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Ryan O’Hanlon
It took lengthy sufficient, however Chelsea‘s victory over Paris Saint-Germain within the Membership World Cup ultimate marked the top of the Twenty fifth European soccer season this century.
And as my colleague Invoice Barnwell recognized last week, 25 is midway to 50 and 1 / 4 of the way in which to 100. So, he ranked the highest 25 NFL groups of the previous 25 years, and now I am right here along with your rating of the highest 25 membership groups of the twenty first century.
The way in which the sport is performed has modified drastically since 2000. Consider it this manner: Oleg Blokhin, Franz Beckenbauer, and Johan Cruyff completed one-two-three in Ballon d’Or voting in 1975. In 2000, the highest three have been Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, and Andriy Shevchenko. If you happen to watch highlights from these two eras, the game barely resembles itself — and the identical period of time has handed since this century started.
However that does not imply we won’t examine groups throughout the previous 25 years. To take action, I’ve checked out each season performed throughout Europe’s Massive 5 prime leagues since 2000. First, I ranked all of these groups by a mix of factors per sport and aim differential per sport, with a 60-40 weighting in favor of factors. Then, I adjusted for league problem, primarily based on the common scores for every league in every of the previous 25 seasons from the Membership Elo scores.
From there, I awarded groups with bonus factors for profitable the Champions League, reaching the ultimate, reaching the semifinals, reaching the quarterfinals, and reaching the spherical of 16. Based mostly on these factors, the ultimate ranking comes out to a few 70% weight for home efficiency and a 30% weight for Champions League efficiency. Provided that home play is not as liable to random fluctuation because the Champions League because the schedules are balanced and there are 3 times as many video games, that feels about proper to me.
Now, let’s get to the highest 25 of the previous 25 years …
25. PSG, 2024-25
-Factors per sport: 2.47
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.68
-Champions League: winner
Fittingly, the Twenty fifth-best crew of the previous 25 years is the perfect crew of 2025. Two different PSG groups produced extra factors in Ligue 1, and 4 outscored their opponents at the next price. However Luis Enrique’s facet discovered a option to do what no different PSG facet may do and focus their excellence down into a very powerful a part of the season: from March till Could.
24. Actual Madrid, 2023-24
-Factors per sport: 2.5
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.61
-Champions League: winner
Do not forget that entire spiel about methodology within the intro? That was a lie. That is only a listing of the groups that received the previous 25 Champions League titles, in reverse chronological order.
OK, now that is a lie — as a result of solely 12 Champions League winners even made the listing.
The humorous factor about Real Madrid is that they incessantly win the Champions League with out enjoying all that properly in LaLiga. In 2002, they received the European Cup regardless of 66 factors, a plus-25 aim differential, and a third-place end in Spain. That degree of efficiency in LaLiga this previous season would’ve put them within the Europa League subsequent yr.
As for the 2023-24 crew, they have been horrible within the first half of the ultimate in opposition to Borussia Dortmund, however not like in years previous, they did not want smoke-and-mirrors-and-Ninety fifth-minute targets to get there. Sure, they took down Manchester City in a shootout and Bayern Munich with a late comeback, however they hung tight with Metropolis for many of the matchup and considerably outplayed Bayern within the semis. This additionally was borne out within the league: They completed 10 factors forward of second, took house 95, and misplaced one sport all season.
23. Barcelona, 2016-17
-Factors per sport: 2.37
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.1
-Champions League: quarterfinalist
This was the final yr of the Luis Enrique, Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar period. It featured the well-known comeback in opposition to PSG, however neither a European nor home league triumph. However this Barcelona crew reached 90 factors within the league and produced a plus-79 aim differential, which was 14 targets higher than first-place Actual Madrid. Most notably, they scored 116 targets in LaLiga — the third most of any crew throughout the Massive 5 leagues this century.
This crew received every thing with these gamers and this coach — and it nonetheless feels as in the event that they received lower than they need to’ve.
22. Actual Madrid, 2013-14
-Factors per sport: 2.29
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.74
-Champions League: winner
Sure, they completed third in LaLiga that yr, however 87 factors, a plus-66 aim differential, and a Champions League title is an all-time nice season for many golf equipment.
