Best football teams in the world: Top 10 clubs ranked

Football’s greatest teams build a lasting legacy that supporters, players and managers want to be part of, and they cement their place in the sport’s history, whether it be for a brief moment or a prolonged period of time.

At all levels of the beautiful game, highs and lows are part of every club’s journey, but some teams – especially those with financial backing – manage to sustain their success more consistently than others, with many clubs having had generations of glory through each era of football.

While some of football’s historic powerhouses are in decline and no longer carry the threat of yesteryear, grappling with mounting pressure as they and attempt to navigate periods of instability, some of the world’s traditional giants have bounced back in recent seasons, while there are also a few ambitious newcomers who have begun to challenge the long-standing hierarchy.

Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Sports Mole takes on the challenging task of selecting the current top 10 best teams in the world, taking into account short-term form and medium-term success, domestic and continental performance, and overall squad strength.

Bayer Leverkusen have regularly challenged at the top end of the Bundesliga, finishing outside the top six in just one of the last 15 seasons, but they stunned the football world in 2023-24 when they broke Bayern Munich’s 11-season hold on the Bundesliga and won the first top-flight title in their 120-year history.

Die Werkself also lifted the DFB-Pokal and went the entire domestic campaign unbeaten to become German double winners. Their European-record 51-game unbeaten run that lasted 361 days was brought to an end by Atalanta BC in the Europa League final, denying Xabi Alonso’s side a historic treble.

Replicating one of the most remarkable campaigns in European history was always going to be a tall order for Leverkusen in 2024-25, and although they were not able to maintain the same high standards, Die Werkself have at least proven that they are not one-season wonders.

After winning the German Super Cup, Leverkusen accumulated an impressive 69 points (W19 D12 L3) to finish second in the Bundesliga. They also reached to DBF-Pokal semi-finals and secured a top-six finish in the 36-team League Phase of the Champions League before exiting at the last-16 stage.

Alonso was a key figure behind Leverkusen’s impressive rise, but he has now opted to seek pastures new and take charge of Real Madrid, while star quartet Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and Granit Xhaka have also departed, the former of whom has completed a record transfer to Liverpool.

Malik Tillman, Jarell Quansah and Mark Flekken have since been added to a Leverkusen squad including Piero Hincapie, Alejandro Grimaldo, Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick who are all set to remain as key players in a competitive side under new head coach Erik ten Hag.

Arsenal have made significant progress since head coach Mikel Arteta replaced Unai Emery at the end of 2019, transforming into a world-class outfit, underpinned by resilience and squad cohesion, that contends for silverware on a consistent basis.

The Gunners’ recent rise has been built on the firmest of foundations, with a rock-solid defence conceding just 34 Premier League goals last season – the lowest in the division – while their set-piece specialities, game management and deployment of the dark arts is detested by rivals but has helped Arteta’s side to grind out positive results.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed a strong centre-back partnership in front of the commanding present of David Raya between the sticks. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have established themselves as integral midfield assets, while starboy Bukayo Saka continues to deliver top-tier performances week in, week out in the final third.

However, it has been a tale of near misses for the Gunners since lifting their last major honour – the FA Cup – in 2020. Arsenal have won just two Community Shields across the last five years and have frustratingly finished second in each of the last three Premier League seasons, finishing 10 points behind champions Liverpool last term having previously pushed Man City all the way on two occasions.

Arsenal did at least show promising signs of improvement in Europe last season, memorably ripping apart Champions League kings Real Madrid by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline in the quarter-finals to send out a statement across Europe, before losing their first UCL semi-final for 16 years to eventual champions PSG.

Arteta is now under pressure to deliver silverware. Ending the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title and winning their first ever Champions League trophy is high on the agenda, and the Spaniard will hope that the much-needed addition of striker Viktor Gyokeres – a goal machine at Sporting Lisbon – can help Arsenal make the next step.

Waving the flag for Italy on this list are Inter Milan, who endured an alarming downward spiral following their 2010 treble-winning season, marked by financial struggles and inconsistent performance, before lifting the 2020-21 Serie A title to end their decade-long trophy drought.

