GENEVA — The joy that flowed across north London for Arsenal clinching a Premier League title capped a European soccer trend this season that started in a Swedish fishing village.
From stunning first-time champions to teams ending their decades-long run without a league title, it was a season like no other in modern European soccer. Fans barely believed their success would ever happen again or feared it never would.
Long Waits End
Arsenal fans' wait through 22 years of mostly underachievement for another Premier League title ended late Tuesday when second-place Manchester City drew a must-win game at Bournemouth.
In Denmark, it had been 40 years for AGF from Aarhus to regain the title this month. In Austria, LASK from Linz waited 61 years.
First-Time Champions
First-time champions included 128-year-old club Thun in Switzerland and 87-year-old Mjällby in Sweden, who set the ball rolling in October.
Why has this happened for unheralded teams that could now play in the elite Champions League next season?
A more democratic and low-cost access to knowledge and data about running clubs and scouting players has helped, said Olivier Jarosz, who advises potential investors and teams across Europe.
Scandinavia Sets Trend
First it was Mjällby, then weeks later Viking sealed its first Norwegian title for 34 years in November, when Nordic soccer seasons end to avoid midwinter weather.
If Mjällby was a Cinderella team that played in the third tier nine years earlier, Viking's story was the revival of a past champion from decline.
Viking had to topple the new power in Norway, Bodø/Glimt, the Arctic Circle team that itself wrote Champions League lore this year by beating Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.
European Upsets
Denmark made it a hat trick when AGF was guided to success by coach Jakob Poulsen, like Mauro Lustrinelli at Thun — a former star player who came back to his old club.
Three of the most dominant clubs in European leagues were dethroned:
- Ludogorets won 14 straight titles in Bulgaria — now lost
- Qarabag won 11 of the past 12 in Azerbaijan — passed by Sabah
- Ferencvaros was a seven-time defending champion in Hungary — beaten by Győri ETO
The new Bulgarian champion is Levski Sofia, whose previous title was 17 years ago, just weeks after the club was bought by a former Goldman Sachs investment banker.
In Azerbaijan, Sabah won its first title just nine years after the club was created. Second-place Qarabag played in the Champions League this season and beat Benfica, which led to Jose Mourinho returning to coach his former club.
In Hungary, Ferencvaros, coached by Ireland great Robbie Keane, was edged by one point by Győri ETO, whose previous title was 13 years ago.
LASK is the new champion in Austria, which was in Salzburg's grip for a decade before the Red Bull-affiliated club went into decline three years ago.
In Romania, Universitatea Craiova won its first title since 1991, with 11-goal top scorer Assad Al Hamlawi from the Palestinian national team.
Near Misses
Two of the best stories just missed a Hollywood ending in France and Scotland.
Lens chased the financial juggernaut of Qatari-owned Paris Saint-Germain all the way into May, pursuing a first title since 1998.
Heart of Midlothian suffered the most emotionally crushing end, leading the Scottish Premiership standings from September until the 87th minute of a showdown at Celtic on Saturday. It was the third last-day heartbreak for the low-budget, fan-owned Edinburgh club since its previous title in 1960.
Trend Across Europe
No two titles were exactly alike, but a trend across the 54 national leagues in Europe could be seen: the playing field is leveling, and smaller clubs are seizing their moment.
If the data revolution continues, there could be more unheralded teams lifting trophies in small provincial towns next season.