Ángel Di María, particularly, was unimaginable in his final yr in Spain. He performed as a sort of hybrid winger/midfielder who coated all the floor that the entrance three of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale would not. His cross map from the Champions League ultimate is not like something I’ve ever seen earlier than:
Di Maria was in a position to be a supporting glue-guy or a goal-scoring celebrity. Manchester United signed him after this match — and so they nonetheless discovered a option to screw it up.
21. Manchester Metropolis, 2022-23
-Factors per sport: 2.34
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.61
-Champions League: winner
Arguably the best Premier League crew of all time is … twenty first?
This Man Metropolis crew was like this season’s PSG crew: They lastly found out a option to flip it on on the proper time. However different Metropolis sides have been far more dominant from begin to end than this crew was. 5 different Metropolis groups produced higher level totals and eight different Metropolis sides produced higher aim differentials. To win the Champions League, you needn’t win it while you’re at your greatest. It is too random and chaotic for that. No, to win the Champions League, it’s important to both A) be Actual Madrid, or B) be adequate to win it, yr after yr after yr.
20. Bayern Munich, 2015-16
-Factors per sport: 2.59
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.85
-Champions League: semifinalist
After dropping the primary leg of the semifinals to Atletico in Madrid 1-0, Bayern wanted to win by a number of targets at house to advance. And properly, they actually did sufficient to get there:
They might’ve been up 2-0 after 35 minutes, however Jan Oblak saved Thomas Müller‘s penalty, and Atletico finally superior on away targets. All in all, this was in all probability the perfect Bayern crew of the Pep Guardiola period, even when they are not our highest rated. And a missed penalty from a membership legend was all that stored them from being favored over Actual Madrid within the ultimate.
19. Barcelona, 2008-09
-Factors per sport: 2.29
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.84
-Champions League: winner
This crew began Messi, Samuel Eto’o, and Thierry Henry up entrance. Dani Alves was in his prime. The midfield stars, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, have been simply coming into theirs. Pep Guardiola nonetheless had hair. They outscored their opponents 105-35 in LaLiga. They usually simply dispatched the Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez Manchester United facet within the Champions League ultimate.
One way or the other, this is not even near being the perfect Barcelona crew of the twenty first century.
18. Liverpool, 2021-22
-Factors per sport: 2.42
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.79
-Champions League: runner-up
To me, this was the perfect Liverpool crew of the Jurgen Klopp period. The arrival of Ibrahima Konaté and the well being of Joel Matip gave Liverpool a second world-class heart again subsequent to Virgil van Dijk. The one really wholesome season of Thiago meant that the midfield was in a position to preserve its defensive solidity whereas including a world-class degree of attacking creativity. And as an alternative of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, and Roberto Firmino, it was these three plus the late Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz.
They have been a pair kicks of the ball away from turning into the one English crew to ever win the quadruple. As an alternative, all they obtained have been a pair home cup trophies and this awful 18th spot on our listing.
17. Manchester Metropolis, 2021-22
-Factors per sport: 2.45
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.92
-Champions League: semifinalist
To me, this additionally may’ve been the perfect Metropolis crew of the Guardiola period. He at all times has secretly hated the restrictions that strikers placed on his ways and this crew did not want one, with Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus all in a position to contribute elite-level attacking manufacturing from elsewhere on the sector. Rodri actually discovered his footing on this season, and João Cancelo put up an all-time nice season at fullback. They have been up 2-0 in opposition to Actual Madrid 11 minutes into the tie, and so they have been up 5-3 with solely harm time to go. They, after all, in some way misplaced the matchup 6-5.
16. Actual Madrid, 2016-17
-Factors per sport: 2.45
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.71
-Champions League: winner
That is certainly one of my favourite stats: As supervisor, Zinedine Zidane received extra Champions League trophies (3) than LaLiga titles (2) with Actual Madrid. This was the one season when he did each.
15. Manchester Metropolis, 2018-19
-Factors per sport: 2.58
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.90
-Champions League: quarterfinalist
Take every thing from that part about Bayern in 2015-16 and apply it right here: greater than sufficient possibilities, a legend lacking a spot kick and tiebreakers resulting in elimination. Metropolis misplaced the primary leg of the Champions League quarterfinals in London to Tottenham 1-0 after Sergio Aguero missed a penalty. They wanted to win the second leg by two targets and nearly did sufficient to get there:
However as an alternative, a bunch of photographs went in, and so they have been eradicated through the away-goals rule by a crew that completed 28 factors behind them within the Premier League desk.
