Founded on 16 November 1899, AC Milan have established themselves as one of the giants of the modern game. They have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League seven times, the two Cup winners’ Cups in addition to five European Super Cups and three Intercontinental Cup/Club World Cup titles. On the domestic front, they have won 17 ‘Scudettos’- only Juventus have won more - and have lifted the Coppa Italia five times. Known as the Rossoneri, they share their iconic home, the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (more commonly known as the San Siro), with their local rivals Inter.

Founded on 9 March 1908, Internazionale, or Inter Milan, are the only Italian club to have spent the entire of their existence in the top division, Serie A. The Neroazzuri have won two European Cups and three UEFA Cups, as well as two Intercontinental Cups. Domestically, they have won Italy’s Serie A title on 15 occasions and the Coppa Italia on five times. Other famous former players include Giuseppi Bergomi, Sandro Mazzola, Ronaldo and Christian Vieri.

Domestic Appearances/goals: 75/11
European appearances/goals: 16/3

Founded on 6 March 1902, Real Madrid took their bow in the Spanish top flight in 1928 and have remained there ever since. The Merengues’ greatest triumphs include a record nine European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000 and 2002) and three Intercontinental/Club World Cups (1960, 1998 and 2002). They have also won the Spanish League title on 30 occasions. Their stadium, the Bernabeu is one of the most famous football venues in world football. Other famous former players include Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham.

Domestic appearances/goals: 121/15
European appearances/goals: 28/3

One of two major clubs from the Italian city of Genoa, U.C. Sampdoria were founded on 1 August 1946. Their finest hour came in 1990 when they lifted the Cup Winner’s Cup. A year later they secured their only Serie A title, just once in their history, to go along side four Coppa Italia triumphs. In 1992 they came close to adding the European Cup to their trophy cabinet, but were edged out in the final by Barcelona. Other famous former players include Ruud Gullit, Gianluca Vialli, Jurgen Klinsmann and Roberto Mancini.

Domestic appearances/goals: 34/4

Hailing from Amsterdam, and founded in 1900, Ajax are one Holland’s ‘big three’ clubs, and statistically by far the most successful, with 29 Eredivisie titles and four European Cup/Champions League titles (1971, 1972, 1973 and 1995) to their name. They have also won two Intercontinental Cup titles. The club’s fabled youth academy has produced a host of stars over the decades, from Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten and Denis Bergkamp to Frank Rijkaard and of course Clarence himself.

Domestic appearances/goals: 65/11
European appearances/goals: 16/0