The Forgotten Superclubs: European Giants That Have Fallen from Grace

Europe is home to some of the finest quality and most profitable football in the world. With 55 top-tier leagues across various countries, they all possess teams with deep histories, some dating back to the creation of this game. As these leagues continue to develop, we are witnessing an increase in European trophies available, with four UEFA competitions for clubs to compete in. The variety of competitive leagues and tournaments can significantly appeal to different viewership while also shaping strategies such as value betting in modern football.

With such high stakes in these competitive leagues featuring the biggest names in football, it has been known that the biggest teams taking part fluctuate from time to time. Here are some of the biggest teams throughout history that experienced the steepest fall from grace that shocked football fans, players and pundits worldwide!

Nottingham Forest

Once seen at the pinnacle of English football, Nottingham Forest has been a shadow of their previous self in the 21st century. After most recently getting relegated in 1999, they found themselves stuck in the Championship until 2022, when they won the playoff final. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865, making them one of the longest-lasting football clubs in history. In the late 18th century, Nottingham Forest claimed their second trophy with the prestigious FA Cup, the first being the maiden trophy. 

In 1975, Nottingham Forest saw the manager Brian Clough join the club. The best decision the board of Nottingham Forest had made. Clough was appointed when the club was in a poor state, the team was 13th in the second division, the attendances were low, and the committee-run club was close to bankruptcy. Clough’s directness and leadership immediately resonated well with the fans. Within the first few days of his arrival, 4000 season tickets were sold. In the first 5 years of Brian Clough’s time at Forest, he secured promotion for the team back to the top flight of English football and brought the club its first League Cup, the first division title, and back-to-back European Cups—the peak of Nottingham Forest’s long history. 

Clough left Nottingham Forest in 1993 after a relegation to Division 2, marking the club’s end of an era. The post-Clough era saw Nottingham Forest go through several managers who struggled to replicate what Clough did. The managerial issues contributed to the financial demise, leading to Forest’s downfall. Poor investment meant the club lacked funds to compete with other top clubs in the Premier League, making the gap between the league’s top contenders and Forest bigger. A lack of financial stability equated to Forest dropping down the table and eventually being relegated to the third tier of English football. They had become the first European Cup winner to be relegated into their country’s third level of football.

The appointment of manager Steve Cooper eventually ended the 23-year wait for premier league football and won the playoffs. After their promotion back to the Premier League, Forest spent time in the summer strengthening the squad financially to try to find their feet in the league. After two years of fighting against relegation, Nottingham Forest finally looks comfortable in the Premier League, fighting for a Champions League place to mark their first in the post-Clough era.

FCSB/FC Steaua București

FCSB, originally known as FC Steaua București, has a rich Romanian football legacy. With a remarkable record of 27 Liga I titles, they are the most decorated club in the history of Romanian football. After dominating the Romanian leagues, FC Steaua București turned its sights towards European competition. Their journey in European football began in the 1957-58 European Cup campaign, just two years after the tournament was established. The European Cup, only accessible if a team won the top-flight league, was the pinnacle of club football then. Up to the 1980s, Steaua struggled to surpass the first round of the competition. 

The landscape shifted during their ‘Golden Era.’ In 1986, Steaua București celebrated a groundbreaking moment by securing their first European Cup title, a significant achievement that echoed throughout the football community. Following this success, they faced off in the European Super Cup, where they triumphed 1-0 thanks to a legendary goal from Gheorghe Hagi. Despite their initial success in the European Cup, Steaua couldn’t quite recapture that magic, with their best post-victory finish being a finals appearance in 1988-89. This would, unfortunately, mark the end of their European Cup finals journey. Struggling to fill the void left by the departure of their star player, Hagi, to Real Madrid, the club faced challenges and never found another talent of his caliber. As instability set in, Steaua București failed to keep pace with wealthier European clubs, making the gap between those other successful European clubs and Steaua bigger and bigger.

Nevertheless, they remained strong in Romania, clinching six league titles from 1990 to 2025. The last time we saw Steaua București in the UEFA Champions League was in the 2013/14 season, although they finished last in their group with 1 point, failing to advance—a dramatic fall from grace for a once-great club.

Parma Calcio 1913

The early years of Parma Calcio saw them play most of their football in the lower leagues of Italian football. With limited success, Parma often dropped into the regional leagues of Italy. In 1928, Parma would experience its first season in the top flight of Italian football after earning promotion to Serie A. Despite this success, it would be short-lived after poor performances, which meant they had been relegated in their first year in Serie A. It would be many years before Parma would next play in the Serie A. Promoted in 1968, Parma fans had hope for success for the club. In the 1970s-1980s, Parma began to find its feet in the Serie A. Investing in the club to attract better players helped Parma improve in the top flight of Italian football.

The 1990s came and have been described as ‘The Golden Era’ of Palma. Heavily investing in quality soon helped them become one of Italy’s most feared clubs. Signing big names like Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Alessandro Nesta, and Hernán Crespo played vital roles in the success of Palma. In 1992, Parma placed their hands on their first bit of silverware with the Coppa Italia. A few years later, in 1995, Parma answered fans’ dreams by winning one of the most prestigious trophies, the UEFA Cup. In 1999, they reinstated their position as one of the greatest present teams in the world after winning the UEFA Cup once again.

The mid-2000s found Parma battling for financial stability, which led them to sell some of their best players. This resulted in a weakened team, which tarnished performance in the leagues. Despite the sales of their great players, Parma still found themselves in financial struggles. After relegation from Serie A in 2008, Parma faced more financial issues, eventually leading to its filing for bankruptcy in 2015. Parma was reformed and began in Serie D, the fourth tier of Italian football. They had a clean slate with all debts cleared for a good structure and club management. In 2018, they returned to the Serie A, though relegation and promotion pushes have been common in recent years.