New ownership, strong leadership and smart transfer dealings have facilitated Inter’s return to prominence. The Nerazzurri have finished inside the top three in each of the last six Serie A seasons, winning two Scudettos and narrowly missing out on a third to Napoli in 2024-25, while they have also celebrated two Coppa Italia and three Supercoppa Italiana triumphs in that time.

In addition, Inter have impressed in Europe, with former boss Simone Inzaghi leading to the club to two Champions League finals in the last three seasons, albeit losing on both occasions including a humbling 5-0 defeat to PSG earlier this year having previously beaten both Bayern Munich and Barcelona en route to the showpiece.

Inter also suffered a surprise last-16 exit to Fluminense at the FIFA Club World Cup, highlighting the lingering effects of their recent setbacks and the challenging task new head coach Cristian Chivu has to galvanise an experienced and talented group of players including prolific striker Lautaro Martinez, all-round midfielder Nicolo Barella and intelligent, ball-playing defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Nerazzurri remain one of Europe’s elite, but the integration of new players to an aging squad that currently includes nine members over the age of 30, and the implementation of a fresh tactical approach from Chivu will be crucial if they wish to continue challenging on all fronts.

Chelsea supporters have lived through a turbulent rollercoaster ride in recent years. Since winning the Champions League in 2021, they have had to adjust to the departure of Roman Abramovich and the arrival of controversial new co-owner Todd Boehly, who has overseen an unprecedented level of spending (in excess of £1.2bn) on new, primarily younger, players.

On the domestic front, Chelsea have not won a Premier League title in eight years, finishing outside the top three on six occasions including a disappointing 12th-placed finish in 2022-23, while they have failed to win either the FA Cup of EFL Cup across the last seven seasons, painfully losing six finals across both competitions.

Chelsea’s inconsistent performances and lack of major silverware understandably brought frustration, but hope has been restored at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of head coach Enzo Maresca, who deserves huge credit for managing a large squad and enhancing the development of several promising stars, including key midfield trio Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer.

A strong run of form towards the end of last season, winning eight of their final 12 Premier League matches, helped the Blues secure a top-four finish and qualify for next season’s Champions League after two years away from Europe’s top table. Chelsea suffered fourth-round exits in both domestic cups, but they made up for it on the continent.

Indeed, Chelsea lived up to their billing as Conference League favourites and beat Real Betis 4-1 in the final to become the first club in history to win all four major UEFA trophies. Since then, the Blues have become world champions for the second time in four years after winning the newly-expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the United States, claiming a statement 3-0 victory over PSG in the final.

Chelsea have become a more exciting, confident and cohesive unit under Maresca and expectation has subsequently grown heading into the new season. The Blues continue to invest heavily in youth, with Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro among the new signings this summer, and with more fresh faces set to arrive, many will be intrigued to see whether they can step up again.

6. Barcelona

Barcelona’s financial situation leaves little to be desired and remains a cause for concern, but there is plenty to admire about the club’s resurgence on the pitch, firstly under club legend Xavi and now under head coach Hansi Flick.

After a three-year La Liga drought and a brief Europa League outing, the Catalan giants have since won two of the last three Spanish top-flight titles on offer, including one in Flick’s debut 2024-25 campaign at the club as part of a domestic treble, including the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.

Barca fended off competition from Madrid-based rival Real and Atletico to win their 28th La Liga title by four points, while they also impressed in the Champions League, finishing second in the 36-team League Phase standings before exiting at the semi-final stage to Inter in after enthralling goal-laden two-legged spectacular.

Barca’s backline, including breakout star Pau Curbasi, continues to be susceptible on the counter-attack, but Flick’s risk-and-reward, high-pressing philosophy has worked on the whole, with the German coach working with a mix of elite, experiences pros and highly-rated homegrown starlets.

While soon-to-be 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski remains as deadly as ever in the final third, scoring 101 goals in 147 appearances across the last three years, Raphinha was arguably their standout performer from 2024-25, recording a staggering 59 goal contributions (34 goals, 25 assists) last season to put himself in Ballon d’Or contention.

Skilful teenage sensation Lamine Yamal – already one of the world’s best at just 18 years of age – is another hugely influential player who continues to perform beyond his years. Now donning the iconic No.10, the pressure is set to mount on Yamal to reach new heights along with a squad including midfield megastars Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Gavi, towering centre-back Ronald Araujo, and new loan signing Marcus Rashford. Barca certainly have the potential to compete on all front next season.

