Last update 5 April, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
Do you know what are the defunct european cups that used to be classic? At a time when we are used to having the Champions League, the Europa League and from 2021 the Conference League, few remember competitions like the Recopa, Mitropa Cup or the Intertoto. From Hanged For Football we remember:
The Cup Winners' Cup, the queen of the missing european cups
The most famous competition that has now disappeared is perhaps the European Cup Winners' Cup, competition facing the champions (or runners-up, if the champion were playing Champions League) cup of each country. 32 equipment were put at stake in the competition, con 4 rounds over two legs and one-off final (except in the first edition). The champion, besides, He had the prize to play the European Super Cup against the winner of the Champions League. It was played in 39 occasions, It is the last in 1999, with Lazio-Mallorca that ended with a 2-1 for Italians, with goals from two large: Nedved and Vieri.
FC Barcelona is the most successful of the competition, con 4 gimped, taking Anderlecht, Milan, Dynamo Kiev and Chelsea two. Highlighting the case of Real Madrid, It is one of the few who has not won competitions, twice reaching the final, in 1971 (against Chelsea) and in 1983 (before him Aberdeen's Alex Ferguson). Teams like Manchester City, Juventus, or the Spanish Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza also have a tournament.
The Intertoto, little hope
this competition, which it was played in summer, It was the escape route for teams that had failed to qualify for the Champions League or UEFA Cup. There were many changes in competition, which it was held until 2008, It is for example in the last edition 11 Team champions, Turning to the UEFA Cup.
The most successful was the Stuttgart, who won the competition three times between 2000 y 2008, apply the new format of the competition changed 1995. Since it was created, in 1961, The team with more gimped is the Swedish Malmoe, con 10 tournaments. Villareal (twice), Atlético de Madrid, Valencia, Deportivo, Celta and Málaga are the Spanish teams who have won this tournament.
Mitropa Cup, the pioneer
It was the first major international football competition. The first edition was in 1927, with two clubs in Hungary, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, the latter being replaced by Italy 1929. As the competition that brought together the four great powers of the continent, had great prestige. He lost the prestige after World War II, having less and less level to stop played in 1992. Equipment such as Sparta Prague, Red Star, Fast from Vienna, Bologna, Torino, Milan and Partizan have this glass in their windows.
Latin Cup
Competition that, although only dispute between 1949 y 1957, He had great reception, to the face the champions of the Latin countries, as were Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. The semifinals will be raffled and was played every year in a different country. Milan, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, two tournaments, along with Benfica and Stade de Reims French, with one, were the eight champions. Besides the mentioned, Also Athletic Club, Atletico Madrid and Valencia represented Spain in the trophy. We talked about it in this article.
Fairs Cup
Another major competitions that were deprecated. It was created in 1955 and facing teams representing cities that will host trade shows, as Barcelona, Basel, Lausanne, London or Milan. Despite being the forerunner of the UEFA Europa League, It is not counted in the honors of UEFA competitions not being affiliated to it. The most successful club was Barcelona, three gimped, He is the last champion Leeds United, beating Juventus. Valencia (with two consecutive trophies, in 1962 y 1963) and Real Zaragoza (winning in 1964) they also have a Fairs Cup. A competition that It has no official status from UEFA.