Europes Top 50 Football Clubs

[jimmmm]

In association with my eldest son, Alex, we've been developing an old school project he started a couple of years ago, & have finally come up with the definitve(in our humble opinion)list of the top 50 clubs in European football, the only condition required for inclusion into the league is to have won a European trophy, after that points were awarded to teams for domestic & Euro trophy success, plus reaching the quarter finals, semi finals etc, the further the teams progressed the more points awarded, for domestic success, points were awarded on a sliding scale, depending on the country of origin, ie, Spain, Italy, Germany, & England, are by many considered to be the most competetive leagues in Europe, and are also the nations whose clubs have been the most successful in Europe, so more points are awarded to teams winning those domestic trophies than say, Belgium, Turkey, Hungary, or Sweden, etc.
All teams were deducted points for failing to qualify for Euro competition, & also for failing to reach the quarter final stage.

THE TOP 50 EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CLUBS, UP TO & INCLUDING 2005/06

This year Last year Team Points
1 1 Real Madrid 3,056
2 3 Barcelona 2,357
3 2 Juventus 2,351
4 5 Bay. Munich 1,970
5 4 Benfica 1,925
6 6 Ajax 1,799
7 7 Liverpool 1,779
8 8 AC Milan 1,704
9 9 G. Rangers 1,656
10 10 Man. United 1,617
11 11 G. Celtic 1,473
12 12 Inter Milan 1,468
13 13 FC Porto 1,378
14 14 Arsenal 1,169
15 15 PSV Eindhoven 1,029
16 16 Ferencvaros 986
17 18 Sp. Lisbon 960
18 17 Atl. Madrid 932
19 19 RSC Anderlecht 900
20 20 Crvena Zvezda 848
21 21 Feyenoord 802
22 22 Aston Villa 781
23 23 Dynamo Kiev 780
24 25 Steaua Bucharest 737
25 24 Everton 726
26 28 Schalke 04 641
27 27 SV Hamburg 624
28 26 Valencia 624
29 29 Bor. Bortmund 518
30 30 AS Roma 513
31 31 Spurs 471
32 32 Slov.Bratislava 460
33 33 Galatasaray 456
34 37 Din. Zagreb 429
35 34 Newcastle United 418
36 36 B.M'gladbach 416
37 36 IFK Got'burg 404
38 42 Chelsea 401
39 40 W.Bremen 379
40 38 Leeds United 373
41 41 D.Tbilisi 354
42 42 O.Marseilles 350
43 43 Fiorentina 328
44 44 FC Magdeburg 290
45 45 Man. City 253
46 46 SS Lazio 248
47 47 Nottm. Forest 246
48 48 Real Zaragoza 226
49 50 CSKA Moscow 225
50 49 Aberdeen 205

 

[1stepcloser]

Surprised Ajax and Benfnca are above Liverpool.

Rangers ahead of an United???

Who on earth are Crvena Zvezda?

 

[Popmartijn]

Who on earth are Crvena Zvezda?

Indeed.
Especially considering they're above Feyenoord.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

They are better known as Red Star Belgrade.

 

[ormy28]

That must have taken a LONG time to compile. Good work.

Suprised Dinamo Tblisi have won a European trophy

 

[1stepcloser]

Surprised to see Man City creep in there too. What have they achieved?

 

[jimmmm]

Surprised to see Man City creep in there too. What have they achieved?

Yep, hard as it seems to believe, City did actually once have a successful team, in total they've won 2 League Titles, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, & The Euro Cup Winners Cup. Plus they gained points for runners ups in League, & both domestic cups.

 

[jimmmm]

Surprised Ajax and Benfnca are above Liverpool.

Rangers ahead of an United???

Who on earth are Crvena Zvezda?

Firstly, both Ajax, & Benfica have incredible domestic records, but more importantly both teams have fabulous Euro records also, Ajax have won all major Euro trophies, The European Cup on 4 occasions, & Benfica have a fine Euro pedigree also, with 7 appearances in the Final of The European Cup, winning 2, plus an appearance in The CWC Final, & consistantly reaching the latter stages of Euro competition.

Rangers points total is virtually all down to their domestic record 51 League Titles equates to a lot of points, plus Cup & Euro success.


Yertle has already obliged with that answer, many thanks as always Yertle.

 

[jimmmm]

That must have taken a LONG time to compile. Good work.

Suprised Dinamo Tblisi have won a European trophy

1981 Cup Winners Cup Final, they beat Carl Zeiss Jena 2-1, throughout most of the '70's & '80's Tbilisi were very consistant performers in Europe, & as well as the '81 final, became very well known in England after knocking Liverpool out of the European Cup in the first round in 1979, at a time when Liverpool were considered to be the best team in Europe.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I kinda wish we had that nowadays.

