The greatest club sides in football history

It’s August now – that beautiful month of the year when the trumpets start sounding, the drums start beating and the carpets start rolling, as the world prepares to welcome yet another football season.As a prelude to that most wondrous moment when the referees across the world blow their whistles, kicking off yet another gala celebration of the best football the planet has to offer, I have attempted to pick out the greatest club sides ever assembled in the history of the game.Do we have a side as good as these playing currently? Does any of them have the potential to build the sort of legacy these teams have left behind? Let’s hope they do!Having said that, here’s a look back at the Greatest club sides in football history.Note: I have selected sides here that have won a minimum of two international trophies in two different years, while maintaining uniformity in either squad personnel or playing style.Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda.

#10 The Greatest Club side ever A.C. Milan (1989-94)

The factors* I have selected include the strength of the attacks and defences of the sides (self-explanatory), silverware picked up (indicating winning mentality), the strength of competition faced domestically and internationally (I know this is not under the control of the team, but this should be a factor when comparing sides) and a very debatable and oft overlooked factor how fun they were. Therefore on a total of 25 (5 each), heres my scoring chart -

Club	Silverware	Attack	Defence	Entertainment factor	Competition	Total
Milan	4	4.5	5	4	4	21.5
Real	5	5	3	4.5	3.5	21
Santos	4.5	4.5	4	4.5	3.5	21
Liverpool	4.5	4	4	4	4	20.5
Ajax	4	4.5	3.5	4.5	4	20.5
Bayern	4	4	4.5	4	3.5	20
Barca	4	4.5	3.5	4	4	20
Inter	4	3.5	5	3	4	19.5

*The ranking system I have used here is based on a mix of factors that are objective as well as purely subjective its based almost entirely on articles read and videos seen and can be influenced by ingrained bias

With a perfect blend of inspirationalattack and majestic defense, and the adaptability and willingness to change strategies, the Milan side of the late 80s and early 90s is in my opinionthe greatest footballing side ever assembled.

#9 Honourable mentions

Manchester United (1963-68)

Manager – Sir Matt Busby

10 years on from the tragic Munich air crash that decimated the Busby Babes, Manchester United would rise like a phoenix from the ashes and with the holy triumvirate of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton at the height of their considerable powers, defeated the mighty Benfica to clinch the first ever European Cup.

Glasgow Celtic (1967)

Manager – Jock Stein

What’s so great about this Celtic side that won the European Cup in 1967?

Apart from the fact that a Scottish side had actually defeated the much bigger European behemoths, the stand-out factor was that the Celtic squad was entirely comprised of players who were born and brought up within a 30 mile radius of Glasgow city. 30 miles! Glasgow! Champions of Europe! Chew on that for a moment.

Jock Stein, you beauty, take a bow!

Ajax (1995)

Manager – Louis van Gaal

With a side full of unheralded youngsters from their famed youth system, Ajax, under Van Gaal, played some of the most entertaining football ever seen as they romped home to the European Cup trophy in 1995, swatting aside bigger names with an irreverence that was refreshingly awesome.

A pity then that the very next year, those very same bigger names swooped in and pecked away these incredibly talented youngsters – youngsters you are most certainly familiar with these days – Clarence Seedorf, Edwin van der Sar, Edgar Davids, Marc Overmars and Patrick Kluivert to name just a few.

Manchester United (1992-96, 98-02, 07-09)

Manager – Sir Alex Ferguson

No article on great footballing sides would be complete without a mention of the great man. Alex Ferguson built three great sides over the span of 26 years, winning domestic trophies and 2 European trophies in the time, each side evolving their very own playing style as the personnel changed.

Where his first team was built around the magisterial genius of Eric Cantona, his second was built with a base of homegrown youngsters – kids, who grew into legends – Nicky Butt, Gary & Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and David Beckham, with an iron willed captain in Roy Keane. His third side had one of the most dynamic frontlines in football with Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez all roving across the final third, wreaking havoc wherever they went, with Scholes and Giggs still pulling the strings from midfield.

