Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| Champions League | feminine |
| Coppa dei Campioni | feminine, rare |
The term refers to the UEFA Champions League, the highest-level European club football tournament. While the modern name is the standard, you may hear alternative names like La Coppa dei Campioni (The Cup of Champions) or La Coppa Europea (The European Cup).
Which one should you use?
Champions League is the current standard name for the tournament. In contrast, Coppa dei Campioni refers to the predecessor of the tournament and is considered old-fashioned, used mostly by older generations or in historical contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the term is treated as a feminine noun in Italian, you use the feminine definite article la when referring to it, such as in la Champions League.
When do people say it?
In addition to the modern name, passionate fans or older generations may use the traditional names La Coppa dei Campioni or La Coppa Europea to refer to the competition.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word coppa has a surprising double meaning, as it refers both to a trophy cup and a specific cut of cured pork neck.
- The word coppa is used in Italian anatomy to describe the nape of the neck because the curve of the neck resembles the handle of a cup.
- The Italian word coppa is derived from the Latin cūpa, which originally referred to a large wooden vat or cask.
Examples in context
- Ho visto l'incredibile partita della Champions League ieri sera!I watched the incredible Champions League match last night!
- La CL è il torneo più prestigioso d'Europa!The CL is the most prestigious tournament in Europe!
- Seguirò la Champions League stasera.I will watch the Champions League tonight.
- Chi ha vinto la Champions League l'anno scorso?Who won the Champions League last year?
- La Champions League è molto emozionante.The Champions League is very exciting.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are talking about football at a cafe.
- MatteoGuardi la Champions League stasera?Are you watching the Champions League tonight?
- MartinaSì, non voglio perdermi la partita.Yes, I don't want to miss the match.
- MatteoAnche io, è un torneo fantastico.Me too, it is a fantastic tournament.
- MartinaVeramente, la Champions League è il massimo.Truly, the Champions League is the best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “champions league” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coppa, dei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
