Continental Treble
This kind of treble consists of a club winning their country's top tier league and a major secondary competition (The Double), in addition to the continental championship, all within a single season. This was first achieved in 1962 by Santos, winning the Campeonato Paulista (state league), Taça Brasil (national league) and Copa Libertadores (continental tournament). Santos remain the only South American club to have achieved this treble. Most countries in the region do not have a domestic cup to enable a domestic double.
Since then, six European teams, six African clubs, two oceanian clubs, one Asian club and two North American clubs have equalled the feat. Raja Casablanca's 1999 season has also been called a "continental treble", as they won the CAF Champions League, the CAF Super Cup and the Afro-Asian Club Championship. Egyptian club Al-Ahly are the only side to have won this kind of treble more than once, and they did so in consecutive seasons (2005 and 2006). Among European sides, AFC Ajax have come the closest to defending all three titles, retaining the Dutch Eredivisie and European Cup in 1973, but failing to win the KNVB Cup.
After winning the 2010 Champions League final, Internazionale became the sixth club in Europe, and first Italian club, to win a European treble, having already won the Serie A title and Coppa Italia in the same season. This achievement gave José Mourinho the unique distinction of being the first manager to win two European trebles (one being with the UEFA Cup). It was the second consecutive season that a European treble was achieved. Samuel Eto'o played in the third Champions League final of his career, and with Internazionale's triumph over Bayern Munich became the first player to win two European trebles in consecutive seasons.
| Club | Country | Confederation | Year(s) | Titles won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santos | Brazil | CONMEBOL | 1962 | Campeonato Paulista, Taça Brasil, Copa Libertadores |
| Celtic | Scotland | UEFA | 1966–67 | Scottish Football League, Scottish Cup, European Cup |
| Ajax | Netherlands | 1971–72 | Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, European Cup | |
| PSV Eindhoven | Netherlands | 1987–88 | Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, European Cup | |
| Manchester United | England | 1998–99 | Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League | |
| Barcelona | Spain | 2008–09 | La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League | |
| Internazionale | Italy | 2009–10 | Serie A, Coppa Italia, UEFA Champions League | |
| Cruz Azul | Mexico | CONCACAF | 1969 | Primera División de México, Copa México, CONCACAF Champions Cup |
| Defence Force | Trinidad and Tobago | 1985 | TT Pro League, Trinidad and Tobago Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup | |
| Thai Farmers Bank | Thailand | AFC | 1995 | Thai League, Queen's Cup, Asian Club Championship |
| Englebert | Democratic Republic of the Congo | CAF | 1967 | Linafoot, Coupe du Congo, African Cup of Champions |
| Vita Club | Zaire | 1973 | Linafoot, Coupe du Congo, African Cup of Champions | |
| MC Algiers | Algeria | 1976 | Algerian Championnat National, Algerian Cup, African Cup of Champions | |
| Hearts of Oak | Ghana | 2000 | Ghana Premier League, Ghanaian FA Cup, CAF Champions League | |
| Al-Ahly | Egypt | 2006 | Egyptian League, Egyptian Soccer Cup, CAF Champions League | |
| Espérance | Tunisia | 2011 | Tunisian League, Tunisian President Cup, CAF Champions League | |
| Auckland City | New Zealand | OFC | 2006 | NZFC Championship, NZFC Premiership, OFC Champions League |
| Waitakere United | New Zealand | 2008 | NZFC Championship, NZFC Premiership, OFC Champions League |
- a Santos also won the Intercontinental Cup that season.
- b Celtic F.C. also won the Scottish League Cup and Glasgow Cup that season.
Read more about this topic: Treble (association Football)
Famous quotes containing the word treble:
“Hortensio. Madam, my instrument’s in tune.
Bianca. Let’s hear. O fie, the treble jars.
Lucentio. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)