The lack of multiple European triumphs, however, keeps these sides from being counted among the very greatest.

#8 Barcelona (2008-11)

Manager Pep Guardiola

The Team in the 2011 Champions League Final (4-3-3) Valdes Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta Pedro, Villa, Messi.

The dominance of Barcelona started in the mid-2000s, when under Frank Rijkaard and inspired by the greatest magician to kick a football Ronaldinho they started playing some of the most entertaining football ever. But it was not until 2008-09 that the side reached greatness.

By now under the guidance of local folkhero Josep Pep Guardiola, Barcelona let gotheir two most prolific superstars Ronaldinho and the charismatic Cameroonian Samuel Etoo as the coachembarked on a mission to impose the playing style of the famous Barca youth academy, La Masia, on the senior team. Here, every attacking player subjugated their personal flamboyance for the sakeof the team. Every attackingplayerwho wasnt named Lionel Messi, anyway.

This playing style, known as tiki-taka, was based on the fundamental truth that the opponent cannot score unless he has the ball. Barcelona under Guardiola prided themselves on their ability to pass the ball; even against the best opposition, their diminutive players passed the ball amongst themselves with such lazy elegance and absurd ease that it made the ones chasing the ball look silly.

Anchored by the insufferably dramatic, yet undeniably brilliant Sergio Busquets, their midfield contained two of the greatest masterminds to ever play the game Andres Iniesta, whose quiet brilliance could spark any game into life, and Xavi Hernandez, whose vision made it appear that he could pass a football through the eye of a needle as easily as through a barn door.

Their attack, which fed off the passing carousel that was their midfield, had (have) the young and exciting Pedro, the selfless David Villa and the indescribable genius of LionelMessi. On the rare occasion that the passing carousel failed when opponents resorted to parking the bus, the magic of Messi would almost always find a way through for the Catalans. When played at a high tempo, there was nothing in world football more exciting than tiki-taka, as was evidenced bytheir comprehensive mauling of arch enemies Real Madrid at the Bernabau in 2010.

Under Guardiola, this great sidepassed its way to three consecutive league titles, two Champions league triumphs and two Copa del Rey crowns. In their heyday, they were virtually unbeatable! Even though the departure of Guardiola after just four years, just as the special one Jose Mourinho and Messis great rival Cristiano Ronaldo were asserting themselves in Madrid, deprived the world of the chance to see just how great this team could be, they deservedly earned a place amongst the greatest football club sides ever assembled.

#7 AC Milan (1988-94)

Manager Arrigo Sacchi, Fabio Capello

The Team in 1989 (4-4-2) G.Galii - Tassotti, Baresi (capt), Costacurta, Maldini - Colombo, Rijkaard, Donadoni, Ancelotti - Gullit, Van Basten

AC Milan struggled through the most of the 70s and 80s, their past glories tarnished by relegation, bribery scandals and debt. Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi arrived in 1986 and with him came Arrigo Sacchi and unprecedented success.

Playing a unique brand of direct, attacking football, Sacchi had in his ranks the greatest defense ever assembled on a football pitch:Maldini Baresi Costacurta Tassotti. However, instead of relying on the old Italian maxim of defending deep and defending in numbers, Sacchi had his full backs Paolo Maldini and Mauro Tassotti playing almost as wingers, with the great don Franco Baresi and his central defensive partner Alessandro Costacurta reading the game several moves ahead.

Building on this foundation, he had three magical Dutchmen who provided the cut and thrust moving forward the great midfield general Frank Rijkaard, the enigmatic genius of Marco van Basten and the supreme genius of Ruud Gullit. Complementing them were the Italian maestros Roberto Donadoni and Carlo Ancelotti (yes, the same guy who is currently in charge of Madrid).

Playing a high defensive line, squeezing the space in midfield (Sacchi wanted no more than 25 yards between defence and attack), the Milanese defence was their first line of attack. The entire team played an insanely high-tempo game, and their constant pressing impacted the opposition pyschologically as much as physically no one had ever seen football played like this.

