The Most Successful Clubs in France, Ranked (May, 2021)

ARL Football Success Ranking System

Any club which remotely thinks it deserves the label ‘big’ should be playing in the top league of its association, buying the best players and, ideally, holding down a global brand presence. It is a club’s trophy cabinet which really sorts the economy class clubs from the business class, or even private jet ones though.

The ARL Football Success Ranking System for men’s European club football establishes for certain which clubs are the most successful of each nation and in the whole of Europe. It is a system of scoring points to clubs based on what trophies and how many have been won. Different trophies score different points and are based on a ‘glory’ criteria. Only ‘competitive football’ trophies are considered.

France and Ligue 1

As next door neighbours to the ‘Home of Football’, the game in France goes back a long way. At amateur level National Championships were contended from as far back as 1894 and then professionally in Ligue 1 since 1933, but with the usual World War breaks.

France is a curious footballing country. Its top tier league, Ligue 1, may be a level below the world’s top 4 highest quality leagues that are the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A, yet it’s certainly where top level football can be found, which makes sense given its rich footballing history and affluent fanbase.

Yet it’s teams have enjoyed such little success abroad; they’ve only scored 14.5 international points and little prestige to go with it. Ligue 1’s subsequently low international profile is probably explained by the fact is a very egalitarian league. Ten clubs have at least 5 Titles to their name and an impressive 5 clubs have reached the 100 points mark. Yet remarkably, no club has 300+ Success points.

Nevertheless, a lot of memories have been made in this big footballing country and it has given a lot to European football, particularly in the form of many world class players.

Scroll down to view the full table of France’s Most Successful Clubs

Below are France’s 5 ‘Big 100+ Clubs’:

5. Olympique Lyonnais

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a27d24_fd9656d2562849398807f672811f1eba~mv2.webp — *OL celebrate winning their 7th consecutive Ligue 1 Title in 2008*

Points: 100

Earliest Trophy Won: Coupe de France (CdF), 1964

Latest Trophy Won: CdF and Trophee des Champions (TdC), 2012

Most Successful Manager: Paul Le Guen – 30 points (2002–2005)

An amateur club, Racing Club de Lyon, was founded in 1896 yet wouldn’t commit to professional football. So, after decades of infighting a splinter group eventually formed – Olympique Lyonnais in 1950. It got on the scoreboard with its first major trophy, a French Cup in 1964 and then won a 2nd in ‘67.

In 1987, Lyon was bought by Rhône businessman Jean-Michel Aulas who took control of the club aiming to turn Lyon into an established Ligue 1 side. He launched an ambitious plan, titled OL – Europe, designed to make Olympique Lyonnais a European household name. This plan came to be realised at the turn of the millennium; from 2001-08 Les Gones kept a vice-like grip over Ligue 1 with 7 straight Titles in a row. OL had certainly become a household name by the time it achieved a Title/Cup Double in 2008.

Today, OL is France’s 5th most successful club.

4. AS Monaco FC

*As Monaco players celebrate their latest Title win in 2017*

Points: 105

Earliest Trophy Won: CdF, 1960

Latest Trophy Won: Coupe de la Ligue (CdlL), 2018

Most Successful Manager: Lucien Leduc – 37 points (1958-63 and 1976-79)

AS Monaco FC hold the distinction of being the only club to represent an entire country. It is the only club in Monaco hence why is plays in the French leagues. Monaco was founded in 1919 as an amalgamation of Monégasque sports clubs. It was invited to join the professional Ligue 2 in 1933 but got relegated back down to amateur status at the first try. It managed to break the door open again in 1948.

Manager Lucien Leduc arrived in 1958 and led Les Monégasques to their first major trophy, a French Cup at the decade’s turn. He went one step better the year after with Monaco’s first Title, then better again with a domestic ‘double’ in ‘63.

Monaco have enjoyed major trophy wins every decade since, including another Title under Leduc in ‘78 and Arsene Wenger in 1988. Monaco is France’s 4th most successful club.

3. AS Saint Etienne

*Rachid Mekhloufi, St E’s all-time leading goalscorer with the Coupe de France, won in 1968*

Points: 129

Earliest Trophy Won: Ligue 1 and TdC, 1957

Latest Trophy Won: CdlL, 2013

Most Successful Manager: Robert Herbin – 51 points (1972-83 and 1987-90)

Another French club founded well before WW2 yet which won nothing until well after, Saint Etienne’s glory years centre around the 1960s and ‘70s. The ‘70s decade is its most successful decade to date winning 4 Titles, 4 French Cups and 56 out of a total 129 Success Points. It went into the 1980s to win its final Title regarded as one of France’s biggest clubs, as it still is now.

In 1982, a financial scandal involving a controversial slush fund led to the departure and eventual jailing of long-time president Roger Rocher. Saint-Étienne subsequently suffered a free-fall with the club suffering relegation in the 1983–84 season. Its only major trophy since has been a solitary League Cup in 2013.

Les Verts easily make it into the ‘Big 100+’ and 3rd in the Success Rankings.