It was nice of Artmedia or Rapid Vienna or some others last season to get into the Champions League but they didn't have a prayer.

I'd like to see a straight knock-out competition, featuring only the champions of each country (2nd place onwards can sod off to the UEFA Cup), but the clubs with money would never let that happen.

 

[jimmmm]

Yeah, I'd like to see a return to the 3 Euro. comps. format, but as you say Yertle, Money is God to the ruling authorities, & big clubs, so there's absolutely no chance of that ever happening.

 

[GREEKBONO]

A.E.K. ATHENS IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE UNIVERSE.

THANK YOU.

 

[jimmmm]

And what universe would that one be?

 

[J_NP]

Make a top world footy clubs

 

[jimmmm]

Yeah, I'll give it a go, but it will take a bit of time.

 

[J_NP]

After all this may be said , European clubs have the best players , coz they are the richest of the world , but still in 2 years in a role , European teams lost for 2 brazilians ......

Specially shocking was this year All Mighty Barca losing for Ronaldinho's arc rival city team

 

[Angela Harlem]

That's a great list, jim! How did you come up with the sliding scale (weight, etc), and what was the measurement? The husband is very curious. He likes it, though, with Liverpool no. 7!

 

[DaveC]

Go Spurs!

 

[jimmmm]

That's a great list, jim! How did you come up with the sliding scale (weight, etc), and what was the measurement? The husband is very curious. He likes it, though, with Liverpool no. 7! [/QUOTE

Points for success in European competition was exactly the same for teams from all countries, as was the amount deducted for failure to qualify, & failure to progress upto the 1/4 finals, reaching the 1/4 finals & beyond gained more points as each team progressed in each competition, although more points were awarded for progress, & success in the Euro Cup/Champions League, than the Fairs Cup/UEFA Cup, & Cup Winners Cup, domestically English, German, Italian, & Spanish clubs were awarded more points for success than teams from any other country, firstly, because these nations have proved to be far more successful in Europe than all others, and secondly, despite domination from teams such as Real Madrid, & Barca in Spain, Juve,& AC Milan In Italy, Bayern in Germany,& Liverpool, Arse, & Man Utd in England, these countries Championships, especially England's, & Germany's have proved more competitive than any others, in terms of amount of DIFFERENT clubs who've won those domestic Leagues, 28 in Germany, & 23 in England, compare that to say Portugal, or Holland, 2 nations whose clubs have great Euro traditions, but in Portugal of 85 title races, 3 clubs have shared 77 between them, Holland from 108 titles, 4 clubs have shared 70 titles, so, as most " experts" believe the four strongest nations in Europe, Eng, It., Spain, & Germ, earn more points for domestic success than others, then nations such as Portugal, Holland, etc, fewer points, down to nations such as Sweden, Turkey etc. nations with Euro success, but least amount of different teams succeeding in Euro. ie, if only one team from any nation has proved to be successful in Europe, it could be fair to say they might not struggle to succeed domestically, as, say Real, or Barca in Spain, Bayern in Germany, etc, ah I hear you say, they are the most successful teams in their respective countries though, yes they are, and because they are in more compettive leagues so they gain more points for success!

 

[jimmmm]

Just a little update of the European competitions:


EUROPEAN SUCCESS BY EACH NATION, UP TO & INCLUDING 2005/06

THE INTER CITY FAIRS CUP/UEFA CUP


CUPS AMOUNT
OF CLUBS
1. ENGLAND 10 6
2. ITALY 10 5
3. SPAIN 10 5
4. GERMANY 6 5
5. HOLLAND 4 3
6. SWEDEN 2 1
7. BELGIUM 1 1
7. HUNGARY 1 1
7. POR'GAL 1 1
7. TURKEY 1 1
7. YUGOSLAVIA 1 1
7. RUSSIA 1 1


THE EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP

1. ENGLAND 8 7
2. ITALY 7 6
3. SPAIN 7 4
4. GERMANY 5 5
5. BELGIUM 3 2
5. SOVIET UNION 3 2
7. SCOTLAND 2 2
8. CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 1
8. FRANCE 1 1
8. HOLLAND 1 1
8. PORTUGAL 1 1


THE EUROPEAN CUP/ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

1. SPAIN 11 2
2. ENGLAND 10 4
3. ITALY 10 3
4. GERMANY 6 3
4.. HOLLAND 6 3
6. PORTUGAL 4 2
7. FRANCE 1 1
7. ROMANIA 1 1
7. SCOTLAND 1 1
7. YUGOSLAVIA 1 1

OVERALL EUROPEAN SUCCESS, TOTAL BY EACH NATION UP TO 2003/04.



