'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Another season has come and gone as brilliant football and equally epic drama has seen Europe’s top leagues finally crown their domestic champions. While across the top-10 leagues, the worthiest have emerged as leaders and champions, we take a quick look at who amongst these 10 has actually won the most League titles in history!
Please note, ONLY CURRENT champions have been considered for this comparison.
10. Chelsea – 8
Champions of England, but since their success has come relatively recently (their only league title before this millenium was in 1955), they will take a bit of time to climb up this storied ladder. Antonio Conte’s men, though, were utterly dominant this season and brooked no opposition in the League that most experts consider the toughest in the world. If the Italian stays, and doesn’t have issues with Abrahamovic, this could be the beginning of a memorable dynasty.
10. Monaco – 8
The principality’s successes have come across a well spread out timeframe with a win or two sustaining them through decades. Despite the obvious disinterest of the local populace in the game (men in tuxedos rarely bother with the rough and tumble of our more earthy sport), the current crop of men wearing AS Monaco red and white are amongst the existing bunch of footballers anywhere on the planet – special mention; Kylian Mbappe.
8. FC Shakthar – 10
Initially based out (started out, rather) Donetsk, the Miners as Shakthar are known in the region are now forced to play their games from Kiev (after a brief period in Lviv) due to Russia’s interest in Crimea circa 2014. They are the most dominant team independent Ukraine have known, 9 out of the last 12 league titles on offer and despite the upheavel surrounding them domestically, Paulo Fonseca’s men are still very much the men to beat in that part of the world
7. Feyenoord – 15
What a fairytale Dirk Kuyt went and scripted in Holland, eh? Well coached by the impressive Giovanni van Bronckhorst and ably captained by their talismanic veteran, Feyenoord won their first Eredivisie title since 1999 after a last day victory in which Kuyt scored a hattrick. Of course he did.
The celebrations that erupted all over the city after this historic 15th triumph was a sight to behold.
6. Spartak Moscow – 22
After spending more than a decade and a half in the wilderness (of trophylessness) Russia’s most successful club are back after pulling back the teams that have dominated the modern Russian football scene – Zenit St. Petersburg and CSKA Moscow. Led by the inimitable Massimo Carrera, ‘the People’s team’ are now firmly back at the summit – having won the Russian Premier League by a comprehensive 7 points over CSKA – Dutchman Quincy Promes’ 11 goals and 10 assists leading the way.
5. Bayern Munich – 27
Surprise, Surprise, Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga. For the fifth time in a row. Over the past half-a-decade everyone else in Germany has been left fighting for second-spot due to the Bavarians sheer dominance at the top. Carlo Ancelotti took off from where Pep Guardiola left it and despite a couple of stumbles here and they never looked like they were going to loosen their stranglehold on the competition.
It looks hard for anyone, from surprise newcomers RB Leipzig to youth-packed Borussia Dortmund, to usurp the German throne just yet.
4. Real Madrid – 33
For the first time in five years, Real Madrid are Champions of Spain. This is in no small part due to the heroics of one of their greatest ever galacticos, and now manager, Zinedine Zidane... the erudite Sunaadh Sagar has already explained just what he got right as the man in charge – 5 things Zinedine Zidane got right for Real Madrid in the 2016/17 season
They really were the best team in Spain this season.
4. Juventus – 33
Anything the germans do, we can do better – so think the Italians, but in this case they did do something of the sort. Juventus strolled to their sixth straight Scudetto while steamrolling opposition with all the ease of well, there are rarely any politically correct ways of bringing up an annihalation analogy, so we’ll let it slide for the moment. What I’m trying to say is that thanks to Paulo Dybala’s magic, Gonzalo Higuain’s goals, Dani Alves’ and Alex Sandro’s dynamism and the impregnibility of that old Barzagli-Bonucci-Chiellini-Buffon axis, the Bianconeri’s 33rd title at time resembled a stroll in the park
2. RSC Anderlecht – 34
To the uninitiated this could be one of the more surprising names on the list, but starting with their first league victory in 1946-47, Anderlecht have reigned supreme in Belgium. Under the wily Rene Weiler they have stamped their authority over one of the most exciting leagues in Europe, and will look to carry this form forwards into contintal competition. They will, though, have to do it without their best player – Youri Tielemans, the 19 year old midfield heart of the Belgian champs is all set to make a move across the continent to the south of France and join Monaco.
1. SL Benfica – 37
Sporting Lisboa e Benfica, the Eagles, continued their supremacy in Portugal, romping home to their fourth successive league title beating eternal foes Porto to the crown by a comfortable margin of six points. With 37 titles to Porto’s 27, they are also by far the nations most successful ever club.
Manager Rui Vitoria has a win% of 73.3% in 105 games, and with him at the helm, it doesn’t look like they’ll loosen the grip on the Primera Liga anytime soon.
