Spain go top of all-time competition rankings

Sevilla's UEFA Europa League triumph in Basel was the tenth time a Liga club have claimed the trophy, moving Spain above Italy in the all-time standings.

Sides from the Iberian nation have enjoyed an impressive run in the competition, with eight successes in 13 seasons as well as two runners-up finishes. Sevilla's five victories, two more than any other team, have all come during that period while Valencia prevailed in 2004 and Atlético Madrid lifted the trophy in 2010 and 2012.

Real Madrid, Spain's first winners in 1985©Getty Images

UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League winners by country (runners-up in brackets)
Spain – 10 (5)
Italy – 9 (6)
England – 7 (6)
Germany – 6 (8)
Netherlands – 4 (2)
Portugal – 2 (5)

England was for a long time the dominant force in the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, the tone established in the inaugural final as Tottenham Hotspur beat domestic rivals Wolves. Liverpool took the trophy north the following year before Feyenoord broke the English stranglehold in 1974.

Liverpool regained the title in 1976 and there were further victories for Ipswich Town (1981) and Tottenham (1984) as England won five of the first 13 editions. They have mustered just two more in the three decades since, Chelsea champions in 2013 and Liverpool in 2001.

The 1980s and 90s witnessed an era of Italian supremacy, with Serie A producing six out of seven victors, and four runners-up, between 1988/89 and 1994/95.

The balance of power has shifted towards Spain this century. Liga clubs have taken the honours eight times in 13 campaigns, though remarkably in that context, their only previous successes had belonged to Real Madrid, back-to-back winners in 1985 and 1986.