In brief
Using its power rankings, Opta has determined the top 30 football teams in the world.
Despite poor league results in the 2023–2024 season, teams like Chelsea and Napoli made the list.
Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen, who are defending their titles after winning league titles, are among the top ten teams.
What qualifies a team as the world’s best? The question is a little arbitrary. Although a club’s recent winnings and trophies can serve as a reliable indicator, it can be difficult to choose one team over the others in a sport where anyone can defeat anyone. After all, it’s entirely up to chance to compare clubs from different leagues.
For instance, Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr have never faced off. Even while many people believe the former would win hands down, it’s nearly difficult to know for sure. Although it’s subjective and theoretically there isn’t a right or wrong answer, everyone could benefit from the assistance of the people at Opta, who have recently revised and computed their Power Rankings.
The squad is then given a rating that is comparable to other teams worldwide using an Elo system that evaluates the outcomes of more than 2.5 million games. In-league ratings, a division’s overall rating, a nation’s rating, and the continent a team plays on are some of the factors that decide points.
Keeping all of that in mind, these are the top 30 football teams in the world right now, along with their past performances in European competitions and the precise reasons behind their ranking. Spoiler alert: the Red Devils are currently in 35th place due to the turbulent post-Sir Alex Ferguson period.
The top 30 teams in the world are Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, and Crystal Palace.
AC Milan, who are now in the middle of the Serie A table, is breaking into the top 30. AS Roma, led by Claudio Ranieri, are ranked number 29. The Italian understands what it’s like to win big trophies, and he plans to do so again this season. However, as of right now, the team from the Italian capital has an 89.8 ranking.
Nottingham Forest, led by Nuno Espirito Santo, has the potential to make history by: a) winning a spot in the Champions League and b) unseating the top-seeded Liverpool team. They will undoubtedly rise in this list if they take either of the aforementioned actions.
PSV Eindhoven, who are currently eight points behind their domestic rivals, is battling with Ajax in the Eredivisie. Opta claims that they are 26th in the Power Rankings with a score of 90.1, maybe as a result of their 7-1 loss to Arsenal.
LOSC Lille may be having trouble at home, but their 90.6 score in the Champions League so far justifies them for a 26th-place finish. With all eyes on their FA Cup campaign, Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace is hoping to win a major trophy for the first time in their history. In league form, they’re also difficult to defeat.
After a run of subpar performances, Ange Postecoglou’s job at Tottenham is in doubt, but he can find comfort in the fact that his team is currently rated 23rd in the world. Despite their difficulties on the pitch, players can take pride in their 90.5 score. Nevertheless, they continue to lag behind a long list of Premier League teams.
Sporting CP is in 22nd place with an overall score of 90.6, which is more than impressive, at the top of Liga Portugal. They suffered a little under the new manager’s leadership, as evidenced by their 5-1 loss to Arsenal, but they have since turned things around and amassed an eight-game winning streak across all competitions.
Bournemouth, owned by Andoni Iraola, is another unexpected addition to the top flight in England. The former midfielder found it difficult to adjust to the fast-paced nature of English football after leaving Rayo Vallecano, but his club is now playing a captivating style of football and challenging any team that dares to face them. They barely lose out on a place in the top 20 despite having a score of 90.7.
Rankings for Opta Power: 30–21
Ranking of Power
Group
Score of 100
30.
Milan AC
89.7
29.
AS Roma
89.8
28.
Forest of Nottingham
89.8
27.
Villarreal
89.9
26.
PSV Eindhoven
90.1
25.
Lille LOSC
90.3%
24.
The Crystal Palace
90.4
23.
Tottenham Hotspur
90.5
22.
Playing CP
90.6
21.
The Bournemouth
90.7
Top Teams in the World: 20th–11th Juventus and Chelsea are featured
We move on to the top 20, along with Brighton & Hove Albion, a Premier League team that has swiftly become the league’s darling due to their skilful football and astute, yet astute, recruitment. At one time, the Seagulls were only four points off of the top four after making another excellent managerial hire in Fabian Hurzeler.
Lazio, one of Serie A’s surprise packages, is in 18th place, slightly ahead of 19th-place Benfica. Unai Emery has consistently impressed with his management of Aston Villa, transforming the Premier League team from a contender for the top half to one that is in the Champions League and sits just behind Lazio. Athletic Club is in 16th place after that.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli might have done well to not place in the top ten. The Italian powerhouses are now ranked second in the local Serie A competition, thanks to the signing of Scott McTominay and his all-action exploits. They appear unbeatable at the races, but their overall standing (15th on 92.1) is harmed by their lack of European football.
At the time of writing, Newcastle United, under the leadership of the talismanic Alexander Isak, was one of the most successful Premier League teams. Doesn’t a score of 92.3 make for interesting reading?
The squad to watch in Italy is Atalanta, led by Gian Piero Gasperini. The team, led by the mysterious Mateo Retegui, has emerged as a surprise contender for the championship because to his firepower. However, they also missed out on an automatic position in the Champions League knockout stages by just one point, trailing Emery’s Villa.
Chelsea makes it into the top 20 as well. Despite their inconsistent start to the current season, they are now in 12th place, but their European heritage keeps them afloat. The Blues did appear to be finally moving in the right direction on all fronts under Enzo Maresca, but they have now encountered a roadblock.
Juventus, who currently sit in 11th place with a rating of 92.7, may consider themselves unfortunate not to have made the top 10, but they are disappointed by their position in the European football echo chamber. The Old Lady was once the top team in their country and one of the top teams on the continent, but those days are long gone.
20-11 Opta Power Rankings
Rankings of Power
Group
Score of 100
20.