5. Bayern Munich

Eyebrows were raised when Bayern Munich endured their first trophyless campaign in 12 years under Thomas Tuchel in the 2023-24 campaign, but they have recovered well with Vincent Kompany at the helm and returned to the summit of German football after knocking Bayer Leverkusen off their perch last season.

Indeed, Bayern reinforced their legacy of domestic success by reclaiming the Bundesliga title – their 12th top-flight triumph in 13 seasons – after collecting 82 points from 34 games (W25 D7 L2), finishing 10 points clear of their nearest challengers, Leverkusen, with the most goals scored (99) and fewest conceded (32).

A five-year drought without lifting the DFB-Pokal is somewhat of a concern, but the Bavarians boast a fairly impressive Champions League record, reaching the semi-finals in 10 of the last 17 seasons. Bayern have won two of the four finals they have taken part in during this period, while they have reached the knockout rounds in all 16 of those seasons and have lost just twice in the last 16, though one of those was last term at the hands of Inter Milan.

Bayern had high hopes of going all the way at the Club World Cup in the summer and began their campaign with a resounding 10-0 group-stage victory over Auckland City, but the eventually came up short against PSG in the semi-finals, losing 2-0.

Kompany is working with a world-class squad including goalkeeper Manuel Neuer – still going strong at 39 – versatile midfielder Joshua Kimmich, athletic left-back Alphonso Davies, technically gifted attacker Jamal Musiala and wing wizard Michael Olise who enjoyed an exceptional debut campaign at the Allianz Arena, recording 43 goal contributions (20 goals, 23 assists) in 55 matches.

Where would Bayern be without prolific talisman Harry Kane, though, who has scored a superb 85 goals in 96 games since his arrival at the club two years ago. Bayern remain a European juggernaut to be wary of, especially if their No.9 continues to make the net ripple on a consistent basis.

“City, City, the best team in the land and all the world!” A chant regularly heard at the Etihad Stadium and one deservedly sung by the Citizens following an impressive spell of dominance, particularly on the domestic front, under the tutelage of manager Pep Guardiola.

Man City have won six Premier League titles across the last eight seasons, breaking a plethora of records in the process, and one of those title triumphs was part of a historic treble in the 2022-23 campaign when they also lifted their first ever Champions League trophy. Not long after, they became Club World Cup champions for the first time before celebrating an unprecedented fourth consecutive PL title at the end of the 2023-24 season.

However, Man City’s incredibly high standards surprisingly slipped last term when they failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years (not including the Community Shield). Not only did they finish 13 points behind Premier League winners Liverpool, they suffered early exits in the Champions League and EFL Cup before losing the FA Cup final for the second year running. They were also surprisingly beaten by Al-Hilal in the last 16 of the Club World Cup earlier this summer.

If there is any consolation, Man City accumulated more Premier League points than any other team since the turn of the year to salvage a third-place finish, and Guardiola’s squad – already including the likes of Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri – has been bolstered with 10 new players since January, including versatile attacker Omar Marmoush, last season’s Serie A Midfielder of the Year Tijjani Reijnders, and French playmaker Rayan Cherki.

Man City are currently undergoing a transitional phase; younger, hungry players have arrived as club legends such as Kevin De Bruyne have departed at a time when the Citizens are still awaiting the outcome of their well-documented and frustratingly drawn-out legal battle with the Premier League.

Guardiola has insisted that the club’s recent struggles have served as both a humbling experience and a source of motivation. With two years remaining on his contract, the Catalan coach is determined to steer City back to the very top. To doubt that this sky-blue powerhouse will soon bounce back would be nonsensical.

3. Real Madrid

Widely regarded as one of, if not the, biggest and most successful club in football history, Real Madrid would probably be occupying a top-two position on this list had they not endured a trophyless 2024-25 season in Carlo Ancelotti’s final season in charge of the club.

Los Blancos had won three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and one Copa del Rey over a five-year period before coming up short in all three competitions last season, most notably finishing four points behind La Liga champions Barca and suffering a 5-1 aggregate loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals following a turbulent League Phase campaign.

