Greatest football clubs?

[Comte Arnau]

This thread is aimed at those who like football ("soccer"). To criticize it or show your love for ice hockey and the like, you've got other threads. ;)


What are, in your opinion, the top 10 football clubs in your lifetime? (Or at least in the last 20 years)


Here you have possible ranking: :)



10. Chelsea
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cc/Chelsea_FC.svg/200px-Chelsea_FC.svg.png


9. River Plate
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/River_Plate_logo.png/150px-River_Plate_logo.png


8. Arsenal FC
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/53/Arsenal_FC.svg/180px-Arsenal_FC.svg.png


7. FC Bayern München
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d3/Bayern_Munchen.png/200px-Bayern_Munchen.png


6. FC Internazionale Milano
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/45/Internazionale.svg/175px-Internazionale.svg.png


5. AC Milan
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/db/AC_Milan.svg/110px-AC_Milan.svg.png


4. Juventus FC
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Juventus_F.C._Logo.png/150px-Juventus_F.C._Logo.png


3. Real Madrid CF
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8b/Real_Madrid_Club_de_F%C3%BAtbol.png/145px-Real_Madrid_Club_de_F%C3%BAtbol.png


2. Manchester United FC
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7a/Manchester_United_FC_crest.svg/200px-Manchester_United_FC_crest.svg.png


1. FC Barcelona
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/FCB.svg/200px-FCB.svg.png


Would you agree with it? If not, post your top 10. :)

[hajduk]

Liverpool and Partizan BeogrADE

[Damião de Góis]

Since 91? :icon_ask:

Real Madrid
AC Milan
Barcelona
Manchester United
Juventus
Bayern Munich
Ajax
Liverpool
FC Porto

[Comte Arnau]

Btw, even if you see Barça as number 1, that example list is not mine. It's the IFFHS ranking of the top 25 teams from 1991 to 2009.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clasificaci%C3%B3n_hist%C3%B3rica_del_Ranking_Mund ial_de_Clubes_seg%C3%BAn_la_IFFHS

Porto is in the 12th place in that list, Alex. I'm surprised you included it, knowing how much you love it. ;)

[Damião de Góis]

Porto is in the 12th place in that list, Alex. I'm surprised you included it, knowing how much you love it. ;)

Well i have to recognize that they have been successful. They have won one Champions League and two UEFA Cups since 1991. They have also won a great amount of internal leagues titles and cups. What have clubs like Arsenal or Chelsea (who are in front of them on that list) won in the last 20 years?

BTW, if this was of all time, i would have included Benfica who have 2 Champions Leagues and have been runner up 5 times ;)

[Graham]

Real Madrid
Barcelona
AC Milan
Man Utd
Liverpool
Bayen Munich
Ajax
Juventus
Inter Milan
F.C. Porto

Something like that, not too different from Alex. In no way should Chelsea or Arsenal be there.

[Mordid]

Real Madrid
Barcelona
AC Milan
Man Utd
Liverpool
Bayen Munich
Ajax
Juventus
Inter Milan
F.C. Porto

Something like that, not too different from Alex. In no way should Chelsea or Arsenal be there.
*see u ya cunt, i'll faking cut u!*

[Graham]

Would also like to add, if the English club weren't banned for five years due to the Heysel Stadium disaster. The top ten could have been differen't.

[Comte Arnau]

Well i have to recognize that they have been successful. They have won one Champions League and two UEFA Cups since 1991.

According to the same organization, Porto is the third best current team in the world (from August 2010 to August 2011), after Barça and Real Madrid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_Football_History_%26_S tatistics#Current_ranking

[Logan]

Liverpool personally, but from your list Manchester United.

[Turkophagos]

Milan, Real Madrid and Liverpool are the greatest football clubs, since 1977 I was born, since 1991, the greatest ever.

[Damião de Góis]

According to the same organization, Porto is the third best current team in the world (from August 2010 to August 2011), after Barça and Real Madrid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_Football_History_%26_S tatistics#Current_ranking

Yeah but that's only on current form. They were league champions with no losses and won the Europa League last year.

[Graham]

Milan, Real Madrid and Liverpool are the greatest football clubs, since 1977 I was born, since 1991, the greatest ever.

The thing is with Liverpool. In the last twenty years they haven't won the premiership. Whereas Man utd have won it twelve times in twenty years. Manchester Utd now have more English League titles than Liverpool.

If it wasn't for the brilliance of Barcelona, Man Utd would be catching up on the European titles also.