What they did when they had the ball was even more majestic the three Dutchmen combining beautifully with their Italian teammates to create football with a rare mix of ruthless directness and absolute control.

They had it in them to grind out results as well as toy with their opponents when thefancytook them, beating a strong Real Madrid 5-0 in a display ofpowerful footballing dominance in the 89 semifinal second leg and dispatching a very good Steaua Bucharest side 4-0 in the final.

The mark of a great side is in its versatility and adaptability though, and this is what they showcased in the European Cup final in 1994. Sacchi had departed to manage the national team, and he was replaced by Fabio Capello, who played a slightly more conservative game. Or so people thought.

Up against a flamboyant Barcelona side managed by Johann Cruyff and led by the wizardry of Hristo Stoichkov and Romario, Milan overcame them despite suspensions to their defensive stalwarts Costacurta and Baresi. Theyturned on their A game and absolutely obliterated Barcelona 4-0 in what is possibly the greatest display of attacking football since the 1960 final when Madrid won 7-3.

Milan had well and truly underlined their credentials as one of the greatest sides ever.

#6 Liverpool (1977-85)

Manager Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan

The Team in the 1984 European Cup Final (4-4-2) Grobbelaar Neal, Lawrenson, Hansen, A.Kennedy Lee, Johnston, Souness (capt), Whelan Rush, Dalglish

Until 1977, only one English team had managed to win the European Cup and that was Manchester United in 1968. All that was about to change soon; one of the greatest sides in history would take it upon themselves to establish English rule over the continent.

Playing a quintessentially English 4-4-2, Liverpooljazzed up the old two banks of four with slick one touchpassing and quick, unpredictablemovement between the lines. The greatness of the side lay in their ability to maintain their unbelievable run of European and domestic success whilst effectively replacing all of their personnel.

An example of this is Kevin Keegans early departure; having beenthe attacking fulcrum of the 1977 European champions, his exitwould have handicapped most teams. But not this one, for it merely facilitated the arrival of one of the greatest strikers in British footballing history Kenny Daglish or King Kenny as he was called bythe Kop.

The genius of the manager, Bob Paisley was evident as Liverpool produced some of the most excitingly dominant football ever seen, asserting their superiority both domestically and internationally. His assistant managerJoe Fagan took over in 83 and ensured the great Liverpool machine didnt run out of steam.

Winning four European championships in a magical seven-year spell, the English champions looked all set to rule the continent for years to come until tragedy struck in 1985. The disaster saw 39 mostly Juventus fans crushed to death as the wall of the Heysel Stadium collapsed after the neutral area was breached by a large contingent of Liverpool fans. The tragedy saw English fans banned from European competition for five years, with the Reds having to serve an additional three years.

While they continued to dominate in the domestic league, this waned in the 90s with arch rivals Manchester United soon usurping their title as the best team in England

The team would never again reach the dizzying heydays of the early 80s.

#5 Bayern Munich (1974-77)

Manager Udo Lattek, Dettmar Cramer

The Team in the 1974 European Cup final (4-3-3) Maier Hansen, Schwarzenbeck, Beckenbauer (capt), Breitner Zobel, Roth, Kapellmann Torstensson Muller, Hoeness

Trust the Germans to spoil a good Dutch party. Bayern, just likeall the other top German clubs,had been humiliated by the great Ajax sides of 70-73, and they were determined to get their revenge. Playing Total Football with a decidedly German touch, Bayern built their side around arguably the greatest exponent of Total Football ever Franz Beckenbauer. There was not a blade of grass on the pitch that the man named Der Kaiser did not utterly dominate.

Paul Breitner, the true multi-purpose footballer,a wrong-footed full back with a love for mazy dribbles, the great goalkeeper Sepp Maier and the fearsome striking partnership of Gerd Mueller and Uli Hoennes all came together under Beckenbauers charismatic leadership to make for an awe-inspiring footballing team.