TOTAL
CUPS CLUBS
1. ENGLAND 28 13
2. SPAIN 28 6
3. ITALY 27 9
4. GERMANY 17 9
5. HOLLAND 11 3
6. PORTUGAL 6 3
7. BELGIUM 4 2
8. SCOTLAND 3 3
8. SOVIET UNION 3 2
10. FRANCE 2 2
10. SWEDEN 2 1
11. ROMANIA 1 1
12. CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1 1
12. HUNGARY 1 1
12. TURKEY 1 1


The overall success table, makes Platini's view that France are as deserving of as many places in the C/L as England look a bit shoddy, and not well researched on his behalf!

 

[jimmmm]

[

OVERALL EUROPEAN SUCCESS, TOTAL BY EACH NATION UP TO 2003/04.



[/B][/QUOTE]

Should read 2005/06

 

[1stepcloser]

The overall success table, makes Platini's view that France are as deserving of as many places in the C/L as England look a bit shoddy, and not well researched on his behalf!

Is that what he says? Although i do agree with his policy that there should be less than four places up for grabs in england, spain and italy. 2-3 maybe but 4 is stupid. Thre could be a gap of 20-30 points between the champions of that certain league and the 4th place finisher and that is too big to warrant a champions league place IMO.

 

[jimmmm]

I saw an interview with him on Euronews, few weeks back, the inference was 4 clubs from any country was too much, but unless the interpreter changed his words, England was the only country he mentioned by name, sometimes its hard to follow when people are talking in their native tongue, & an interpreter is voicing over, but I heard Platini mention Angleterre, my French isn't the best in the world, but I'm sure thats French for England.

 

[ormy28]

Champions League should only be for the top place team ONLY. Otherwise the term "Champions" League is useless. It's just a competition to keep all the big boys happy.

... I will of course change my tune should my rabble nick fourth place this season!

 

[guill]

The overall success table, makes Platini's view that France are as deserving of as many places in the C/L as England look a bit shoddy, and not well researched on his behalf!

The purpose is to give more tickets for the CL to clubs from nations like Georgia, Slovenia, etc, not to oppress the poor persecuted England.
4 clubs by nation is too much.

 

[jimmmm]

So, you, like Platini think the competition would be enhanced with more clubs from those countries in at the expense of some of the best clubs from Eng, Spain, Italy, & Germany then, strange considering the champs from those 2 countries failed miserably to get beyond the 2nd Qual. round, Sioni Bolnisi where demolished 4-0, & ND Gorica went 1 better by getting trounced 5-0 at the same stage, it would be embarrassing watching some of the mis-matches that would occur if more of those clubs were allowed in, at the expense of clubs like Arse, Liverpool, Valencia, Inter, Schalke, Bremen,etc.etc.
Whether you like it or not the big clubs generate money from & for the sponsors, but more importantly they generate REAL interest & excitement in the competition.

 

[guill]

Yeah, they should make a Spanish.Italian/English league so you'll have Barca/Manchester, Arsenal/Real every week then.

Football was great because it was open to the entire Europe, i miss teams like Partizan, Red Star, Sparta Praha, Dinamo Kiev, etc. I loved the crap games played in Cyprus or Feroe Islands, it was charming, it was the true European Cup.

Now, Platini is clever, he is running elections :
Italy + England + Spain = 3 votes
Serbia + Poland + Slovenia + Georgia + etc = victory

You know what i mean ?

 

[jimmmm]

You seem to be missing something, those nations clubs ARE in the competition, its just that by & large they're SO crap they don't make it to the group stage, so what on EARTH would be the point of reducing the # of Eng,Spa, Ita, & Ger, clubs to permit even worse teams from those nations to embarrass themselves even more, only the top 2 from the strongest nations go straight into the group stage, the 3rd & 4th teams both have to qualify, so whats the problem, You know, like I do, Platini can't stand to see more ENGLISH clubs in the competition than french!

 

[guill]

They are not really in the competition, they have to kill each others before having the honour for a couple of them to be invited to the final round.
If you like this system, good for you. And good for the sponsors.
But it's not good for poorer federations. And these federations get poorer and poorer every year. The CL is killing football in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. If you exclude them a little bit more every year, Football will be like Rugby, an elite sport with 3/4 nations and nothing around them.

Don't be paranoid, Platini can't stand to see 4 clubs per nation.
He wants to suppress the "+" in "England has 2 + 2 clubs in CL" as well as in "France has 2 + 1 clubs in CL".
In his system, the top nations have 3 direct spots, the supression of the 4th spot gives more room to nations with a smaller UEFA ranking
Top nations will always have 1 or 2 more clubs than average nations, not 3 or 4.
Which means that France would have 2 clubs and England 3 clubs because of the UEFA ranking right now.

 

[jimmmm]

Well, yeah actually I do like this system, so lets just agree to disagree.