The Champions League is one of the most revered competitions in football and sport as a whole.

There are many players that would actually prioritise European success with their club over winning the World Cup with their country - highlighting the prestige that comes with winning it.

Real Madrid are the most successful club in the competition's history, winning the European Cup on six occasions and then a further seven trophies after the 1992 rebranding.

AC Milan find themselves in second place - although a long way behind with 'just' seven wins - followed by the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Barcelona and Ajax.

There are several trademarks that make the Champions League such a special competition with the iconic 'big ears' trophy and the pre-match routine being at the top of the list.

Champions League anthem

And no Champions League match would be complete without the tournament anthem, which is played before each team shakes hands and gets the game underway.

The music was originally penned by Tony Britten in 1992 as part of the competition's relaunch and was based upon 'Zadok the Priest' by the famous composer George Frideric Handel.

Every football fan would recognise that same triumphant sound and it bring goosebumps to any player listening to it on the pitch for the first time.

Lyrics in English

The lyrics are a mix of English, French and German - UEFA's official three languages - and supporters often give it their best shot at trying to imitate the words.

However, what would the song actually translate to if it was entirely in English? Given how often the anthem is played, it certainly makes sense to wonder and the result is actually surprising.

Despite such a bombastic instrumental, the lyrics are actually pretty underwhelming when you ditch the French and German. 

According to the Goal, the complete English translate goes like this:

They are the best teams
They are the best teams
The main event

The master
The best
The great teams
The champions

A big meeting
A great sporting event
The main event

The master
The best
The great teams
The champions

They are the best
They are the best
These are the champions

The master
The best
The champions

It's suddenly starting to make sense why UEFA used other European languages as well...

The anthem certainly won't be winning the Pulitzer Prize in a hurry and football fans will probably prefer to use their botched interpretations of the Spanish and German parts in future.

Claims of it being a 'big meeting' and that they are the 'best teams' aren't exactly massive statements and UEFA could probably have made it a little more dramatic.

However, regardless of whether it seems a little bland in England, it's ultimately become an iconic tune in the 'beautiful game' and one that demonstrates its link with wider culture.

Besides, the football can, at times, be as symphonic as the music.

Who do you think will win the Champions League this season? Have your say in the comments section below.