[Damião de Góis]

The thing is with Liverpool. In the last twenty years they haven't won the premiership. Whereas Man utd have won it twelve times in twenty years. Manchester Utd now have more English League titles than Liverpool.

If it wasn't for the brilliance of Barcelona, Man Utd would be catching up on the European titles also.

I included Liverpool in my list because they have won european titles in that period despite not having won the permiership. Still they are an historic club with a lot of past success: 5 Champions Leagues, 3 UEFA Cups... and until recently they were the biggest club in England in terms of domestic titles.

[Äike]

Nõmme Kalju
http://kollanemaja.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/nk-logo.jpg

[Comte Arnau]

I included Liverpool in my list because they have won european titles in that period despite not having won the permiership. Still they are an historic club with a lot of past success: 5 Champions Leagues, 3 UEFA Cups... and until recently they were the biggest club in England in terms of domestic titles.

Would you compare it with Juventus in Italy?

[Damião de Góis]

Would you compare it with Juventus in Italy?

I'm not sure if Juventus used to dominate Italy in the same way Liverpool dominated in England. Actually a good analogy is with Benfica, with Porto being Man Utd. They started winning more in the mid 80s too and dominated from the 90s on.

[Turkophagos]

The thing is with Liverpool. In the last twenty years they haven't won the premiership. Whereas Man utd have won it twelve times in twenty years. Manchester Utd now have more English League titles than Liverpool.

If it wasn't for the brilliance of Barcelona, Man Utd would be catching up on the European titles also.

Still won european and domestic cups during this period, plus they were always the team nobody wanted to face in knock out matches (unbeleivable tenacity) till a couple years ago.

Man Utd needs to build another great team after Sir Alex quits and win a couple of CLs more to join the club of the greatest. Ajax is a similar case to Man Utd. Bayern could have been one of the greatest already if they had a decent team before the 70ies. Juve, Inter and Barca need to win a few more finals, the latter two for stop being the biggest losers of European football.

[Comte Arnau]

I'm not sure if Juventus used to dominate Italy in the same way Liverpool dominated in England. Actually a good analogy is with Benfica, with Porto being Man Utd. They started winning more in the mid 80s too and dominated from the 90s on.

Well, Juventus is Italy's most sucessful team in overall records, and has been considered the second best team of the 20th century (http://www.iffhs.de/?a413f0e03790c443e0f40390b41be8b01905fdcdc3bfcdc0a ec70aeedb883ccb05ff1d) after Real Madrid.

[Turkophagos]

Well, Juventus is Italy's most sucessful team in overall records, and has been considered the second best team of the 20th century (http://www.iffhs.de/?a413f0e03790c443e0f40390b41be8b01905fdcdc3bfcdc0a ec70aeedb883ccb05ff1d) after Real Madrid.

European titles

European Champions' Cup / UEFA Champions League: 2[70][71]

1984–85, 1995–96

Runners-up (5): 1972–73; 1982–83; 1996–97; 1997–98; 2002–03

[Comte Arnau]

European titles

European Champions' Cup / UEFA Champions League: 2[70][71]

1984–85, 1995–96

Runners-up (5): 1972–73; 1982–83; 1996–97; 1997–98; 2002–03



It might be the most important but it's not the only competition out there.

[Querubín]

Spain:
1) Real madrid.
2) Barcelona

Ingland:
1)Liverpool
2)Manure
3)N Forest
4)A vila
5)Arsenal

Italy:
1)Milan
2)RuBentus
3)Inter

Germany:
1) Bayern
2) Hamburg

Holland:
1)Ajax

Uruguay:
1)Peñarol
2)Nacional

Argentina (very difficult):
1)Independiente
2)Boca
3)River

Brazil:
1)Sao paulo
2)Cruzeiro
3)Inter Portoalegre
4)Santos

Portugal (very difficult):
1)Benfica
2)Porto

Europe:
1)Real Madrid
2)Milan
3)Liverpool
4)Bayern

Now, the difficul
5)Barcelona
6)Manure
7)Ajax
8)RuBentus
9)Inter
10)Benfica/Porto

South America
1)Peñarol
2)Independiente
3)Nacional
4)Boca
5)River
6)Olimpia
7)Sao Paulo
8)Cruzeiro
9)Inter Portoalegre
10)Santos

World:
1)Real Madrid
2)Milan
3)Liverpool
4)Peñarol
5)Independiente
6)Nacional
7)Bayern
8)Boca
9)River
10)Barcelona

[SaxonCeorl]

OK, I'm going to set my list up a bit differently. I'm taking the period between the 85'86 season and 10'11 season and splitting it up into 5-year periods (except for 05'06 - 10'11, which is 6 seasons). From there, I've tried to select the best team from each 5-year period, which was so difficult for certain periods that I've picked more than one team for those eras.

