UEFA Super Cup - History

History

The European Super Cup was created in 1971 by Anton Witkamp, a reporter and later sports editor of Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. The idea came to him in a time when Dutch total football was Europe's finest and Dutch football clubs were living their golden era (especially Ajax). Witkamp was looking for something new to definitely decide which was the best team in Europe and also to further test Ajax's legendary team, led by their star player Johan Cruyff. It was then proposed that the winner of the European Cup would face the winner of the Cup Winners' Cup.

All was set for a new competition to be born. However, when Witkamp tried to get an official endorsement to his competition, the UEFA president turned it down.

The 1972 final between Dutch team Ajax and Scotland's Rangers is considered unofficial by UEFA, as Rangers were banned from European competition due to the behaviour of their fans during the 1972 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final. As a result, UEFA refused to endorse the competition until the following season. It was played in two legs and was financially supported by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Ajax defeated Rangers 6–3 on aggregate and won the first (albeit unofficial) European Super Cup.

The 1973 final, which Ajax defeated Milan 6–1 on aggregate, was the first Super Cup officially recognised and supported by UEFA.

Although the two-legged format was kept until 1997, the Super Cup was decided in one single match because of schedule issues or political problems in 1984, 1986, and 1991. In 1974, 1981 and 1985, the Super Cup was not played at all.

In the 1992–1993 season, the European Cup was renamed the UEFA Champions League and the winners of this competition would face the winners of the European Cup Winners' Cup in the UEFA Super Cup.

In the 1994–1995 season, the European Cup Winners' Cup was renamed the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

After the 1998–1999 season, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was discontinued by UEFA. The 1999 UEFA Super Cup was the last Super Cup contested by the winners of the Cup Winners' Cup. Lazio, winners of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, defeated Manchester United, winners of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, 1–0.

Since then, the UEFA Super Cup was contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the winners of the UEFA Cup. The 2000 UEFA Super Cup was the first Super Cup contested by the winners of the UEFA Cup. Galatasaray, winners of the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, defeated Real Madrid, winners of the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, 2–1.

In the 2009–2010 season, the UEFA Cup was renamed the UEFA Europa League and the winners of this competition would face the winners of the UEFA Champions League in the UEFA Super Cup.

After 15 consecutive Super Cups being played at Stade Louis II in Monaco between 1998 and 2012, from 2013 onwards, the Super Cup will be played at various stadiums (similar to the finals of the Champions League and the Europa League), starting with the 2013 UEFA Super Cup, which is scheduled to be played at Eden Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic.

No German club has ever won the UEFA Super Cup. One reason for this is in 1975, West Germany's Bayern Munich and East Germany's FC Magdeburg did not contest the trophy. The official reason for not doing so was fixture congestion, though there is speculation that the decision was politically influenced.