The aim of competing in any sport and competition is to win a trophy, particularly in football. Medals are celebrated, but do you know that some famous clubs have never won a major trophy in the world?
In this post, I will share with you some football clubs. If you have ever wanted to know the EPL club that has never won a major trophy, you have it in this post.
And more so in your favorite leagues like La Liga, Bundesliga, and Serie A.
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The 10 Famous Clubs That Have Never Won A Major Trophy In The World
- Udinese Calcio
- Fulham FC
- AFC Wimbledon
- Brentford FC
- CD Leganés
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Union Berlin
- Mainz 05
- Watford FC
- SC Freiburg
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is a football club from Udine, Italy. It was founded way back in 1896, making it one of the oldest clubs in the country. Even though they’ve had some strong seasons, Udinese has never won a major trophy. Their best moment was in 1955, when they finished second in Serie A, just behind AC Milan.
They’ve also played in big competitions like the Champions League and Europa League. The club became famous for discovering talented players like Alexis Sánchez, Fabio Quagliarella, and Antonio Di Natale, who scored many goals for them.
Despite all their history and strong performances, they’re still waiting for their first big win. Fans still hope that one day, Udinese will lift a major trophy and make football history in Italy.
Fulham FC
Fulham FC is one of the biggest clubs never to win a major trophy. Based in West London, the team was founded in 1879, making it the oldest professional football club in the city.
They have played at Craven Cottage since 1896 and are known for their white shirts and black shorts. Fulham shares local rivalries with Chelsea, Brentford, and Queens Park Rangers.
Over the years, the club has enjoyed moments of success in lower divisions, winning several league titles outside the top tier. They reached the FA Cup final in 1975 and were runners-up in the 2010 UEFA Europa League, but major silverware has always just escaped them.
Fulham have often bounced between the Premier League and the Championship, though they remain a respected name in English football.
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a football club from South West London that plays in League One, the third level of English football. The club was started in 2002 by fans of the old Wimbledon F.C. after the team was controversially moved to Milton Keynes and renamed Milton Keynes Dons.
Supporters who felt their club’s history was lost decided to form a new team to keep the Wimbledon spirit alive. Beginning in the ninth tier of English football, AFC Wimbledon won six promotions in just over a decade.
In 2016, they reached League One, becoming the first club founded in the 21st century to join the Football League. They also hold a record for the longest unbeaten run in senior English football, with 78 matches between 2003 and 2004.
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Brentford FC
Brentford FC, also known as “The Bees,” is a football club from West London, England. Founded in 1889, the team has worked its way up through the English football system, winning lower league titles along the way.
Their best league finish was in the 1935–36 season, when they ended fifth in the old First Division. However, despite many years of history, Brentford have never lifted a major trophy. They have come close several times, reaching cup finals and play-off finals, but usually finishing as runners-up. In 2021, they finally returned to the Premier League for the first time since the 1940s.
CD Leganés
CD Leganés is one of the famous clubs that has never won a major trophy. Based in the city of Leganés, near Madrid, the team was formed in 1928.
For many decades, they played in Spain’s lower leagues and only began to climb up in the late 20th century. In 2016, Leganés participated in La Liga for the first time.
They managed to stay in the top division for four years, even pulling off a famous Copa del Rey run in 2018 when they knocked out Real Madrid to reach the semifinals. Despite these moments, they were relegated in 2020 and have since moved between La Liga and Segunda División.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion is one of the most famous clubs yet to win a major trophy. They currently play in the Premier League at the Falmer Stadium, which became their home in 2011.
The club was formed in 1901 and first played in the Southern League before joining the Football League in 1920. Their biggest early achievement was in 1983 when they got to the FA Cup final, only to lose to Manchester United in a replay.
Despite spells in the top division, financial struggles in the 1990s pushed them down to the fourth tier, with the club nearly dropping out of the league altogether.
A takeover saved them, and back-to-back promotions in the early 2000s lifted them again. In 2017, Brighton returned to the Premier League, and in 2023, they qualified for European competition for the first time.
Union Berlin
Union Berlin is one of the notable clubs that has never won a major trophy. After German reunification, the team often struggled with money problems, which kept them from moving up the leagues despite good performances.
In 2001, they got to the German Cup final but lost to Schalke 04, missing out on a historic win. They spent years moving between divisions but gained strong support from their fans. In 2019, Union Berlin finally reached the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, becoming the first club from East Berlin to do so.
Since then, they have defeated big teams like Borussia Dortmund and even qualified for European competitions, including the Europa League and the Champions League. Despite these successes, they are still waiting for their first major trophy.
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Mainz 05
Mainz 05 is another amazing team in Germany that has never won a major trophy. The club’s history goes back to 1905, when it was first formed after earlier failed attempts to set up a football team in Mainz.
Over the years, Mainz went through several mergers and name changes before becoming 1. FSV Mainz 05. For decades, the team played in lower divisions and even faced financial problems in the 1970s and 80s.
Things began to change under coach Jürgen Klopp, who led Mainz to their first Bundesliga promotion in 2004. Since then, they have become a steady Bundesliga side, even competing in Europe a few times, including the UEFA Cup and Europa League.
Despite strong seasons and famous results, such as stopping Dortmund from winning the title in 2023, Mainz have never lifted a major German or European trophy.
Watford FC
Watford FC is also another famous English club that has never won a major trophy, despite having some memorable moments. The team’s rise began in the late 1970s when lifelong fan Elton John became chairman and appointed Graham Taylor as manager.
Under Taylor, Watford moved from the Fourth Division to the First Division, even finishing second behind Liverpool in 1983. They also reached the FA Cup final in 1984 but lost to Everton.
Since then, Watford have had ups and downs, including several promotions and relegations between the Premier League and lower leagues.
They got to another FA Cup final in 2019 but were defeated heavily by Manchester City. The club has also faced financial struggles and frequent managerial changes.
SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg is one of Germany’s most respected clubs that has never won a major trophy. The team was formed in 1904 after a series of local club mergers in Freiburg. Over the years, they played in lower leagues before reaching the Bundesliga in 1993 under coach Volker Finke.
Despite this success, the club has moved between the top division and the 2. Bundesliga. Under long-time coach Christian Streich, Freiburg became a stable Bundesliga side and even reached the DFB-Pokal final in 2022, though they lost to RB Leipzig.
They have also qualified several times for European competitions, showing they can compete with bigger clubs.
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Conclusion
Winning trophies is the ultimate goal for any sports team, including football clubs. However, I have shared with you ten famous clubs that have yet to lift a major trophy in the world.
Brighton & Hove Albion, CD Leganes, Brentford, Union Berlin, and AFC Wimbledon all have passionate fan bases and rich histories, but their trophy cabinets remain empty when it comes to major silverware.
Despite this, these clubs have experienced memorable moments, such as Brighton & Hove Albion’s victory in the FA Charity Shield and Leganes’ historic promotion to La Liga.
They continue to strive for success and aim to make history by securing their first major trophy.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.