My selections are based on an aggregate consideration of the following:

- Domestic league strength
- Domestic league titles
- Primary domestic cup titles
- UEFA Champion's League titles

Without further ado, here is my "list":

1985 - 1986 to 1989 - 1990

Real Madrid - 5(!!!) La Liga Titles, 1 Copa del Rey

Milan - 2 Champion's League Titles, 1 Serie A Title

PSV Eindhoven - 1 Champion's League Title, 4 Eredivisie Titles, 3 KNVB Cups, Treble in 87'88.

1990 - 1991 to 1994 - 1995

Barcelona- 1 Champion's League Title, 4 La Liga Titles

Milan - 1 Champion's League Title, 3 Serie A Titles, Undefeated in Serie A, 91'92

1995 - 1996 to 1999 - 2000

Manchester United- 1 Champion's League Title, 4 Premiership Titles, 2 FA Cups, Treble in 98'99

2000 - 2001 to 2004 - 2005

Arsenal- 2 Premiership Titles, 3 FA Cups, Unbeaten in the Premiership, 03'04

2005 - 2006 to 2010 - 2011

Barcelona- 3 Champion's League Titles, 4 La Liga Titles, 1 Copa del Rey, Treble in 08'09

Inter- 1 Champion's League Title, 5(!!!) Serie A Titles, 3 Coppa Italia Titles, Treble in 09'10

[01srainey]

The following 10 teams I feel are the biggest clubs in the world. (In no particular order)

Manchester United
Liverpool
Celtic
Real Madrid
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
AC Milan
Juventus
Boca Juniors
River Plate

[Tony]

In my lifetime?
Juve, Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Real, Valencia, Manchester Utd.

On a lower level then come Chelsea, Porto, Liverpool, Bayern, but didn't really impressed me too much nor they started any cycle.

Would also like to add, if the English club weren't banned for five years due to the Heysel Stadium disaster. The top ten could have been differen't.
By a light margin only, the golden time of English football has been from 1967 to the early 80s, when they used to win Champion's and UEFA Cups on and on on rows, but don't expect the same would have lastes til now.

Well, Juventus is Italy's most sucessful team in overall records, and has been considered the second best team of the 20th century (http://www.iffhs.de/?a413f0e03790c443e0f40390b41be8b01905fdcdc3bfcdc0a ec70aeedb883ccb05ff1d) after Real Madrid.
That website is pretty useful, even if I don't agree to consider Champion's League the same as Champion's Cup and above UEFA Cup...
the only down with Juve is she reached so many finals so damned dead tired after having struggled to win the Serie A, an idiot policy of preferrin to focus on winning the title over winning the Champion's I could never stand.:mad:

[Lurker]

This thread is aimed at those who like football ("soccer"). To criticize it or show your love for ice hockey and the like, you've got other threads. ;)


What are, in your opinion, the top 10 football clubs in your lifetime? (Or at least in the last 20 years)


Here you have possible ranking: :)



Would you agree with it? If not, post your top 10. :)

I wouldn't put Chelsea in the top 10, not enough consistent history (just a rich patron lately). I also would put Boca Juniors above River Plate. They did win more titles and Maradona was a fan of Boca Juniors (and even played there late in his career).

I wouldn't put a Brazilian team there not because they don't deserve it, but because I wouldn't be neutral enough to comment.

[Lurker]

Btw, even if you see Barça as number 1, that example list is not mine. It's the IFFHS ranking of the top 25 teams from 1991 to 2009.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clasificaci%C3%B3n_hist%C3%B3rica_del_Ranking_Mund ial_de_Clubes_seg%C3%BAn_la_IFFHS

Porto is in the 12th place in that list, Alex. I'm surprised you included it, knowing how much you love it. ;)

I hate IFFHS, their criteria makes no sense. In what way were the last 20 years better for River Plate than for Boca Juniors? Boca won 4 Libertadores and was runner up to another while River won only one. Boca also won 2 Intercontinental cups while River Plate lost their chance.

[Tony]

I hate IFFHS, their criteria makes no sense. In what way were the last 20 years better for River Plate than for Boca Juniors? Boca won 4 Libertadores and was runner up to another while River won only one. Boca also won 2 Intercontinental cups while River Plate lost their chance.

