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With social platforms expanding day by day and the increased outreach of different type of media, the global football fan base is growing exponentially. Live matches are now available in almost every country and people - old and young, men and women are glued to their televisions during weekends to watch their favourite team play.
Every person new to the field tends to get maximum information about the recent happenings and as a result, some of the "newer" clubs that have been successful recently, have seen their fan following increase in recent times.
Here are 5 such clubs whose recent achievements have gained them many ardent disciples:
#5 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid appointed Diego Simeone as their manager in 2011 at a time when many were crying out for a club to break the hegemony of Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Argentinean took his time, but slowly built a unit that was hard to play against and harder to beat.
Asserting dominance physically in a bid to outplay the opponent was his approach very often, and matches often turned into physical battles.
They reaped the benefits in 2013 when they beat Real Madrid to win the Copa del Rey. They slowly become a force to be reckoned with and won the La Liga the following season, finishing three points ahead of both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
They came agonisingly close to winning the 2014 UEFA Champions League final as Madrid ran out winners following a 93rd-minute equaliser, and once again in 2016, as they again lost to Real Madrid in penalties.
All these exploits garnered the attention and backing of the masses all over the world.
#4 Paris Saint-Germain
The French club shot into fame in 2012 when it was taken over by a Doha based shareholding organisation called Qatar Sports Investments (QSi). The new owners were determined to use their wealth to attract star players and give PSG a facelift.
In the last 6 years, the club won the domestic league four times, the Coupe de France three times and the Coupe de la Ligue four times. They also reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League four times in a row.
Perhaps the most crucial factor why their fan following has increased recently is the vast array of superstars that they have brought in. David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Maxwell, Edinson Cavani, Angel di Maria and Neymar are some of the superstars that have donned the jersey.
All these players have huge individual fan bases, which indirectly contributed to the expansion of that of the club.
#3 Manchester City
Manchester City were completely under the shadow of their neighbours Manchester United for the most part of their existence. United were the biggest club in the land and were winning accolades for fun. The situation changed in 2008 when the club was purchased by Abu Dhabi United Group. A story similar to that of PSG followed.
They began to attract top players like Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and were competing for domestic prizes.
They won the Premier League twice - in 2012 and 2014. They also won the FA Cup in 2011 and three League Cups. They also managed to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2016. Naturally, this sudden revamp continues to attract many supporters.
#2 Tottenham Hotspur
With all the millions being pumped into the game, one club that managed to hold on to its roots was Tottenham. Added to this was the fact that they gave their London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea something to think about when they finished third in 2016 and second in 2015.
They were able to achieve this by relying on home grown talent at a time when other clubs were spending money lavishly. They are no longer the pushovers they once were.
Since making the switch to London in 2014, Mauricio Pochettino has done a remarkable job. He has trusted young players and modelled superstars out of players deemed to be average by others.
Harry Kane, who has been one of the best strikers in the world for the past three seasons, is a shining example. Pochettino was also able to throw light on players like Dele Alli, Kyle Walker, Moussa Dembele and Ben Davies.
More experienced players like captain Hugo Lloris, Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireled were utilised expertly by the Argentinian and they came very close to winning the league on a couple of occasions.
Spurs play brilliant football when in the mood and the fact that they have no trophies to show for it matters very little because they have gained a multitude of admirers.
#1 Leicester City
After ten years, Leicester City gained promotion to the top tier of English football in 2014. They struggled to find their feet and had to rely on some late form to avoid relegation. Fast forward one year? They became Champions.
Their success was largely down to three players - Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'golo Kante. The forward, Vardy, and the chief playmaker, Mahrez, were involved in 35 goals and 24 assists.
Further, it was a season that shot midfielder Kante into fame as he was the provided the defensive cover to his attackers. The midfielder's tenacity and interception abilities were key to the team.
It was a fairy tale that is hard to put into words. No star names, limited resources, no expensive players but England's top prize was theirs. And the remarkable fact was that there was minimal luck involved.
It was, indeed, a feat achieved by Claudio Ranieri, who put together a team that believed in themselves and would play as if their lives depended on it, carving a niche for themselves in the process, capturing the imagination of the whole world.
Simply reading this makes you adore them, doesn't it?