14. Barcelona, 2015-16
-Factors per sport: 2.39
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.18
-Champions League: quarterfinalist
Since 2000, solely two groups throughout Europe’s Massive 5 leagues have scored greater than 110 targets in a season and given up fewer than 30. Luis Enrique’s second yr with Barcelona was certainly one of them. Once more, this three-year stretch was much more spectacular than anybody remembers.
13. Barcelona, 2009-10
-Factors per sport: 2.61
-Aim differential per sport: 1.95
-Champions League: semifinalist
It is wild that this season is remembered as one thing of a failure. Barcelona swapped Samuel Eto’o for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, however then misplaced to Eto’o and Inter Milan within the Champions League semifinals regardless of enjoying a person up for the ultimate hour of the tie. Ibrahimovic scored 16 targets and added six assists within the league, however he was subbed off with a half-hour left within the Inter matchup and left the membership after the season.
On the identical time, Barcelona received 99 factors in LaLiga and conceded 24 targets in 38 matches. Put one other manner: Actual Madrid scored 102 targets, produced 96 factors, and did not even win the league.
12. Bayern Munich, 2019-20
-Factors per sport: 2.41
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.0
-Champions League: winner
This was a bizarre season for 2 causes: 1) Bayern fired their coach in November, and a couple of) The entire, you realize, COVID-19 pandemic.
However there is a cheap argument that this season must be even greater on the listing. I do not suppose all Champions League wins are created equal. Some groups have more durable schedules, and profitable a sport 5-0 is rather a lot completely different than profitable on penalties. All of it counts the identical, certain, however once we’re evaluating groups throughout historical past, that stuff issues. Our degree of study does not get down into fairly that degree of element, but when it did, then this Bayern crew would profit.
They performed 11 video games within the Champions League, and many of the knockout matches have been at a impartial web site, in an empty stadium. The pandemic led UEFA to chop all remaining knockout ties to a single match, so Bayern did not find yourself enjoying as many matches as most winners do. However they did do one thing that no Champions League crew has ever performed: They received each single sport they performed within the event.
11. Actual Madrid, 2014-15
-Factors per sport: 2.42
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.11
-Champions League: semifinalist
Whereas Bayern fired Niko Kovac and changed him with Hansi Flik throughout the beforehand talked about season, Actual Madrid fired Carlo Ancelotti after the 2014-15 season.
In different phrases, he received the Champions League — the long-sought-after La Decima, Madrid’s report tenth European Cup — in 2013-14. Within the offseason, they changed the crew’s linchpin, Angel Di Maria, with the flashy offense-first star of the 2014 World Cup, James Rodríguez. And in 2014-15, Ancelotti discovered a option to combine Rodríguez, as his crew set a Spanish report with 22 consecutive wins. They scored 118 targets — the second-most for a crew this century. They reached 92 factors. They usually’re certainly one of solely seven groups this century to place up a aim differential of plus-80 or higher.
Slightly than receiving a lifetime appointment, Carlo Ancelotti was, once more, fired in spite of everything of that occurred.
10. Manchester Metropolis, 2017-18
-Factors per sport: 2.63
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.08
-Champions League: quarterfinalist
The crew with the perfect aim differential and most factors in Premier League historical past lands solely in tenth. The fundamental rationalization for why: They misplaced to Liverpool within the Champions League quarterfinals. The marginally-more-philosophical rationalization for why: Fabian Delph began 21 video games for this crew.
Sadly, we by no means actually obtained to see this iteration of Metropolis go up in opposition to the most effective groups on this planet. And whereas they decimated the Premier League, their performances within the Champions League weren’t significantly particular. Their per-game expected-goal differential throughout their 10 matches was plus-0.46, simply the ninth-best amongst all of the groups within the competitors.
9. Barcelona, 2011-12
-Factors per sport: 2.39
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.24
-Champions League: semifinalist
This was the one season of Guardiola’s four-year Barcelona profession when the membership did not win LaLiga. However they reached 91 factors and put up a plus-85 aim differential — outscoring their opponents at the next price than all however three different groups this century. They scored 114 targets and conceded 29. These numbers do not make any sense! They’re the highest-rated crew on this listing that did not win both main trophy.
