Football (Soccer)/The Trophies And Cups
< Football (Soccer)International competitions
In football there are many competitions and championships. Here is a collection of the major international competitions in the world of football.
World
FIFA World Cup
This is the biggest achievement (competition) in football internationally. It takes place every four years and thirty-two teams play this major event. The qualifying rounds take place for each confederation three years before the World Cup. The next World Cup will be held in 2018 in Russia. The bidding for the next World Cup is held before the nearest World Cup, (usually, three years before). For example, the bid for 2014 World Cup was held just after the 2010 World Cup. Brazil is the only team to win five World Cups, creating the record for winning the most World Cups in history. There has been twenty world cups, and the most recent was Germany's win in the 2014 World Cup, hosted in Brazil, There has been 20 world cups the last one being in Brazil (2014)
FIFA Confederations Cup
This is the collection of the teams where the winners of the confederation tournaments, the hosts and the world cup winners qualify for a single tournament. It also takes place every four years like the World Cup. Brazil and France are the only countries that have won the cup twice. The next Confederations Cup will be held in 2017 in Russia.
Continental (by confederation)
UEFA European Football Championship
Also known as Euro, this championship is most watched in Europe (internationally). It is held every four years (two years before the next World Cup to happen). The qualification of this championship consists of ten groups with top two teams from each group going to the next main four-group phase and so on. Germany and Spain have won the most titles, 3. The most recent championship was won by Portugal in 2016, with a score of 1-0 aet over France.
CAF Africa Cup of Nations
This is the main competition for the CAF (African) countries. It is held every two years in January/February in the same year of UEFA European Championship Finals and Summer Olympics between 16 teams of Africa. It is the biggest international African teams' achievement. The latest cup, held during February of 2017 in Gabon, was won by Cameroon for the fifth time.
CONMEBOL Copa América
This is the main competition for the CONMEBOL internationally. It consists of all the teams in the CONMEBOL. There is no fixed interval, so it changes frequently as to when it is going to take place. The most recent champion is Chile (first time winners) defeating Argentina (14 time winners) in penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw game in 2016. Uruguay holds the record for the most wins (15 time winners). Their most recent Copa America win was in 2011.
CONCACAF Gold Cup
This is the main competition in the CONCACAF region. Mexico and the United States split the honours to win the most of these. There is no fixed interval also for this.
Club competitions
A football club or a soccer league of a certain country consists for small leagues as shown in The Leagues And Teams. These teams are known as football clubs. Here is a list of major club competitions.
World
FIFA Club World Cup
Known as Intercontinental Cup before 2000, this is the only title which consists of the best top clubs from all six confederational titles (only four described below). The latest title was won by Real Madrid in 2016.
Continental (by confederation)
UEFA Champions League
The biggest clash of the European league winners, the Champions League.32 teams qualify for a round robin, then 16 qualify from each group, then quarter-finals, the semis and then the finals. The latest Champions were Real Madrid as they bested Atletico Madrid of La Liga 1-1 (5-3)
CAF Champions League
The CAF Champions League is not as prestigious as the UEFA's. it is also played like the UEFA's but instead 8 teams are in a group phase after a lot of qualifying leg rounds. The latest champions were Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in 2016,with this being their first trophy and their second apperance in The final since 2001.The winner of the competition qualifies for the FIFA World Club Cup.The most dominant side in the competition are Al-Ahly with 7 titles,closely followed by local Egyptian rivals Al-Zamalek with 5 titles.
CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores
The most watched national clubs' league other than UEFA as it is also prestigious like the UEFA's. Atletico Nacional from Colombia is the last winner.