EFL Cup: 5 Most Successful Teams in the Competition's History
The EFL Cup, currently known as the Carabao Cup due to sponsorship, first started in the 1960-61 season under the name Football League Cup. A total of 92 teams from four levels of English football can take part in this one-off knockout tournament, although the semi-finals are the exception. The championship match is held at the famous Wembley Stadium in March, and the winning team earns a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
The EFL Cup often doesn’t receive the recognition it merits, mainly overshadowed by the allure of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and FA Cup. Many supporters view it as a lesser trophy. Nevertheless, the top teams in England take the tournament seriously and strive to win it, seeking to enhance their trophy cabinets. Keep reading to discover which five teams have been the most successful in this competition's history.
#5 Aston Villa: Five Victories
Starting off the list is the strong team from Birmingham, Aston Villa. The Villans have participated in nine League Cup finals and have won the title five times.
Aston Villa last triumphed in the tournament during the 1995-96 season. They achieved an impressive 3-0 victory against Leeds United in the final, with goals from Savo Milosevic, Ian Taylor, and Dwight Yorke at Wembley Stadium.
Aston Villa was eliminated in the Round of 16 this year after suffering a 2-1 defeat to the surprising Crystal Palace at Villa Park.
#4 Chelsea: Five Victories
Chelsea, the pride of West London, has faced off in 10 EFL Cup finals. The Blues have won half of those matches, clinching the trophy five times while finishing as runners-up on five other occasions.
Chelsea last won the EFL Cup ten years ago, during the 2014-15 season. In the final, they defeated their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur with a score of 2-0, thanks to goals from John Terry and Diego Costa.
Chelsea faced elimination in the Round of 16 of the EFL Cup this year, after losing 2-0 to Newcastle United in an away match.
Manchester United's Six Victories
Manchester United, who have won the English championship 20 times, currently sit in third place. The Red Devils have reached the EFL Cup final ten times throughout their history, securing victory in six of those matches and suffering defeat in four.
Manchester United last won the League Cup in the 2022–23 season, securing a solid 2-0 win against Newcastle United in the final. The team’s victory came from goals scored by Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.
The team from Manchester has earned a spot in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup this season after triumphing over Leicester City with a score of 5-2 in the Round of 16. Their next match will be against Tottenham Hotspur in the final eight.
#2 Manchester City: Eight Victories
In recent years, Manchester City has been the clear leader in the EFL Cup, securing six out of their eight titles in the past eleven seasons. During Pep Guardiola's management, they achieved an incredible feat by winning the cup four times in a row from the 2017-18 season to the 2020-21 season. Throughout their history, they've only experienced one loss in a League Cup final, which occurred against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1973-74 season.
Manchester City secured their last Carabao Cup triumph in 2021, defeating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the championship match. Aymeric Laporte netted the decisive goal in the 82nd minute.
The current champions of England didn't advance far in this year's tournament, getting knocked out in the Round of 16 after losing 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool: 10 Victories In A Row
Liverpool holds the record for being the most successful club in EFL Cup history. Since the 1960-61 season, the Reds have reached the final 14 times and have emerged victorious 10 of those times.
Liverpool's most recent EFL Cup win occurred during the 2023-24 season against Chelsea. At that time, their manager Jurgen Klopp faced challenges with injuries to essential players, while Chelsea, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, had nearly all their squad available. Despite the difficult circumstances, Liverpool managed to stay resilient and finished the regular 90 minutes without any goals scored. It was Virgil van Dijk who secured the victory with a decisive goal in the 118th minute.
The Merseyside team is on track to defend their title this season, having secured a spot in the quarter-finals. To move on to the semi-finals, they need to defeat Southampton.