8. Barcelona, 2012-13
-Factors per sport: 2.63
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.98
-Champions League: semifinalist
In Tito Vilanova’s solely season as an expert supervisor, his crew tied the LaLiga report for factors with 100 and have become the primary Spanish crew to attain in all 38 top-flight matches. They ended the season with 115 targets, the fourth most this century, and received the league over Actual Madrid by 15 factors.
Vilanova had been identified with parotid gland most cancers in November 2011. He underwent chemotherapy throughout the 2012-13 season however quickly relapsed. Vilanova resigned from Barcelona in the summertime of 2013. In April 2014, he died at age 45.
7. Bayern Munich, 2013-14
-Factors per sport: 2.65
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.10
-Champions League: semifinalist
In Guardiola’s first season in Germany, Bayern clinched the league title earlier than the top of March. They averaged extra factors per sport than his 100-point Metropolis crew and so they outscored their opponents at the next price than any crew he has coached outdoors of the 2011-12 Barcelona facet. In comparison with each different crew, they received extra factors per sport than all however two groups this century, and their per-game aim differential is the eighth-best mark since 2000.
The one main blemish: a 5-0 combination loss to Actual Madrid within the Champions League semifinals.
6. Actual Madrid, 2015-16
-Factors per sport: 2.37
-Aim differential per sport: plus-2.0
-Champions League: winner
They did not win the league, however they outscored their opponents by two targets per sport in LaLiga and so they received the Champions League. This was in all probability the perfect mixed season from the Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema trio. The previous scored 39 targets and added six assists, and the opposite two ranked third and fourth, respectively in targets and assists per 90 minutes throughout Europe’s Massive 5 leagues: 1.51 and 1.41.
And, oh yeah, it was Zidane’s first season as a first-division coach. Improbably, Rafa Benitez was employed to exchange Ancelotti, after which he was changed by the membership legend in January. The crew had turn out to be too lopsided with the addition of James Rodríguez and with out the creativity of Ancellotti on the sideline to determine it out.
The followers by no means favored Benitez, and he did not have the cachet to bench an attacker in favor of somebody who may straighten out the crew. However Zidane did. He introduced a younger defensive midfielder named Casemiro into the beginning lineup and the crew by no means regarded again. They received 12 straight video games to finish the LaLiga season and lifted the primary of what can be three straight European Cups.
5. Liverpool, 2018-19
-Factors per sport: 2.55
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.76
-Champions League: winner
Here is a listing of Massive 5 groups which have produced a minimum of 97 factors and the Champions League in the identical season: Liverpool, 2018-19
That is it. That is the listing.
4. Barcelona, 2010-11
-Factors per sport: 2.53
-Aim differential per sport: plus-1.95
-Champions League: winner
Simply to recap: Guardiola’s Barcelona groups ranked nineteenth, thirteenth, eighth and fifth. Two of his Bayern groups ranked twentieth and seventh. And 4 of his Manchester Metropolis groups ranked twenty first, seventeenth, fifteenth and tenth. That signifies that 10 of the 25 groups on this listing (40%) have been coached by the identical man.
That is the purist’s favourite Barcelona crew. The crew was lastly, absolutely constructed round Messi’s capability to dribble, tempo-set, create and rating at the next degree than anybody else on this planet. David Villa transitioned from a middle ahead to a sort of box-crashing, goal-scoring winger. Pedro labored actually exhausting off the ball and supported the opposite two strikers.
Xavi and Iniesta had simply completed second and third behind Messi in Ballon d’Or voting. Guardiola had lastly moved the trendy model of himself, Sergio Busquets, to the bottom of midfield. Now not was Pep working across the expertise he had accessible to him; this gave the impression to be the precise expertise he wished.
Their 5-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s Actual Madrid is perhaps probably the most surprising and memorable particular person results of this century. And after their 3-1 win over Manchester United within the Champions League ultimate, Sir Alex Ferguson mentioned of Barcelona, “In my time as supervisor, it is the perfect crew I’ve confronted.”
3. Actual Madrid, 2011-12
-Factors per sport: 2.63
-Aim differential per sport: 2.34
-Champions League: semifinalist
For the membership that defines itself nearly completely on whether or not or not it wins the Champions League, it is ironic that maybe their greatest facet didn’t win the Champions League. It is doubly ironic while you do not forget that the crew was managed by Jose Mourinho, whose profession is outlined by the couple of occasions he has lifted the European Cup.
For these causes, I believe that is in all probability probably the most underrated crew of the twenty first century. For all the suboptimal conservative choices made by Mourinho all through his profession, he obtained this crew completely proper. Throughout 38 video games, they scored a barely plausible 121 targets — three greater than any crew this century.
With 32 targets conceded, they outscored their opponents by 89 targets — tied for the perfect mark of any crew since 2000. Oh, and so they put up 100 factors — tied for the second most this century behind the 102-point Juventus facet from 2013-14 who did not get out of their group within the Champions League and did not even make this listing.
Benzema, Ronaldo, Di Maria, and Gonzalo Higuain all averaged a minimum of 1.0 targets+assists per 90 minutes, whereas Mesut Ozil added 4 targets and 18 assists. All of those guys have been 26 or youthful, then you definately had 22-year-old Marcelo at left again and 29-year-old Xabi Alonso pulling the strings in midfield. Mix that with Mourinho’s extra passive tactical strategy with out the ball, and I do not suppose there has ever been a greater crew within the open subject than this Madrid facet.
The principle purpose nobody actually talks about 2011-12 Madrid as one of many all-time nice groups: They misplaced a penalty shootout to Bayern Munich within the Champions League semifinals.
2. Barcelona, 2014-15
-Factors per sport: 2.47
-Aim differential per sport: 2.34
-Champions League: winner
Here is a listing of Massive 5 groups that put up a aim differential higher than plus-80 in the identical season they received the Champions League: Barcelona, 2014-15
That is it. That is the listing.
If all of those groups performed on a impartial subject, these guys can be my decide to win. They put up these unimaginable season-long numbers (a tied-for-best-this-century plus-89 aim differential) in a season when some Barcelona followers thought the team was in crisis halfway by way of the marketing campaign. Within the Champions League, they beat the winners of Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Serie A. Additionally they eradicated the defending Premier League champs from the event, and beat each Actual Madrid and Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.
Whereas the Pep-era groups have been cohesive possession machines that have been absolutely related from again to entrance, Luis Enrique took a little bit of a danger and would incessantly belief that his celebrity entrance three would be capable to break down defenses on their very own. And the result’s why I am taking them over anybody else: They conceded 21 targets in 38 video games — tied for lowest mark of any crew on this listing — after which they’d a 27-year-old Messi, a 27-year-old, and a 22-year-old Neymar enjoying up prime.
1. Bayern Munich, 2012-13
-Factors per sport: 2.68
-Aim differential per sport: 2.35
-Champions League: winner
Whereas I do suppose 2014-15 Barcelona are the perfect crew of the century, I do not suppose there’s an argument over which crew had the perfect season. It, fairly clearly, was Bayern Munich in 2012-13 underneath Jupp Heynckes.
If we take each single home season performed throughout the Massive 5 leagues since 2000, there’s one crew alone atop the listing of most factors per sport. And there’s one crew alone atop the listing of greatest aim differential per sport. And people groups are the identical crew: 2012-13 Bayern Munich. The one purpose they are not ranked greater in any of the totals I’ve talked about is as a result of the Bundesliga performs solely 34 video games.
And whereas the dearth of total energy within the Bundesliga would dampen these numbers in recent times, Bayern did all of that when the German first division was stronger than at every other level this century, per the Membership Elo scores. However you do not even want the scores to know that. Underneath Jurgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund had simply received back-to-back Bundesliga titles within the earlier two seasons, and so they reached the Champions League ultimate in 2013. Bayern Munich, then, put collectively probably the most dominant home season of this century in a yr when the second-best crew of their league completed second within the Champions League.
Nowhere was Bayern’s dominance clearer than within the semifinals of the Champions League in opposition to Vilanova’s Barcelona, the eighth-ranked crew on this listing. Bayern received the primary leg in Germany 4-0, behind a pair of targets from Thomas Muller and one apiece from Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez.
Then, within the second leg at Camp Nou, Robben scored early within the second half to increase the lead, earlier than a Gerard Pique personal aim and a capper from Muller finalized the mixture scoreline at 7-0. Not solely did Bayern put up seven, however they held one of many biggest attacking groups of the century (115 league targets!) scoreless throughout 180 minutes.
However probably the most surprising factor about Bayern is perhaps this: Robben was their greatest participant, and he began solely 11 video games within the Bundesliga.