This is the second part of my previous article that will help you with the orientation in every European league. Let’s see what the history of another 5 European leagues is...

Belarus

Belarusian championship gained independency in 1992, just like the most of the former Soviet Union republics. In the Soviet time the likes of Dinamo Minsk, Torpedo Minsk and BATE Borisov were dictating the tendencies – a tradition that is yet to be ruined. The structure of the championship was changed twice – the 1992 championship was as simply as round-robin between 16 clubs, so that the autumn-spring model could be started in the same year. Due to the bad pitches in Belarus, however, the Belarusian Football Federation returned the summer model.

Dinamo Minsk won 5 consecutive titles since the championship in 1992 and after 10 years of changing champions, BATE Borisov started their hegemony, winning the last 5 titles. BATE won the last championship, finishing with 6 points more than Shakhtyor Soligorsk. Dinamo Minsk finished 4th, 16 points behind the champions. BATE and Dinamo are joint leaders in the titles competition after the independence, winning 7 titles each. Slavia Mozyr are on third place with 2 titles, with the last one being 10 years ago. Now Slavia are playing in Second Division and they finished 9th this season.

Belarusian Football Clubs

Dinamo Minsk – 7 titles (First title: 1992 – Last Title: 2004)
BATE Borisov – 7 titles (First title: 1999 – Last Title: 2010)
Slavia Mozyr – 2 titles (First title: 1996 /as MPKC Mozyr/ - Last title: 2000)

Belgium

The first league in Belgian football was held back in 1895 with only 7 participants. FC Liege were the first Belgian champions – now the team is in Third Division. Until the World War I Union Saint-Gilloise and Racing de Brussels were most successful, winning 7 and 6 titles respectively. The likes of Beerschot AC, Royal Antwerp and RCS Brugge also had their glory, but after the World War II a new giant was born – RSC Anderlecht. “Purple and White” have won 30 titles since then and it doesn’t look like they are going to stop. It’s not surprise that they are leading the title competition with 30 titles, way ahead of Club Brugge (13) and above-mentioned Union Saint-Gilloise.

Anderlecht won the title in 2009-2010 and are currently leading the table after 21 rounds. Club Brugge are 7th, 14 points behind RSC and they will be battling for a playoff qualification. Union Saint-Gilloise are 8th in Third Division Group B, 10 points behind leaders Virton.

Belgian Football Clubs

RSC Anderlecht – 30 titles (First title: 1946-1947 /as RSC Anderlechtois/ – Last title: 2009-2010)
Club Brugge – 13 titles (First title: 1919-1920 /as FC Brugeois/ - Last title: 2004-2005)
Union Saint-Gilloise – 11 titles (First title: 1903-1904 – Last title: 1934-1935)

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bosnian Premier League was formed in 1998, with FK Zeljeznicar becoming the first champions. Before it, there were three leagues – First League of Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FK Celik with most titles - 3), First League of Herzeg-Bosnia (NK Siroki Brijeg with most titles - 5) and First League of Republika Srpska (FK Rudar Ugljevik and FK Boksit Milići with most titles – 2).

First national championship started in 2000-2001, as before that there was a playoff between Bosnian and Croatian clubs. FK Zeljeznicar won the first national title and they won it again in the next season, as well as in 2009-2010. This makes them title leaders in Bosnia with 4 titles. HSK Zrinjski are on the second place with two titles (2004-2005 and 2008-2009), alongside Siroki Brijeg, who won the silverware in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. FK Modrica, FK Sarajevo, FK Leotar and NK Brotnjo are the other title holders.

In the current season we see Borac Banja Luka leading the table, 5 points ahead of Zeljeznicar and Sarajevo. Siroki Brijeg are 4th, while Zrinjski are in the bottom side of the table (14th place).

Bosnian Football Clubs

FK Zeljeznicar – 4 titles (First title: 1997-1998 – Last title: 2009-2010)
HSK Zrinjski – 2 titles (First title: 2004-2005 – Last title: 2008-2009)
NK Siroki Brijeg – 2 titles (First title: 2003-2004 – Last title: 2005-2006)

Bulgaria

The first Bulgarian championship in 1925 and Vladislav Varna (currently Cherno More Varna, after merging with SC Ticha in 1945) became champions. Before the end of the World War II, Levski Sofia, Lokomotiv Sofia, Slavia and the Varna clubs were the best clubs in Bulgaria, sharing the titles between 1925 and 1947 (with 2 exceptions – Botev Plovdiv in 1929 and AS 23 Sofia in 1931). In 1948, however, CSKA Sofia arrived on the map (named Septemvri pri CDV in the first season and changing many names in the following years) and won 31 titles, with the seasons progressing. Naturally, this makes CSKA the team with the most titles in Bulgaria, ahead of Levski (26) and Slavia Sofia (7). It’s an interesting fact that only 2 former champions eventually became defunct – Sportclub Sofia and AS 23 Sofia (even though AS were said to be a predecessor of CSKA Sofia). The Sofia domination in terms of the titles is beyond doubt – the capital teams have won 70 titles, while other big towns like Varna and Plovdiv have won 5 and 4 respectively. Litex Lovech became champions last season for 3rd time in their history.

This season we see Litex on the first place again, with the likes of Levski, Lokomotiv Sofia and Chernomorets trying to hunt them down. CSKA are on 6th place, 11 points behind Litex, while Slavia are 7th.

Bulgarian Football Clubs

CSKA Sofia – 31 titles (First title: 1947-1948 /as Septemvri pri CDV/ - Last title: 2007-2008)
Levski Sofia – 26 titles (First title: 1933 – Last title: 2008-2009)
Slavia Sofia – 7 titles (First title: 1928 – Last title: 1995-1996)

Croatia

Croatian 1.NHL was formed in 1991 and the first started in February 1992. The competition is relatively new, but had already undergone many format changes. And from the 2011-2012 season we will see 12 teams in 1.NHL, instead of 16, meaning that 5 teams will be relegated after this season and only the champions of Druga NHL (2nd Division) will be promoted.

Hajduk Split won the first Croatian title in 1992, before changing the summer model to an autumn-spring one. Dinamo Zagreb (back then - Croatia Zagreb) won the 1992-1993 title, putting the start of a fierce rivalry with Hajduk that continues in modern day as well. However, Dinamo have the upper hand so far, winning 12 titles, while Hajduk have won the silverware only 6 times. In 2001-2002 season NK Zagreb became surprising champions, with their star player Ivica Olic (currently at Bayern Munchen) becoming top goalscorer of 1.NHL with 21 goals. Thus NK Zagreb became the only team so far to mar the dominance of Dinamo and Hajduk. By the way, Dinamo have won the last 5 1.NHL titles, with the most impressive one being won in 2006-2007, as Dinamo finished with 30-2-1 record, 17 wins from 17 games at home and Brazilian Eduardo da Silva (currently at Shakhtar) scoring 34 goals and thus smashing the 29-goal record by Goran Vlaovic from the 1993-1994 season.
This season we find Dinamo Zagreb leading the table once again, having 5 points more than Hajduk. NK Zagreb are down in the relegation zone, but still all to play for the 2001-2002 champions.

Croatian Football clubs

Dinamo Zagreb – 12 titles (First title: 1992-1993 /as Croatia Zagreb/ - Last title: 2009-2010)
Hajduk Split – 6 titles (First title: 1992 – Last title: 2004-2005)
NK Zagreb – 1 title (2001-2002)