Albion, Brighton & Hove
90.7
19.
Benfica
90.7
18.
Lazio
91.0
17.
Villa Aston
91.2
16.
Sports Club
91.2
15.
Napoli
92.1
14.
Newcastle United
92.3
13.
Atlanta
92.4
12.
Chelsea
92.6
11.
Juventus
92.7
Top Teams in the World: 10th-1st
Liverpool wins first place thanks to Arne Slot’s dominance there.
Antonio Conte’s Napoli might have done well to not place in the top ten. The Italian powerhouses are now ranked second in the local Serie A competition, thanks to the signing of Scott McTominay and his all-action exploits. They appear unbeatable at the races, but their overall standing (15th on 92.1) is harmed by their lack of European football.
At the time of writing, Newcastle United, under the leadership of the talismanic Alexander Isak, was one of the most successful Premier League teams. Doesn’t a score of 92.3 make for interesting reading?
The squad to watch in Italy is Atalanta, led by Gian Piero Gasperini. The team, led by the mysterious Mateo Retegui, has emerged as a surprise contender for the championship because to his firepower. However, they also missed out on an automatic position in the Champions League knockout stages by just one point, trailing Emery’s Villa.
Chelsea makes it into the top 20 as well. Despite their inconsistent start to the current season, they are now in 12th place, but their European heritage keeps them afloat. The Blues did appear to be finally moving in the right direction on all fronts under Enzo Maresca, but they have now encountered a roadblock.
Juventus, who currently sit in 11th place with a rating of 92.7, may consider themselves unfortunate not to have made the top 10, but they are disappointed by their position in the European football echo chamber. The Old Lady was once the top team in their country and one of the top teams on the continent, but those days are long gone.
20-11 Opta Power Rankings
Rankings of Power
Group
Score of 100
20.
Albion, Brighton & Hove
90.7
19.
Benfica
90.7
18.
Lazio
91.0
17.
Villa Aston
91.2
16.
Sports Club
91.2
15.
Napoli
92.1
14.
Newcastle United
92.3
13.
Atlanta
92.4
12.
Chelsea
92.6
11.
Juventus
92.7
Top Teams in the World: 10th-1st
Liverpool wins first place thanks to Arne Slot’s dominance there.
Although all of the teams in the top 10 are, predictably, based in Europe, they represent the best of the best in world football. Atletico Madrid, headed by Diego Simeone, is in 10th place with a score of 95.0. After their successful ten-year run in the Bundesliga ended last season, Vincent Kompany is hoping to reclaim the top flight crown with Bayern Munich, a lost Champions League semi-finalist, rated 95.1.
Although Harry Kane’s team lost the league title and fell short of the expectations many had of them, they have returned this season with a vengeance and appear to be the team to beat.
Perhaps the world’s best squad from the previous season is ranked eighth. They only lost one game during the entire previous term, so it’s not even debatable. It is impossible to explain Xabi Alonso’s actions at Bayer Leverkusen. They had the longest European unbeaten streak ever after their last-minute 2-2 Europa League stalemate with Roma, but they faltered at the last second to win a historic triple.
Ever since Pep Guardiola solidified his style of play at the Etihad, Manchester City has been regarded as the club to beat in Europe. But a decline in play, coupled with a seven-game losing streak for the first time in the Spaniard’s career, were the first indications that things aren’t going as well as they used to be, and they also caused City to drop in the rankings.
Thanks in great part to one of Europe’s best players, Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan shocked everyone by making it to the Champions League final in 2022–2023 and finishing as the Italian champions for the 30th time in their history last season. They have now had a respectable start to their domestic campaign, but as was already mentioned, the competition is so close at the top that Simone Inzaghi will find it difficult to hold onto his crown.
The Catalan powerhouses are in fifth place after an incredibly strong start to the current campaign under the new leadership of Hansi Flick and his well-trained team. While Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski are more than fulfilling their roles in Flick’s quest for greatness, Lamine Yamal appears to be headed towards being the greatest player in the world at some point.
Even if they lost Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain is still ranked fourth (97.6). With a 2-1 victory over Lyon in the French Cup final at the end of the previous season, the Ligue 1 powerhouses earned a domestic treble, but the capital club now routinely wins. Losing Mbappe doesn’t seem to have a significant negative impact on their domestic prospects.
With Jude Bellingham and Mbappe on the same team, Carlo Ancelotti’s all-star team struggled to gel, but it has paid off, and they are now the team to beat at Europe’s top table. Following the Spanish powerhouses comes an Arsenal team that, once again, was unable to unseat Manchester City from their position in the previous match.
When the current season concludes, Mikel Arteta and his well-trained team will be hoping to break the Gunners’ trophy drought under the Spaniard after coming so close to Premier League glory two straight seasons. However, it is unclear if that will be the case.
Liverpool is now in first place, which is a clear indication of how successfully Arne Slot has replaced the ostensibly irreplaceable Jurgen Klopp. Many thought the Dutchman would need to go through a transitional phase at Anfield, but the Reds are currently dominating every aspect of football and are rightfully at the top of the world rankings thanks to their steady play and the inconsistency of others.
Rankings of Opta Power, 1st–10th
Rankings of Power
Group
Score of 100
10.
Real Madrid
95.0
9.
The Bayern Munich
95.1
8.
Leverkusen Bayer
95.5
7.
City of Manchester
96.1
6.
Milan Inter
97.4
5.
Barcelona
97.4
4.
Saint-Germain, Paris
97.6
3.
Real Madrid
98.2
2.
The Arsenal
98.9
1.
Liverpool
One hundred