Real Madrid, who remain frightening in attack but have become vulnerable at the back, were strongly tipped to win the Club World Cup earlier this summer, but the five-time winners were taught a footballing lesson in a heavy semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Spanish giants demand silverware each year, so failing to lift any major honours will have hurt, especially after building an explosive and technically gifted squad that includes the likes of French superstar Kylian Mbappe, midfield maestro Jude Bellingham and 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Junior, and has since had Trent Alexander-Arnold added to their star-studded set-up.

Nevertheless, Real Madrid remain a force to be reckoned with on their day and are considered as favourites heading into almost every fixture. When the new season comes around, they will be a team – now managed by tactically versatile and proactive boss Xabi Alonso – that domestic and continental clubs will rightly fear.

2. Liverpool

After nine memorable years under Jurgen Klopp, winning eight trophies including the club’s first Premier League title for 30 years, many predicted that Liverpool would experience a slight drop-off in Arne Slot’s debut campaign at Anfield, but how wrong were they!

Slot has seamlessly taken the baton from his German predecessor and is well and truly at the wheel on Merseyside. He steered the Reds to a record-equalling 20th Premier League title last season, finishing 10 points clear of their nearest challengers Arsenal, and also lifted the EFL Cup.

Liverpool have finished inside the top three in six of the last seven Premier League years and they have also thrived in Europe, reaching three Champions League finals in seven years before topping the 36-team League Phase table of the newly-expanded competition last season and losing to eventual champions PSG in the last 16.

Central to Slot’s success at Liverpool has been the form of star attacker Mohamed Salah, who has elevated his game to a new level at the age of 32 and continues to deliver exceptional goal and assist numbers. To the surprise of many, Ryan Gravenberch has blossomed into a top-class midfielder under Slot, while captain colossus Virgil van Dijk and elite shot-stopper Alisson Becker remain integral to the Reds’ backline.

Liverpool’s success last season was achieved without spending an awful lot of money, but the cash has been splashed big time this summer! A British-record fee has been forked out on Florian Wirtz, and the Reds could break it again should they sign striker Alexander Isak, while Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have also been added to an exceptional squad – even without Alexander-Arnold – mixed with youth and experience.

Such an expensive outlay on new recruits will understandably bring pressure and expectation, but that should not faze a Liverpool side targeting domestic and continental dominance, and they will rightly be regarded as one of, if not the, favourites for every competition they participate in next season.

1. Paris Saint-Germain

When it comes to distinguishing the best team on the planet, there is surely no debate at present. Paris Saint-Germain have transformed from a star-driven team that once boasted Lionel Messi, Neymar and Mbappe – a penny for his thoughts – into a disciplined, cohesive side under head coach Luis Enrique, built around youth and tactical flexibility rather than one, two or three marquee names.

PSG are enjoying their most successful era and remain the dominant force in France having won 11 of the last 13 Ligue 1 titles. They celebrated their fourth in a row last season as well as winning the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions, before capping off a historic 2024-25 campaign by lifting their first-ever Champions League trophy.

Les Parisians did not begin the quadruple-winning season as they had hoped, but they have scaled heights that few would have expected since the turn of the year. After several years of continental heartache, PSG beat Man City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en route to the Champions League final – their second in six years – where Enrique’s side demolished Inter Milan by a 5-0 scoreline to be deservedly crowned champions of Europe.

PSG looked on course to become world champions, too, as they beat Inter Miami, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach the Club World Cup final in July, securing a statement 4-0 semi-final victory over the latter, but they were surprisingly outclassed in the showpiece by a Chelsea outfit who ran out 3-0 winners. The discomfort at losing heavily was shown in ugly post-match scenes by PSG, but nothing should be taken away from their rapid rise to the top.

Not only do they possess arguably the two best full-backs on the planet in Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, the midfield trio of Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz has everything from energy to skill to tactical nous to versatility, while Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia continue to shine in attack alongside Ballon d’Or contender and Ligue 1 Player of the Year Ousmane Dembele, who has 27 goals and eight assists in 2025.

PSG have overtaken Liverpool to top spot in the Opta Power Rankings that reflect current short‑term form and performance levels, and when you also take into account their squad depth and identity, they can be considered as the strongest team in the world at this moment. The sky really is the limit for Enrique and co.

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