| Well, naming the best teams in any sport, let alone soccer, is a matter of subjective opinion. Therefore, the teams that I mention below are teams which are widely acknowledged by many respected pundits and soccer fans as the best teams in the game today (Club teams are pre - dominant in the list as matches between clubs are played more frequently that that between international teams):
1. Brazil
Brazil has to be considered as the greatest soccer team that the world has ever seen. They have won the World Cup a record 9 times from 1997 onwards. They have produced the “FIFA player of the century” in Pelé, and continue to produce some modern greats such as Ronaldo (who is one of only 2 players to have won the “FIFA World Player of the Year”), Romario, Dunga, and some current big stars such as Kaka, Ronaldinho, and Adriano. They also won the Copa America 2007 (a Cup played for by South American soccer teams)
2. Manchester United FC
Manchester United (or Man Utd, as it is more commonly known) is the most popular football club in the world, with an estimated 330 million supporters worldwide (nearly 5% of the world population), which clearly tells you the whole story about the success of this club. They remain the only team in the English Premier League to have won the FA Cup, the Premiership and the UEFA Champions League in the same season, and are, arguably, one of the most successful football clubs in recent times. The club is the richest and most valuable in any sport, with an estimated value of $1.8 billion.
3. Real Madrid FC
Awarded the “Best Club of the 20th Century” award by FIFA, Real Madrid (a.k.a. Real) is the most successful club in UEFA club competitions history, having won the European Cup 9 times and the UEFA Cup twice, more than any other club. They also host some of the best players in the world, which makes it a treat to watch them in action, and is also the 2nd most valuable club, behind Man Utd., at $1.021 billion.
4. Chelsea FC
Owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea is another team which can be placed in the pantheon of ‘best soccer teams’. They have the record for the highest total points in a league season, the fewest goals conceded in a season, the most consecutive clean sheets and the most number of Premier League victories in a season. They also have the enviable record of the most consecutive unbeaten home matches (82 matches, and still continuing).
5. F.C. Internazionale Milano (a.k.a. Inter Milan)
The only club in Italian soccer history to have spent all its life in the top tier of the league, Inter Milan, as it is more commonly known, has won a grand total of 25 trophies in Italy and also has won the European Championship in consecutive years, the UEFA Cup thrice and the World Club Championship twice. They, too, have a lot of colorful players in their squad, and, though they never catch the imaginations of fans worldwide, they are a force to reckon, |