They played attacking football but with a ruthlessness and pragmatism that was typically German. Up front, Mueller always seemed to be able to contrive a way for the ball to nestle in the back of the net; combine thatwith the Beckenbauer-marshaled defence that was an impenetrable wall behind which stood one of the greatest goalkeepers of the time, andthis was the ultimate winning unit of its era.

With the great Ajax team losing their way after the departure of Cruyff, Bayern seized their opportunity, winning three consecutive European cups in a tremendous run from 1974-76. They were utterly dominant in the West German domestic league, establishing a stranglehold over the German football scene that seems all so familiar these days.

#4 Ajax Amsterdam (1970-73)

Manager Rinus Michels and Stefan Kovacs

The Team in the 1972 European Cup final (4-3-3) Stuy Suurbier, Hulshoff, Blankenburg, Krol Neeskens, Haan, Mhren Swart, Cruyff, Keizer (capt)

Holland in the early 70s was the hippieversion of heaven. Everything about the place was just reallycool, and their outlook on life was breezy and romantic. Nothing epitomised that better than their best football team Ajax Amsterdam. Playing a style of football called Total Football, Ajax played in a fluid, constantly changing style where there was no fixed formation and defenders would turn attackers at a moments notice, while attackers became defenders to cover for them. Pioneered by Rinus Michels, the arrival of the Romanian Stefan Kovacs as manager in 1971 took total football and Ajax to new uncharted heights.

Playing this hitherto unseen style of dynamic football, the Ajax side of the early 1970s decimated the stranglehold that Herreras Catenaccio had on European football. You see, the Catenaccio was based on man-marking and in Ajaxs new system there was literally no fixed position. This dragged the man-marking defenders completely out of shape and enabled the multi-talented Ajax side to rip opposing sides apart at will.

Johann Cruyff was the chief conductor of this orchestra of footballing symphony, and with hugely talented artists such as Johan Neeskens, Jeseai Swart, Piet Keizer in their pomp, they took football to the next level, playing a beautiful passing game that led them to three consecutive European Cup triumphs and numerous Eredivise titles.

Ajax hit their peak in the second half of the first leg of their quarterfinal against Bayern in 73 when, in 45 minutes of the most fluid football you will ever see,they absolutely eviscerated their opposition 4-0. The transfer of Cruyff to Barcelona that year paved the way for this European dominance to come to an end, but when Ajax were at their pomp, it wasfootball at its sexy best.

#3 Inter Milan (1962-66)

Manager Helenio Herrera

The Team in the 1964 European Cup final (5-3-2) Sarti - Burgnich, Guameri, Picchi (capt), Facchetti, Tagnin - Suarez, Corso , Jair - Mazzola, Piero

In the 1950s, football was a player-dominated sport, as evidenced by the fact that the Madrid and Santos teams mentioned earlier were, are and always will be known as Di Stefanos Madrid and Peles Santos.

All that changed when a little known man named Helenio Herrera took over as manager of Internazionale, or Inter Milan as they are more popularly known. He took the quintessentially Italian art of defending to all-time highs (or lows, looking at your point of view) during his time at Inter, turning the catenaccio (or Door bolt) form of playing into second nature for not just Inter, but most of Italy.

A genuinely brilliant strategist, Herrera figured out that that stopping an attack was easier than actually creating one, and his game-plan revolved around that one simple truth you cant lose if you dont concede.

Not that his team was all negative. With the genius of Luis Suarez (the Spanish midfield maestro, not the Uruguayan vampire) and the great Italian Sandro Mazzola pulling the strings in the attacking third, and with the best attacking fullback the world has ever seen in Giacinto Fachetti (who scored goals that most strikers can only dream about), they were a very creative team in their own right.

However, the base of this Inter team and the foundation of their success was their all-powerful defense of Facchetti,Tagnin, Picchi (the original sweeper he covered the back four almost like a second goalkeeper), Guarneri and Burgnich.

The entire team defended like their lives defended upon it, with the back four man-marking their opponents, literally breathing down their necks throughout the matches, and Picchi tying up any lose ends behind them.

