Manchester City's win was the seventh by an English club since the European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League Credit : Getty Images/Michael Steele There was a recent ITV documentary entitled, 'When English Football Ruled Europe'. It may be time for the producers to make preparations for Season Two.The retrospective focused on the years before the Heysel Stadium tragedy of 1985 , when Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa lifted the European Cup. Seven of the eight European Cups returned to England between 1977-84, and the second-tier Uefa tournaments were won by Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.There seemed to be no stopping our sides until they were exiled after the horrific events in Brussels. Left behind tactically, technically and financially during the ban, it would take years after the return to European competition before such successes were repeated, and never at the same prolific rate.City's triumph on Saturday night was the seventh by an English side since the ban was lifted. In the 39 years since Liverpool won the 1984 European Cup, English clubs have been well represented on the Champions League honours board. Only La Liga and Serie A clubs have collected more victories.Bundesliga clubs have only four wins during that time, so the Premier League has often left its imprint on the biggest stage. But none of the English clubs' triumphs – many of them great teams in their own right – could cement the idea that the Premier League is the strongest in Europe.Only now, with City's victory meaning three of the last five Champions League finals have been won by an English team, does it feel like the pendulum might swing back to that pre-Heysel superiority, Pep Guardiola's side as the obvious spearhead.Two Premier League captains lifting a major European trophy in the space of four days is the most compelling evidence that English clubs can start to think about collecting Uefa honours on an annual basis.West Ham United's Europa Conference League victory should inspire Aston Villa to believe they can replicate that success next season. The scenes in East London over the last few days will increase the determination of many clubs to seize that last European spot in future years. There was a recent ITV documentary entitled, 'When English Football Ruled Europe'. It may be time for the producers to make preparations for Season Two.The retrospective focused on the years before the Heysel Stadium tragedy of 1985 , when Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa lifted the European Cup. Seven of the eight European Cups returned to England between 1977-84, and the second-tier Uefa tournaments were won by Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton.There seemed to be no stopping our sides until they were exiled after the horrific events in Brussels. Left behind tactically, technically and financially during the ban, it would take years after the return to European competition before such successes were repeated, and never at the same prolific rate.City's triumph on Saturday night was the seventh by an English side since the ban was lifted. In the 39 years since Liverpool won the 1984 European Cup, English clubs have been well represented on the Champions League honours board. Only La Liga and Serie A clubs have collected more victories.Bundesliga clubs have only four wins during that time, so the Premier League has often left its imprint on the biggest stage. But none of the English clubs' triumphs – many of them great teams in their own right – could cement the idea that the Premier League is the strongest in Europe.Only now, with City's victory meaning three of the last five Champions League finals have been won by an English team, does it feel like the pendulum might swing back to that pre-Heysel superiority, Pep Guardiola's side as the obvious spearhead.Two Premier League captains lifting a major European trophy in the space of four days is the most compelling evidence that English clubs can start to think about collecting Uefa honours on an annual basis.West Ham United's Europa Conference League victory should inspire Aston Villa to believe they can replicate that success next season. The scenes in East London over the last few days will increase the determination of many clubs to seize that last European spot in future years. Pep Guardiola's first Champions League victory with Manchester City has set them apart Credit : Getty Images/Matthew Ashton In the Europa League, Liverpool will go into next year's tournament as favourites, and Brighton and Hove Albion can go far under the management of the exceptional Roberto De Zerbi.No European side will want to draw the Premier League teams. Spanish, German and Italian clubs have long feared this day would dawn, no doubt worried it would happen sooner given the financial power of English clubs, especially City.They are waking up to the nightmare now. Until recently, the Premier League was regarded overseas as the most wealthy and entertaining without necessarily being the most technically proficient.Real Madrid have almost single-handedly fended off the Premier League challenge to La Liga's status as the most complete division.But when I stood in the Ataturk Stadium and witnessed City's players dancing around with the most coveted trophy in club football, it felt like they were celebrating the first of many European Cup wins.City have the capacity to achieve what Liverpool, AC Milan and Real Madrid didCity have the capacity to achieve what Liverpool did under Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, winning four European Cups in eight seasons (1977-84), AC Milan's three wins in six years (1989-94), or Real Madrid's five wins over nine years (2014-22).Who can stop them defending their European title next year? The contenders are going to have to significantly up their game over the summer. A year ago, I would have argued Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Chelsea were the only likely challengers to City.Two of them will not even be in the tournament next season, and Real are entering a period of rebuilding having been outclassed by City in the semi-final. They will always reach the latter stages and their imminent signing of Jude Bellingham shows they mean business, but they looked a long way behind during the second leg.So too were Bayern Munich in the quarter-final as City made the toughest section of the Champions League draw look like a stroll. A team will have to emerge over the next 12 months to make anything other than a repeat City victory a shock.That is a daunting challenge. City probably would have won the European Cup earlier but for defeats by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, their domestic rivals often their biggest obstacle to Uefa success.Of England's Champions League contingent in 2023-24, Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United will return at a different moment in their history, to some extent pleased to be there, targeting qualification from the group stage and hoping to avoid City in the knockout draw.Because of City, actually winning it is an optimistic hope rather than realistic expectation. That is another reason why City will be confident that no team is currently equipped to beat them when they are at their best.For as long as Guardiola is at the Etihad, they will be the side everyone else fears – the best-resourced team with the best manager and many of the best players of their generation. By adding the European Cup to his City CV, Guardiola has also added weight to the argument he is the greatest coach of all time .City left Istanbul amid a sense of a beginning in EuropeSir Alex Ferguson's supporters will always suggest otherwise. The reality is it is not even a debate beyond this country. At two different clubs, Guardiola has created a side which has produced the most perfect football I have ever seen live, first with his Barcelona Champions League winners of 2011 and now City in 2023.The argument about whether City's Treble winners are better than Ferguson's of 1999 should be over, too. This City team is on a different level. What is staggering about City's Treble is how little jeopardy there has been, their most worrying moments being in the closing stages of Saturday's final when extra-time was prevented.City left Istanbul amid a sense of beginning in Europe rather than mere completion of their Abu Dhabi owners' ultimate ambition. After the Treble of 1999, Ferguson would wait another nine years to lift the European Cup, his side successful in the Champions League without dominating it.City can leave every rival in their wake. Just as it is hard to see how any side will stop City domestically, the same is now true in Europe. The first win is always the hardest. Having secured it, the players will return to the Champions League next season with more confidence and less pressure.A dynasty is forming at City under Guardiola. Many will say this is more about City and everything that has led to their success than English football.But amid their despair, domestic rivals can find some consolation. With English clubs flexing their muscle in Europe as powerfully as they have for 40 years, there should be plenty more Premier League supporters celebrating Uefa glory in the coming years. The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. 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