But they don't calculate won trophies but points for match, as in the annual national championship.
In this way a club could be put above another one by semply having gained more points without winning any trophies.

The criteria I don't agree with is the difficulty set, imho could be better like this:
UEFA Champions League 14-7-0
Champions Cup and UEFA Cup 12-6-0
Cups Winner Cup 6-3-0

The actual UEFA C.League is more difficult than previous C1 and C2 because is the combination of the two, while I find sloyal not to include C3.

As regard South America sorry but it's a big mess, even worse than our recent changes, too much overlapping in championships, cups, changes over time, it's basically impossibile draw a honest classification.

[Damião de Góis]

In my lifetime?
Juve, Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Real, Valencia, Manchester Utd.

On a lower level then come Chelsea, Porto, Liverpool, Bayern, but didn't really impressed me too much nor they started any cycle.


What is your criteria to put Valencia ahead of Liverpool and Bayern? It must be something else other than titles...

[Lurker]

But they don't calculate won trophies but points for match, as in the annual national championship.
In this way a club could be put above another one by semply having gained more points without winning any trophies.

And that's what I disagree with. Being 1st in one champioship should count more than being 3rd in three champioships. Like Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna used to say, "2nd place is just 1st of the losers"



As regard South America sorry but it's a big mess, even worse than our recent changes, too much overlapping in championships, cups, changes over time, it's basically impossibile draw a honest classification.

Actually, Argentina has had the same format for their national league (Clausura/Apertura) ever since 1999/2000, with no alterations. Brazil also has had the same format (no playoffs, just 38 rounds between 20 teams) ever since 2003 and has had the same number of teams (20) ever since 2005. By the way, how does IFFHS handles the fact that different champioships have different number of teams (Germany and Portugal have less than Spain and Italy, for example) and that even the same national league might have different numbers of teams according to the year (Portugal used to have much more teams before).

Libertadores de la America, the continental champioship, has had the same format ever since 2005, with 38 teams in total (32 after the qualifying round, divided in 8 groups of 4, like the champions league). The only changes have been made to the rules, to not allow two teams of the same country to have a final match unless three teams of the same country came to the semifinnals (this happened because Brazil was starting to dominate the competition in 2005 and 2006). And even before that there weren't that much changes to the format, since the knockout stages were basically all the same ever since the mid-1980's.

I think the changes made in UEFA Cup/Copa Europa were much more difficult to follow. But maybe that's because I haven't followed football so much in the last two years.

[perikolez]

Real Sociedad, Sanse(Real sociedad B), Real sociedad juvenil, Real Sociedad Cadete, Real Sociedad Alevin, Real Sociedad infantil, etc:D.

[Laubach]

Since i watch football. Not in order. real Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Juventus, River plate, Boca jr. Ajax, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Liverpool

I will not mention the Brazilian teams, because I prefer to be neutral, but my Fluminense is the current national champion,hehehe

[Kataphraktoi]

Leeds United!

[Svarog]

Its hard to list 10, especially because during certain periods different clubs dominated. wil lstick to Europea cause even tho im huge fan of South American football my knowledge is not good enough about the particular history of it.

My list would be:

1. Manchester United - for a great tradition, Sir Alex Ferguson, Paul Schols, Ryan Giggs, brothers Neville, Sir Bobby etc number of European and domestic tittles etc

2/3. Bacelona/Real Madrid - BFC been more dominant in the recent years RM has won a huge ammount of European tittles and domestic ones and imo is more succesful of the two. Then again Barca for better domestic school less oriented on money in the recent years and succes out of it.

4/5. Juventus and Inter Milan - Ignoring booting of Juve couple of years ago only Italian clubs never to relegate from serie A, Inter most dominant Italian club based on results recently while Juve have Alessandro Del Piero so..

6/7. Notthingam Forest and Liverpool - great results in the 2nd half of the last century. Some football legends.

8. Benfica - Club with most registered fans in Europe, great results in the past, recently bit below tho.

9. Bayern Munich and Borusia Dortmund as most dominant German teams, still remember Borusia 2:1 vs Juve in CL Finals.

10. Ajax - Some great results and great football academy, gave many footie legends.

Would also point Red Star Belgrade and Steaua Buchurest as only 'Easter European team that won European Championship League', Red Star in 1991 I think with minimal investments with home grown players. I am Partizan Belgrade fan and hate Red Star to a vomit point.

Also some others that should be in top:

CSKA Moscow, Porto, Glasgow Celtic/Rangers, AC Milan, Valencia, PSV, Rosenborg, OL Lyon and Marseille and Olympiakos.