The 5 most successful teams in the history of the league

The EFL Cup, now called the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, debuted in the 1960–61 season as the Football League Cup. As many as 92 teams across four domestic levels in England are eligible to participate in the single-leg knockout competition (excluding the semi-finals). The final will take place in March at the iconic Wembley Stadium, with the winner securing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The EFL Cup doesn’t always get the respect it deserves, mainly due to the popularity of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and FA Cup, with many fans considering it a trophy of little significance. However, England’s most ambitious teams approach the competition with seriousness and do their best to add the trophy to their collection. Read on to see the five most successful teams in the league’s history.

#5 Aston Villa: 5 wins

Kicking off the list is Birmingham powerhouse Aston Villa. The Villans have played in nine League Cup finals to date, taking home the trophy five times.

Aston Villa’s last success in the competition came in the 1995–96 season. They recorded a convincing 3-0 win over Leeds United in the big event, with Savo Milosevic, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke scoring at Wembley Stadium.

Aston Villa crashed out of the round of 16 this year, losing 2-1 to underdogs Crystal Palace at Villa Park.

#4 Chelsea: 5 wins

The pride of West London, Chelsea, have appeared in 10 EFL Cup finals. The Blues have a conversion rate of 50%, having secured the gold medal five times and settling for silver five times.

Chelsea’s last EFL Cup win came a decade ago in 2014-15. The Pensioners defeated London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final, with John Terry and Diego Costa finding the back of the net.

Chelsea suffered an exit in the round of 16 of the EFL Cup this season. Enzo Maresca’s team lost 2-0 at Newcastle United.

#3 Manchester United: 6 wins

Record twenty-time English champion Manchester United is in third place. The Red Devils have appeared in ten EFL Cup finals over the years, winning six and losing four.

Manchester United last won the League Cup in 2022-2023. They recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the final, thanks to goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.

The Mancunians secured a place in the EFL Cup quarter-finals this season by beating Leicester City 5-2 in the round of 16. In the last eight they play against Tottenham Hotspur.

#2 Manchester City: 8 wins

Manchester City have dominated the EFL Cup in recent years, winning six out of eight in the past eleven seasons. They enjoyed a historic run under manager Pep Guardiola, winning the EFL Cup in four consecutive seasons between 2017-18 and 2020-21. The Cityzens have only lost one League Cup final over the years, and that defeat came in the 1973-74 season to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester City last won the Carabao Cup in 2021, beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the final. Aymeric Laporte scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute.

The reigning English champions failed to go deep in the competition this year, crashing out in the round of 16 after a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

#1 Liverpool: 10 wins

Liverpool are the most successful team in the history of the EFL Cup. The Reds have played fourteen finals since the 1960-61 season and have come out on top ten times.

Liverpool’s last EFL Cup win came at the expense of Chelsea in the 2023/24 season. Then-coach Jurgen Klopp had limited options due to injuries to key players, while Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea were almost at full strength. Against the odds, the Reds held on and kept the match goalless after 90 minutes before Virgin van Dijk won the match in the 118th minute.

The Merseysiders are on course to defend their title this season after booking a place in the quarter-finals. They will have to beat Southampton to progress to the semi-finals.