In association football (soccer), a treble is achieved when a club team wins three trophies in a single season. This remarkable feat is a significant achievement in the sport, showcasing a team’s dominance across multiple competitions.
Types of Trebles
Continental Treble
A continental treble involves winning a club’s top-level domestic league competition, the main domestic cup competition, and the main continental trophy. While some interpretations include winning a second-tier continental trophy (such as the UEFA Europa League), this is not as widely accepted as a standard continental treble.
Domestic Treble
A domestic treble consists of winning three national competitions, typically including the league title, the primary cup competition, and one secondary competition, such as a secondary cup or league cup.
Exclusions
Competitions that consist of a single match or two-leg matches are not usually counted as part of a treble. Examples include the FA Community Shield, Supercopa de España, Supercoppa Italiana, Trophée des Champions, DFL-Supercup, UEFA Super Cup, Recopa Sudamericana, FIFA Club World Cup, and Intercontinental Cup.
Iconic Players and Trebles
Achieving a treble often highlights the contributions of iconic players who lead their teams to success. For instance, Manchester United, with players like David Beckham, achieved a historic treble in the 1998-1999 season, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League. Beckham’s contributions to the team during this period solidified his status as a celebrity athlete and showcased the importance of individual talent in achieving collective goals.
Lionel Messi is another iconic player who has won two continental trebles with Barcelona—in 2009 and 2015. This achievement plays a significant role in the ongoing rivalry discussion between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also achieved remarkable feats in his career.
Other players have also secured two trebles with their clubs. Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Javi Martinez, Manuel Neuer, and Thomas Müller have all achieved this with Bayern Munich. Similarly, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Messi, Xavi, Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, and Pedro have all won two trebles with Barcelona.
Interestingly, Samuel Eto’o is the only player to achieve this remarkable feat with two different teams: he won the treble with Barcelona in 2009 and again with Inter Milan in 2010.
Interconnections with Other Concepts
Teams achieving a treble generate significant hype, attracting media attention and fan engagement. For further insights into player contributions and the dynamics of sports success, see the pages on Sports Icons and Hypegenic, which explore how athletes elevate their teams and the sport itself.