Football is a game of small moments, but its successes are measured in silverware, which can only be won after long, often gruelling campaigns. Winning one trophy is an achievement reserved for only a select few clubs, which makes winning multiple in one season a rare feat indeed.
What Have Been the Greatest Trophy Hauls in a Single Football Season?
There have been some remarkable achievements in football, but few are as impressive as teams who dominate multiple competitions at once. Let’s take a look back at some of the greatest trophy hauls won by teams in a single season.
Manchester United Treble – 1998/1999
Under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United side of the late 90s were a force to be reckoned with. The squad was packed with stars, including Paul Scholes, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, and David Beckham.
The Premier League title was the first trophy of the season, with United winning it on the last day of the season with a victory over Tottenham. Next up was the FA Cup Final, where United found themselves up against Newcastle. Goals from Scholes and substitute Teddy Sheringham secured United their second trophy of the season.
In the Champions League final, United faced Bayern Munich, who took the lead through a Mario Basler free kick in the sixth minute. The scoreline remained unchanged until injury time when two United goals in rapid succession won them the trophy and secured them a historic treble.
Celtic Quintuple – 1966/1967
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballing achievements of all time is Celtic’s quintuple in the 1966/67 season. The team won every competition they entered and scored a total of 196 goals, a record that is yet to be equalled.
The first trophy of the season was the League Cup, which Celtic won in a 1 – 0 victory over arch-rivals Rangers. Just one week later, Celtic won the Glasgow Cup in a 4 – 0 rout of Partick Thistle.
In April 1967, Celtic met Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final, where they won the trophy after a Willie Wallace brace. The league was secured against Rangers at Ibrox, where a 2 – 2 draw was enough to see them lift the trophy.
Celtic were in the European Cup competition for the first time in that season, making it all the way to the final with victories over FC Zurich, Nantes, Vojvodina, and Dukla Prague. In the final, they faced Inter Milan, and Celtic emerged 2 -1 victors, making them the first British team to win the competition.
Barcelona Treble – 2008/2009
Barcelona’s 2008/09 season was the first for rookie manager Pep Guardiola, and he took charge of one of the most talent-packed sides in world football, with Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta making for a frightening trio.
The first trophy of the season was the Copa del Rey, which Barca won with a 4 – 1 victory over Bilbao. Just three days later, Barcelona were crowned La Liga champions after second-placed Real Madrid were defeated by Villareal.
On 27 May 2009, Barcelona faced Manchester United in the Champions League, which they won by two goals to nil, marking the first treble in the history of Spanish football.
