The UEFA Super Cup is essentially the European equivalent to the Community Shield, in the sense that it pitches two of the best teams in Europe against one another. Originally known as the Super Competition, it was renamed to its current moniker in 1995 and involves the winner of the Champions League going up against the winner of the Europa League. It was created in 1971 by a reporter named Anton Witkamp, who wanted to know definitively which was the best team in Europe at a time when a team from his country in the form of Ajax were dominant.
Originally, it saw the Champions League winners playing against the winners of the Cup Winners’ Cup, later changing to see the Europa League winners playing in it instead. The first time that Chelsea played in the Super Cup was in 1998, having narrowly missed out on playing its debut season. They went up against Champions League winners Real Madrid, having won the Cup Winners’ Cup by defeating Stuttgart. It was a tense affair, requiring a late goal from Gus Poyet to see the Londoners over the line in a 1-0 win at the Stade Louis II in Monaco.
| Season | Chelsea Result | Winner | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | Winners | Chelsea | Villarreal |
| 2019-2020 | Runners-Up | Liverpool | Chelsea |
| 2013-2014 | Runners-Up | Bayern Munich | Chelsea |
| 2012-2013 | Runners-Up | Atlético Madrid | Chelsea |
| 1998-1999 | Winners | Chelsea | Real Madrid |
Chelsea UEFA Super Cup Wins
2021-2022: Chelsea 1–1 (a.e.t.) Villarreal (6-5 Pens)
Having defeated Manchester City in the Champions League final on the 29th of May, Chelsea earned themselves qualification for the European Super Cup on the 11th of August 2021. They had to take on the Spanish side Villarreal, who had won the Europa League to earn their spot in the match.
Played at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was the first time that a competition held by UEFA had seen a final played in the country. Chelsea took the lead after 27 minutes when Kai Havertz pushed a low-cross across the box and Hakim Ziyech turned it in. The Spanish side nearly equalised on the stroke of half-time when former Liverpool player Alberto Moreno hit the underside of the crossbar.
Villarreal made it honours even when Gerard Moreno scored with his right foot in the 73rd minute, taking it to extra-time. Kepa Arrizabalaga was brought on for Édouard Mendy in the last minute, with the Spaniard saving two penalties to crown the Blues as Super Cup champions.
1998-1999: Real Madrid 0-1 Chelsea
In the past, the Super Cup pitted the winners of the Champions League against the side that had won the Cup Winners' Cup. It was thanks to victory in the latter competition that Chelsea made it into the European Super Cup in 1998, having defeated VfB Stuttgart to win the trophy for the second time in the club's history.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, had beaten Juventus in the new version of the European Cup to book their own place in the match. Played at the Stade Louis II in Monaco, the match was a tight one. Gus Poyet broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute with a right-footed finish from the edge of the box, sending home a cross from Gianfranco Zola.
Having scored the only goal of the game, Poyet not only won the Super Cup for Chelsea but also earned himself the Man of the Match award.
Chelsea UEFA Super Cup Runners-Up Seasons
2019-2020: Liverpool 2-2 (aet) Chelsea (5-4 pens)
There is a reason why there is something of a rivalry between Chelsea and Liverpool, with the number of times that the Merseyside club has beaten the London side in finals being a big part of that. Chelsea qualified for the 2019 Super Cup on account of the fact that they had won the previous season's Europa League.
Liverpool, meanwhile, were there thanks to a win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final, setting up an all-English Super Cup. It was the Blues that took the lead courtesy of a goal from Olivier Giroud, with Sadio Mané making it honours even at the start of the second-half.
It looked like Mané had given the Merseysiders the win when he scored at the start of extra-time, only for Jorginho to score a penalty. That meant that a penalty shootout was required, with Liverpool scoring all five of their spot kicks but Adrian saving the fifth penalty from Chelsea, which was taken by Tammy Abraham.
2013-2014: Bayern Munich 2-2 (aet) (5-4 pens)
The 2013 UEFA Super Cup final was a repeat of the Champions League final from two years earlier. It pitted Chelsea up against Bayern Munich, who had won the Champions League final the previous season. Chelsea, meanwhile, were in the Super Cup thanks to their win over Benfica in the Europa League final.
Played in the Czech Republic's Eden Arena, which would later become the Fortuna Arena, it was unusual insomuch as the two managers of both clubs were not the ones that had won the competition that got them there. Rafa Benitez and Jupp Heynckes had been replaced by José Moutinho and Pep Guardiola.
It renewed a rivalry that had taken place in Spain, with Spaniard Fernando Torres giving Chelsea the lead before Franck Ribéry equalised. Chelsea took the lead in extra-time thanks to Eden Hazard, then Javier Martinez scored another equaliser in stoppage time. Bayern won the resulting penalty shootout 5-4.
2012-2013: Chelsea 1-4 Atlético Madrid
Having defeated Bayern Munich in the 2011-2012 Champions League, Chelsea were considered by many to be the favourites for the Super Cup in August of 2012. They faced Europa League winners Atlético Madrid at the Stade Louis II in Monaco. If Chelsea had been expecting an easy ride then they got a shock pretty quickly.
Colombian forward Radamel Falcao, who would later play for the London club, scored a first-half hat-trick to all but take the game away from Chelsea before they'd even really got settled. The first goal came after just six minutes, with the next two coming in the 19th and 45th minutes to earn him the match ball.
Chelsea's fate was essentially sealed when Brazilian Miranda scored Atlético's fourth on the hour mark. There was a consolation goal netted by Gary Cahill 15 minutes before the end, but it was very much a case of being too little, too late for the London club and the Spaniards ended up winning the game 4-1.