While the French league is considered one of Europe’s “big five” top divisions, it is also thought of as a distant fifth in competitiveness, well behind those of England, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
That’s reflected in their sparse European record, as they have won precious few European titles.
But the number is not zero.
The Sporting News looks at the one season of glory from a French club on the European stage, and how PSG added to that with their dominance in the 2025 Champions League final.
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Has a French team ever won the UEFA Champions League?
Finally exorcising decades of European desperation, PSG secured the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League title to earn France’s second-ever European title.
Desire Doue scored a brace in a record-setting 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, dominating the match from the opening minutes to the final whistle.
HISTORY MADE 📸 pic.twitter.com/tjHbezI2vP
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 31, 2025
Besides PSG, only one other French club has ever triumphed on the highest continental stage: Marseille won the 1992/93 European Cup.
The competition was formatted very differently from the current Champions League, as every club entered into the first round, contesting two knockout rounds before an eight-team group stage produced the two finalists.
Marseille eased past Glentoran and Dinamo Bucuresti in the first two rounds before topping Group A ahead of Rangers, Club Brugge, and CSKA Moscow. That earned them a spot in the final against AC Milan, who they defeated 1-0 on a game-winner by Basile Boli just before halftime.
It is one of only two major European titles won by any French club to date. PSG claimed the 1996 Cup Winners’ Cup, beating Rapid Wien 1-0 in the final in Brussels.
MORE: PSG’s record in the Champions League and major UEFA finals
French clubs in major European finals
Marseille and PSG’s sole successes are a huge surprise given the number of times French clubs have got to UEFA finals.
The 2025 Champions League final is the 17th time a team from France has reached the showpiece of a major European tournament.
The very first European Cup final in 1956 featured a French side, Reims, who lost to Real Madrid in Paris. They were runners-up once more three years later, again losing to Los Blancos.
Saint-Etienne and Marseille both lost European Cup finals before the latter finally ended France’s long wait in 1993. Since then, Bordeaux, Monaco, PSG and Marseille have all suffered final heartbreak in different tournaments.
All-time results for French clubs in European finals
| Year | Tournament | French team | Result |
| 1956 | European Cup | Reims | 4-3 loss vs. Real Madrid |
| 1959 | European Cup | Reims | 2-0 loss vs. Real Madrid |
| 1976 | European Cup | Saint-Etienne | 1-0 loss vs. Bayern Munich |
| 1978 | UEFA Cup | Bastia | 3-0 aggregate loss vs. PSV |
| 1991 | European Cup | Marseille | 0-0 draw vs. Red Star Belgrade (5-3 loss on penalties) |
| 1992 | Cup Winners’ Cup | Monaco | 2-0 loss vs. Werder Bremen |
| 1993 | European Cup | Marseille | 1-0 win vs. AC Milan |
| 1996 | UEFA Cup | Bordeaux | 5-1 aggregate loss vs. Bayern Munich |
| 1996 | Cup Winners’ Cup | PSG | 1-0 win vs. Rapid Wien |
| 1996 | UEFA Super Cup | PSG | 9-2 aggregate loss to Juventus |
| 1997 | Cup Winners’ Cup | PSG | 1-0 loss to Barcelona |
| 1999 | UEFA Cup | Marseille | 3-0 loss to Parma |
| 2004 | UEFA Cup | Marseille | 2-0 loss to Valencia |
| 2004 | Champions League | Monaco | 3-0 loss to Porto |
| 2018 | Europa League | Marseille | 3-0 loss to Atletico Madrid |
| 2020 | Champions League | PSG | 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich |
| 2025 | Champions League | PSG | TBD vs. Inter Milan |