By this time, Herrerahad earned himself the nickname Il Mago, which meant the Wizard. More anod tohis sides abilityto practise the dark arts of football like no other than their magical ability to churn out trophy after trophy,the word nonetheless epitomised the street-smartness of his great Inter team.

This ruthless winning mentality and absolute refusal to give up goals led to the greatest run of successes in the clubs history, earning the side the title Grande Inter.They may not have won over many hearts, but neither Herrera nor the club and its fans could care less as they became the dominant side of the 60s, winning back to back European titles and Intercontinental titles as well as three Serie A titles in a five year spell.

#2 Santos (1958-63)

Manager Luis Alonso Perez

The Team in the 1962 Copa Libertadores Final (4-2-4) Gilmar Dalmo, Mauro Ramos, Calvet, Zito Mengalvio, Lima Dorval, Pepe Coutinho, Pele

Playing in a ludicrously attacking 4-2-4, the Santos side of the 60s epitomised everything great about Brazilian football, with brilliant wing play, solid defense and an unbelievably talented goalscorer in Edson Arantes de Nascimento, better known asPele.

With arguably the greatest footballer the world has ever seen doing things with a football only he could, and with asupporting cast of Dorval, Pepe and Coutinho dancing their way through opposing defenders and goalkeepers, Santos scored a stunning number of goals whilst conceding very little as they began to dominate South America in the late 50s.

It was in 1962 that they truly hit their peak, becoming the first side in the world to win a continental treble marching to victory in the Brazilian Paulistao (league), Brasilierao (cup) and the South American Copa Libertadores. They added a cherry to that delicious cake by beating a strong Benfica outfit and winning the Intercontinetal Cup, and repeating the unprecedented feat in 1963.

They were well and truly the worlds best team by then, and becamethe most in-demand team on the planet, leading to multiple world tours and exhibition matches in dozens of countries. They were revered wherever they went and this golden era outfit came to be known as Os Santosticos.

They would go onto to dominate the Brazilian League, winning it eight times in the 60s alone, but would never enjoy as much international success after the dizzy heights of 1963.

#1 Real Madrid (1955-60)

Manager Jose Villalonga, Luis Carniglia, Manuel Fleitas, Miguel Munoz it didnt really matter!

The Team in the 1960 European Cup Final(3-5-2): Dominguez Marquitos, Santamaria, Pachin Zarraga (capt), Vidal, Canario, Del Sol, Gento Di Stefano, Puskas

The European Cup was started in 1955. Real Madrid won it that year; and the next; and the next; and you get the picture. They won it five consecutive times a feat no other side is ever likely to match.

Possibly the greatestcollectionof superstarsever assembled on one side of a football pitch, the original Galacticos were the undisputed superstars of their time. Spearheaded by the unmatched brilliance of one of the greatest players ever Alfredo di Stefano,and filled to the brim throughout this period with the best players in the world the immortal Galloping Major Ferenc Puskas (who joined in 1958 post defection from Soviet occupied Hungary), the inspirational playmaker Raymond Kopa, the legendary winger Francisco Gento and the defensive rock that was Jose Santamaria Madrid were the most dominant sporting entity in Spain and the whole of Europe.

They were the original entertainers, with everyone in the team eager to romp forward whilst pulling off cheeky flicks, mazy dribbles and unheard of tricks as they banged in goals for fun. Di Stefano held the European Cup record for most goals scored for a good 50-plus years (until another great Madridista, Raul, overtook the tally in 2005) a testament to the attacking prowess of this Madrid side.

In the 1960 final they met a superb Eintracht Frankfurt team that had earlier romped to the final in style and was realistically considered as the team that would put a stop to the Madrid hegemony over Europe. Hah!

The world bore witness to what is possibly the greatest attacking display ever seen on a football pitch as the two best players in the world along with their equally uber talented teammates absolutely annihilated Frankfurt 7-3, with Puskas scoringfour and Di Stefano three.This Read Madrid side had just sealed their legacy in the most magnificent way possible.