I stumbled across this interesting list of the greatest football/soccer teams in history. I think it was conceived a few years ago and I don’t know who actually came up with it but it was published in a magazine so it’s fun to discuss. The most fascinating aspect of the list is how many teams never won anything. Come up with a list of the top 10 football, baseball or basketball teams in history and tell me if any of them were ever lovable losers. Granted football/soccer is different – national teams have something to play for only once every two years (World Cup every four, continental tournament every four). Still, it’s a great measure of the sport that teams are remembered for how the play and the memories they create as much as for their results.
Two of the top three did not win a title. There was no tournament in 1953 but the Hungary team lost – controversially – in the World Cup final the next year. Holland in 1974 were also losing finalists and in 1978 as well. The fantastic Brazil of 1982 didn’t even make the semi-finals. Even the early 1990s Barcelona side – winners of five straight La Liga titles (I believe) and a European Cup – were humbled 4-0 in another European Cup final (by the number four team in the list, Milan). The #16 team – Denmark 1986 – were bounced in the second round of the World Cup and that very fine team were semi-finalists two years before in the European championships.
The list is as follows. I got it here: http://www.worldsoccer.com/greatest/teams.php .
1 Brazil 1970
2 Hungary 1953
3 Holland 1974
4 Milan 1989-90
5 Brazil 1958
6 Real Madrid 1956-60
7 Brazil 1982
8 Barcelona 1991-94
9 Italy 1934-38
10 France 1998- 2000
11 River Plate late 1940s
12 Ajax 1971-73
13 Bayern Munich 1974-76
14 Celtic 1967
15 France 1984
16 Denmark 1986
17 Real Madrid 1998
18 Totttenham 1961
19 Liverpool 1977
20 Manchester United 2000
I don’t have too many complaints about it. The Ajax and Bayern sides of the 70s seem a little low. A slight British bias might be in effect for 11-20 but to be fair I don’t know much about those Celtic and Tottenham sides. German fans might be a little peeved that their national team – three times winner of the World Cup, four times runners up – don’t show in the list but it would be hard to pick any of those teams. And while the 1999 United side won the treble there were other teams that decade – European champions Ajax and Juventus come to mind – that were arguably better. But that’s what lists are for…
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