest 2020
        • Barcelona 2018
      • World Championships
        • Fukuoka 2023
          • Women
          • Men
      • Olympics
        • Tokyo 2020
          • Women
          • Men
    • National
      • Hungary
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Women
        • Hungarian League 2023 – Men
      • France
        • French League 2023 – Men
      • Spain
        • Spanish League 2023 – Women
        • Spanish League 2023 – Men
      • Italy
        • Italian League 2023 – Women
        • Italian League 2023 – Men
      • Nordic League
      • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Amateur & Junior
      • VAL League
      • Plejade
      • Dobri Dupin
  • Transfers
  • Shop

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized content. By clicking "Accept All Cookies" or continuing to browse this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT