Best football teams in the world: Where do Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea rank?

Football’s top teams physique a lasting bequest that supporters, players and managers privation to beryllium portion of, and they cement their spot successful the sport’s history, whether it beryllium for a little infinitesimal oregon a prolonged play of time.

At each levels of the beauteous game, highs and lows are portion of each club’s journey, but immoderate teams - particularly those with fiscal backing - negociate to prolong their occurrence much consistently than others, with galore sides having had generations of glory done each epoch of football.

While immoderate of football’s historical powerhouses are successful diminution and nary longer transportation the menace of yesteryear, grappling with mounting unit arsenic they effort to navigate periods of instability, immoderate of the world’s accepted giants person bounced backmost successful caller seasons, portion determination are besides a fewer ambitious newcomers who person begun to situation the long-standing hierarchy.

Here, Sports Mole takes connected the challenging task of selecting the existent apical 10 champion teams successful the world, taking into relationship short-term signifier and medium-term success, home and continental performance, and wide squad strength.

10. Atletico Madrid

A caller summation to the apical 10, Atletico Madrid person overtaken Chelsea successful this database owed to the struggles of the London club, particularly astatine the commencement of 2026.

Atletico, connected the different hand, person reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, with Diego Simeone's broadside preparing to tackle Arsenal implicit 2 legs.

The Red and Whites were besides contiguous successful this season's Copa del Rey final, losing to Real Sociedad, portion they are precise overmuch connected people to unafraid a top-four spot successful the La Liga array - the minimum request for a nine of their ilk.

Atletico volition not beryllium winning a 12th La Liga rubric this season, with the superior squad good disconnected the gait being acceptable by a Barcelona broadside that look destined to triumph different championship.

However, lifting a first-ever Champions League would beryllium considered a immense success, and Atletico merit a spot successful the apical 10 contempt their caller struggles successful Spain's apical flight.

9. Napoli

Calcio's ascendant unit nether Luciano Spalletti earlier the 2022-23 Serie A-winning caput manager took his leave, Napoli experienced a achy autumn from grace erstwhile the aboriginal Italy brag departed his Naples home, culminating successful hirings and firings and acrimonious subordinate exits.

Few tin hide the infamous - and inexplicable - societal media jibes directed astatine prima striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli's authoritative societal media accounts, which marked the opening of the extremity astatine Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for the 2022-23 Capocannoniere, who is present making nets ripple for amusive with Galatasaray.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could besides not defy the propulsion of Paris Saint-Germain, and the 2024-25 play saw Napoli neglect to vie successful immoderate European contention for the archetypal clip successful 15 years, but the Partenopei person been resurrected nether the wily tactician Antonio Conte.

Thanks successful nary tiny portion to Ballon d'Or nominee Scott McTominay and Conte's long-time attacking favourite Romelu Lukaku, Napoli reclaimed their Serie A crown by a azygous constituent implicit Inter Milan successful the 2024-25 season, and started 2025-26 arsenic they meant to spell connected too.

However, Napoli presently beryllium 3rd successful the Serie A array heading towards the extremity of the 2025-26 campaign, 12 points down the leaders Inter Milan.

8. Inter Milan

Also waving the emblem for Italy connected this database are Inter Milan, who endured an alarming downward spiral pursuing their 2010 treble-winning season, marked by fiscal struggles and inconsistent performance, earlier lifting the 2020-21 Serie A rubric to extremity their decade-long trophy drought.

New ownership, beardown enactment and astute transportation dealings person facilitated Inter’s instrumentality to prominence. The Nerazzurri person finished wrong the apical 3 successful each of the past six Serie A seasons, winning 2 Scudettos and narrowly missing retired connected a 3rd to Napoli successful 2024-25, portion they person besides celebrated 2 Coppa Italia and 3 Supercoppa Italiana triumphs successful that time.

In addition, Inter person impressed successful Europe, with erstwhile brag Simone Inzaghi starring to the nine to 2 Champions League finals successful the past 3 seasons, albeit losing connected some occasions including a humbling 5-0 decision to PSG successful 2025 having antecedently beaten some Bayern Munich and Barcelona en way to the showpiece.

Inter besides suffered a astonishment last-16 exit to Fluminense astatine the FIFA Club World Cup, highlighting the lingering effects of their caller setbacks and the challenging task caller caput manager Cristian Chivu has to galvanise an experienced and talented radical of players including prolific striker Lautaro Martinez, all-round midfielder Nicolo Barella and intelligent, ball-playing defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Nerazzurri stay 1 of Europe’s elite, and Chivu present has his broadside astatine the apical of Serie A with a steadfast pb implicit their opposition.

7. Liverpool

After 9 memorable years nether Jurgen Klopp, winning 8 trophies including the club's archetypal Premier League rubric for 30 years, galore predicted that Liverpool would acquisition a flimsy drop-off successful Arne Slot's debut run astatine Anfield, but however incorrect were they!

Slot seamlessly took the baton from his German predecessor and steered the Reds to a record-equalling 20th Premier League rubric past season, finishing 10 points wide of their nearest challengers Arsenal.

Liverpool person finished wrong the apical 3 successful six of the past 7 Premier League years and they person besides thrived successful Europe, reaching 3 Champions League finals successful 7 years earlier topping the 36-team League Phase array of the newly-expanded contention past play and losing to eventual champions PSG successful the past 16.

Central to Slot's occurrence astatine Liverpool has been the signifier of prima attacker Mohamed Salah, who elevated his crippled to a caller level astatine the property of 32 and claimed much goals and assists than immoderate different subordinate successful a 38-game Premier League season, with 47 successful 2024-25. To the astonishment of many, Ryan Gravenberch blossomed into a top-class midfielder nether Slot, portion skipper colossus Virgil van Dijk and elite shot-stopper Alisson Becker stay integral to the Reds’ backline.

Liverpool’s occurrence past play was achieved without spending an atrocious batch of money, but the currency splashed successful the summertime 2025 model is yet to output the intended results. Florian Wirtz is gradually improving, but club-record signing Alexander Isak has been deed with a semipermanent injury, portion Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong are inactive uncovering their feet too.

What has transpired successful 2025-26 truthful acold has been thing abbreviated of nightmarish for the Kop, Slot and a demoted Salah, who volition beryllium leaving Anfield successful the summertime arsenic a escaped agent. Liverpool are successful a conflict to unafraid a top-five decorativeness successful the Premier League, but they are present successful a beardown presumption owed to Chelsea's struggles.

6. Real Madrid

Widely regarded arsenic 1 of, if not the, biggest and astir palmy nine successful shot history, Real Madrid would astir apt beryllium occupying a top-two presumption connected this database had they not endured a trophyless 2024-25 play successful Carlo Ancelotti’s last play successful complaint of the club.

Los Blancos had won 3 La Liga titles, 2 Champions Leagues and 1 Copa del Rey implicit a five-year play earlier coming up abbreviated successful each 3 competitions past season, astir notably finishing 4 points down La Liga champions Barca and suffering a 5-1 aggregate nonaccomplishment to Arsenal successful the Champions League quarter-finals pursuing a turbulent League Phase campaign.

Real Madrid, who stay frightening successful onslaught but person go susceptible astatine the back, were powerfully tipped to triumph the Club World Cup earlier this summer, but the five-time winners were taught a footballing acquisition successful a dense semi-final decision to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Spanish giants request silverware each year, truthful failing to assistance immoderate large honours volition person hurt, particularly aft gathering an explosive and technically talented squad that includes the likes of French superstar Kylian Mbappe, midfield maestro Jude Bellingham and 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinicius Junior.

Xabi Alonso's tenure astatine the nine proved to beryllium short-lived, with Alvaro Arbeloa since taking complaint connected an interim basis, but Los Blancos are facing different play without a large trophy.

5. Barcelona

Barcelona’s fiscal concern leaves a batch to beryllium desired and remains a origin for concern, but determination is plentifulness to respect astir the club’s resurgence connected the pitch, firstly nether nine fable Xavi and present nether caput manager Hansi Flick.

After a three-year La Liga drought and a little Europa League outing, the Catalan giants person since won 2 of the past 3 Spanish top-flight titles connected offer, including 1 successful Flick’s debut 2024-25 run astatine the nine arsenic portion of a home treble, including the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.

Barca fended disconnected contention from Madrid-based rivals Real and Atletico to triumph their 28th La Liga rubric by 4 points, portion they besides impressed successful the Champions League, finishing 2nd successful the 36-team League Phase standings earlier exiting astatine the semi-final signifier to Inter successful aft enthralling goal-laden two-legged spectacular.

Barca’s backline, including breakout prima Pau Curbasi, continues to beryllium susceptible connected the counter-attack, but Flick’s risk-and-reward, high-pressing doctrine has worked connected the whole, with the German manager moving with a premix of elite, experiences pros and highly-rated homegrown starlets.

While 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski remains arsenic deadly arsenic ever successful the last third, Raphinha was arguably their standout performer from 2024-25, signaling a staggering 59 extremity contributions (34 goals, 25 assists) past play to enactment himself successful Ballon d’Or contention.

Skilful teenage sensation Lamine Yamal - already 1 of the world’s champion astatine conscionable 18 years of property - is different hugely influential subordinate who continues to execute beyond his years.

Now donning the iconic No.10, the unit is acceptable to equine connected Yamal to scope caller heights on with a squad including midfield megastars Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Gavi and indebtedness signing Marcus Rashford.

Like Real, Barca person already been knocked retired of the Copa del Rey, but they stay successful the driving spot to clasp their La Liga crown.

4. Manchester City

“City, City, the champion squad successful the onshore and each the world!” A chant regularly heard astatine the Etihad Stadium and 1 deservedly sung by the Citizens pursuing an awesome spell of dominance, peculiarly connected the home front, nether the tutelage of manager Pep Guardiola.

Man City person won six Premier League titles crossed the past 8 seasons, breaking a plethora of records successful the process, and 1 of those rubric triumphs was portion of a historical treble successful the 2022-23 run erstwhile they besides lifted their archetypal ever Champions League trophy. Not agelong after, they became Club World Cup champions for the archetypal clip earlier celebrating an unprecedented 4th consecutive PL rubric astatine the extremity of the 2023-24 season.

However, Man City’s incredibly precocious standards amazingly slipped past word erstwhile they failed to triumph a large trophy for the archetypal clip successful 8 years (not including the Community Shield). Not lone did they decorativeness 13 points down Premier League winners Liverpool, they suffered aboriginal exits successful the Champions League and EFL Cup earlier losing the FA Cup last for the 2nd twelvemonth running. They were besides amazingly beaten by Al-Hilal successful the past 16 of the Club World Cup earlier this summer.

If determination is immoderate consolation, Man City accumulated much Premier League points than immoderate different squad since the crook of the twelvemonth to salvage a third-placed finish, and Guardiola’s squad - already including the likes of Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol and Ballon d’Or victor Rodri - was bolstered with 10 caller players successful 2025, including versatile attacker Omar Marmoush, past season's Serie A Midfielder of the Year Tijjani Reijnders, and French playmaker Rayan Cherki.

Man City are presently undergoing a transitional phase; younger, bare players person arrived arsenic nine legends specified arsenic De Bruyne person departed astatine a clip erstwhile the Citizens are inactive awaiting the result of their well-documented and frustratingly drawn-out ineligible conflict with the Premier League.

Guardiola has insisted that the club's caller struggles person served arsenic some a humbling acquisition and a root of motivation. With little than 2 years remaining connected his contract, the Catalan manager is determined to steer City backmost to the precise top, and helium has already celebrated EFL Cup glory successful 2026 courtesy of a connection Wembley triumph implicit Arsenal successful March. 

Man City are present chasing Premier League and FA Cup occurrence precocious successful the 2025-26 campaign.

3. Arsenal

Arsenal person made important advancement since caput manager Mikel Arteta replaced Unai Emery astatine the extremity of 2019, transforming into a world-class outfit, underpinned by resilience and squad cohesion, that contends for silverware connected a accordant basis.

The Gunners’ caller emergence has been built connected the firmest of foundations, with a rock-solid defence conceding conscionable 34 Premier League goals past play - the lowest successful the part - portion their set-piece specialities, crippled absorption and deployment of the acheronian arts is detested by rivals but has helped Arteta’s broadside to grind retired affirmative results.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes person formed a beardown centre-back concern successful beforehand of the commanding contiguous of David Raya betwixt the sticks. Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard person established themselves arsenic integral midfield assets, portion starboy Bukayo Saka remains cardinal for Arteta, adjacent though his performances successful 2025-26 person not been astatine the desired level.

It has been a communicative of adjacent misses for the Gunners since lifting their past large honour - the FA Cup - successful 2020. Arsenal person won conscionable 2 Community Shields crossed the past 5 seasons and person frustratingly finished 2nd successful each of the past 3 Premier League seasons, finishing 10 points down champions Liverpool past word having antecedently pushed City each the mode connected 2 occasions.

Arsenal did astatine slightest amusement promising signs of betterment successful Europe past season, memorably ripping isolated Champions League kings Real Madrid by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline successful the quarter-finals to nonstop retired a connection crossed Europe, earlier losing their archetypal UCL semi-final for 16 years to eventual champions PSG.

Arteta is present nether unit to present silverware, and has already failed successful 1 final, with the Gunners losing to Man City successful the 2026 EFL Cup final. Ending the club’s 22-year hold for a Premier League rubric and winning their archetypal ever Champions League trophy is present precocious connected the agenda.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain person transformed from a star-driven squad that erstwhile boasted Lionel Messi, Neymar and Mbappe - a penny for his thoughts - into a disciplined, cohesive broadside nether caput manager Luis Enrique, built astir younker and tactical flexibility alternatively than one, 2 oregon 3 marquee names.

PSG are enjoying their astir palmy epoch and stay the ascendant unit successful France having won 11 of the past 13 Ligue 1 titles. They celebrated their 4th successful a enactment past play arsenic good arsenic winning the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions, earlier capping disconnected a historical 2024-25 run by lifting their first-ever Champions League trophy.

Les Parisians did not statesman the quadruple-winning play arsenic they had hoped, but they person scaled heights that fewer would person expected since the crook of the year. After respective years of continental heartache, PSG bushed Man City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en way to the Champions League last - their 2nd successful six years - wherever Enrique’s broadside demolished Inter Milan by a 5-0 scoreline to beryllium deservedly crowned champions of Europe.

PSG looked connected people to go satellite champions, too, arsenic they bushed Inter Miami, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to scope the Club World Cup last successful July, securing a connection 4-0 semi-final triumph implicit the latter, but they were amazingly outclassed successful the showpiece by a Chelsea outfit who ran retired 3-0 winners. The discomfort astatine losing heavy was shown successful disfigured post-match scenes by PSG, but thing should beryllium taken distant from their accelerated emergence to the top.

Not lone bash they person arguably the 2 champion full-backs connected the satellite successful Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, the midfield trio of Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz has everything from vigor to accomplishment to tactical nous to versatility, portion Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia proceed to radiance successful onslaught alongside Ballon d’Or victor and Ligue 1 Player of the Year Ousmane Dembele, who contributed to 51 goals past term.

This season, PSG cannot triumph the treble aft suffering a astonishment exit to section rivals Paris FC successful the Coupe de France successful January, but they are apical of Ligue 1 and stay favourites to fend of astonishment contention from Lens to triumph the title, portion they are besides a beardown contender to clasp their Champions League crown. 

1. Bayern Munich

Eyebrows were raised erstwhile Bayern Munich endured their archetypal trophyless run successful 12 years nether Thomas Tuchel successful the 2023-24 campaign, but they person recovered good with Vincent Kompany astatine the helm and returned to the acme of German shot past play aft knocking Bayer Leverkusen disconnected their perch.

Indeed, Bayern reinforced their bequest of home occurrence by reclaiming the Bundesliga rubric - their 12th top-flight triumph successful 13 seasons - aft collecting 82 points from 34 games (W25 D7 L2), finishing 10 points wide of their nearest challengers, Leverkusen, with the astir 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 reasonably awesome Champions League record, reaching the semi-finals successful 11 of the past 18 seasons. Bayern person won 2 of the 4 finals they person taken portion successful during this period, portion they person reached the knockout rounds successful each 17 of those seasons and person mislaid conscionable doubly successful the past 16.

Bayern had precocious hopes of going each the mode astatine the Club World Cup successful the summertime and began their run with a resounding 10-0 group-stage triumph implicit Auckland City, but the yet came up abbreviated against PSG successful the quarter-finals, losing 2-0.

Kompany is moving with a world-class squad including caller signing Luis Diaz, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer - inactive going beardown astatine 40 - versatile midfielder Joshua Kimmich, diversion left-back Alphonso Davies, technically talented attacker Jamal Musiala and helping wizard Michael Olise, who has already recorded 90 extremity contributions since joining the nine astatine the commencement of past season.

Where would Bayern beryllium without prolific talisman Harry Kane, though, arsenic the England skipper continues to nonstop records tumbling successful his aftermath - an highly affirmative omen for the Three Lions successful a World Cup year.

Following the Club World Cup, Bayern astonishingly won each of their archetypal 16 games of 2025-26, taking down each of RB Leipzig, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and adjacent PSG successful the process.

Arsenal did get the amended of Bayern successful the Champions League earlier this season, but erstwhile each cylinders are firing successful Bavaria, the Bundesliga giants are often unstoppable, with a celebrated treble inactive successful show this term.

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