After a football season marked by the end of several notable trophy droughts across Europe, teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Bologna, and even star player Harry Kane finally lifted silverware after lengthy waits. Paris Saint-Germain also secured their first UEFA Champions League title, marking a significant milestone for the club after years of falling short. This past season was particularly entertaining precisely because it broke with established patterns, where major domestic and European titles had often been dominated by a select few clubs.
However, the pressure to win never truly disappears. As the weight lifts from the shoulders of recent champions, it invariably transfers to other clubs. Looking ahead to the next season, the responsibility of ending trophy droughts now falls upon a new cohort of teams across the continent, some of whom are beginning to feel the burden of a potential “curse.”
The teams identified below are under scrutiny for various reasons, fundamentally linked to their inherent quality and expectations. A “cursed” team isn`t just one with a long time since its last trophy; it`s often a club with the capability and ambition to win that consistently fails to seize opportunities or overcome final hurdles. Unlike teams like Crystal Palace or Bologna who simply rose to the occasion, cursed teams are those frequently in contention yet unable to cross the finish line, caught in a cycle of hope followed by disappointment as trophy after trophy eludes them.
While their current trophy droughts might not be as dramatically long as some that were recently snapped, the narrative of a curse is becoming increasingly hard to ignore for these clubs, as is the pressure to deliver titles. Here`s a look at some teams now on “curse watch” for the upcoming season.
AC Milan
Trophy drought: 3 years
Although AC Milan clinched Serie A three years ago, this historic European powerhouse has since struggled to add further trophies, missing out in several competitions. They came close to winning titles in the intervening period, finishing second in Serie A in 2023-24, albeit significantly behind rivals Inter. The subsequent season saw them drop to eighth place, cycle through two managers, and squander a chance for silverware by losing the Coppa Italia final. The fact that a truncated Supercoppa Italiana in 2025 is their only notable trophy in this spell speaks volumes – while they had an exciting comeback win against Inter in that competition, it was only a two-game knockout format, not a test of season-long performance.
Their performance in the Champions League has also been underwhelming over the past two seasons, exiting in the group stage in 2023-24 and being knocked out in the knockout playoffs the following campaign. They will not participate in European competition next season, a first since 2019-20, highlighting a critical need for a turnaround to avoid becoming a less competitive force in Italy.
Ajax
Trophy drought: 3 years
A recurring theme for cursed teams is the squandering of opportunities relative to their stature, and Ajax has notably underperformed in recent years. The most successful club in the Netherlands has found itself unable to consistently challenge rivals PSV and Feyenoord. Just when it seemed they might regain their dominance, this past season saw them collapse, losing a nine-point Eredivisie lead with seven games remaining by winning only three of those matches, allowing rivals to overtake them. The previous year was one of their worst in the Eredivisie, finishing fifth and exiting both the KNVB Cup and the Europa League early.
Atletico Madrid
Trophy drought: 4 years
If any team carries a perennially cursed label, it`s Atletico Madrid. While they have celebrated two La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey under Diego Simeone in the last 12 years, these remain exceptions for a club often resigned to being the third force behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. The sense of misfortune feels ingrained in their heritage, even during an era where Simeone has frequently enabled them to punch above their weight. Their record in European competition is particularly painful; they rank third for the most games played in the Champions League without ever winning the trophy. Defining moments include two painful final defeats to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016. True to form, they suffered another European exit against Real this season, losing a Champions League last-16 tie on penalties in controversial fashion.
Arsenal
Trophy drought: 5 years
Mikel Arteta`s time at Arsenal has largely been a journey of upward progression, elevating the club from a mid-table team to a title contender since late 2019. His tenure includes an FA Cup win, three Premier League second-place finishes, and reaching a Champions League semi-final this season. While the run in Europe was impressive, pushing PSG close, it ultimately highlights the lack of major trophies under his leadership and increases the pressure for next season. While injuries are cited as a hindering factor, the success of three rival London clubs in winning major trophies this season makes Arsenal`s shortcomings more apparent. Beyond failing to fully capitalize on Manchester City`s challenging moments in the league, they also hold the unfortunate record for the most Champions League games played without winning the competition. The burden is now squarely on the Gunners to convert their clear potential into tangible success.
Anderlecht
Trophy drought: 7 years
While perhaps not under the same global spotlight as some others, Anderlecht, historically Belgium`s most successful club, has now gone seven years without securing any major domestic or European silverware. Despite consistently being among the higher-ranked teams in Belgium, they haven`t made a significant impact in recent competitions. A low point was missing out on European competition entirely for the first time in 56 years during this period. For the upcoming campaign, they are set to compete in the UEFA Conference League, but even reaching the group stage requires navigating potentially tricky qualifying rounds.