2. Olympique de Marseille

*Jubilant Marseille players with Marseille’s, and Ligue 1’s, sole Champions League triumph, 1993*

Points: 163

Earliest Trophy Won: CdF, 1924

Latest Trophy Won: CdlL, 2012

Most Successful Manager: Gerard Gili – 23 points (1988-90, 1994 and 1995-97)

Marseille are a club tracing its history of winning big things back to the 20th Century’s first half. In the 1920s, Les Phocéens (The Phocaeans) hit the big time by winning 3 French Cups on the trot before a first league Title. By 1972, the club added its 5th Title to an ever bulging trophy cabinet as well as its first League/Cup Double.

By 1986 Bernard Tapie was elected Club President. He promptly assembled Ligue 1’s finest ever squad, packed with stars like Hoddle, Cantona, Deschamps and Desailly. From 1989, Marseille went on a barnstorming run, achieving a 2nd domestic Double then three more Titles immediately after. It was capped with the piece de resistance – a UEFA Champions League in 1993 – Marseille’s and Ligue 1’s only one to date.

Marseille’s latest success has also been a run of 3 trophy wins on the trot, this time League Cups from 2010 to 2012. Today Marseille are now France’s 2nd most successful club, pushed aside by the Paris new kids on the block.

1. Paris Saint Germain FC

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a27d24_fc38788b8efa4110a667a8ef0a4fd41c~mv2.webp — PSG’s incredible quadruple of Ligue 1 Title, French Cup, League Cup, and Champions Trophy, 2018

Points: 206.5

Earliest Trophy Won: CdF, 1982

Latest Trophy Won: CdF and TdC, 2021

Most Successful Manager: Laurent Blanc, 54 points (2013-16)

Incredibly the capital of France didn’t have a top football club until Paris Saint Germain was formed in 1970. By 1974, Ligue 1 status was secured. Les Parisiens continued from strength to strength; they won 2 Cups and a Title in the 80s; another 4 Cups and a Title came in the 90s, including beating Rapid Vienna to win a much coveted UEFA trophy – the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996.

PSG struggled to prosper in the dawn of the new century, despite more cup wins. By 2011, the club achieved what all pragmatic clubs salivate at the prospect of; they hooked in a not-poor sheikh with the arrival of new majority shareholders Qatar Sports Investments (QSI). That squad has won 7 out of 9 Titles, 6 out of 9 French Cups and 6 League Cups.

PSG’s outstanding squad of Galacticos has ensured that it largely rules the roost over French football. It’s France’s number 1 most successful club!

Best of the Rest

Brittany’s no.1 club FC Nantes, have enjoyed sporadic success across the decades since the 60s. Known for its jeu à la nantaise (Nantes-style play) it sits just shy of the ‘Big 100’ on 94 points.

FC Girondins de Bordeaux thrived under the ownership of ambitious real estate mogul Claude Bez in the 80s; they ran riot for a while and smashed and grabbed 3 Titles and 2 Cups from ’84 to ’87. They enjoyed another renaissance in the noughties with 4 major trophies, including a ‘Title/League Cup Double’.

*Competition Key*	*Points*
SC: Domestic ‘Super Cup’ (FFF Trophee des Champions)	1
UEFA SC: UEFA Super Cup	2
FIFA CWC: Intercontinental Cup / FIFA Club World Cup	3
LC: League Cup (LdFP Coupe de la Ligue)	4
UEFA ECL: UEFA Europa Conference League (TBC)	4
AC: Association Cup (FFF Coupe de France)	5
UEFA EL: UEFA Cup / Europa League	6
UEFA CWC: UEFA Cup Winners Cup	6.5
UEFA CL: UEFA European Cup / Champions League	8
T: Top Tier League Title (LdFP Ligue 1)	9

*Position*	*Club*	*Points Subtotals*	Success Points Total
1	Paris Saint Germain	SC: 10 x 1 = 10 LC: 9 x 4 = 36 AC: 14 x 5 = 70 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 T: 9 x 9 = 81 +3 (Trebles)	*206.5*
2	Olympique de Marsille	SC: 3 x 1 = 3 LC: 3 x 4 = 12 AC: 10 x 5 =50 CL: 1 x 8 = 8 T: 10 x 9 = 90	163
3	AS Saint Etienne	SC: 5 x 1 = 5 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 6 x 5 = 30 T: 10 x 9 = 90	129
4	AS Monaco FC	SC: 4 x 1 = 4 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 5 x 5 = 25 T: 8 x 9 = 72	105
5	Olympique Lyonnaise	SC: 8 x 1 = 8 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 5 x 5 = 25 T: 7 x 9 = 63	100
6	FC Nantes	SC: 3 x 1 = 3 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 T: 8 x 9 = 72	94
7	FC Girondins de Bordeaux	SC: 3 x 1 = 3 LC: 3 x 4 = 12 AC: 4 x 5 = 20 T: 6 x 9 = 54	89
8	Stade de Reims	SC: 5 x 1 = 5 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 2 x 5 = 10 T : 6 x 9 = 54	73
9	Lille OSC	AC: 6 x 5 = 30 T: 4 x 9 = 36	66
10	CO Roubaix Tourcoing	T: 6 x 9 = 54	54
11	OGC Nice	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 T: 4 x 9 = 36	52
12	Standard Athletic Club	T: 5 x 9 = 45	45
13	RC Strasbourg Alsace	LC: 4 x 4 = 16 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 T: 1 x 9 = 9	40
14	Stade Rennais FC	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 T: 2 x 9 = 18	34
15	Le Havre AC	AC: 1 x 5 = 5 T: 3 x 9 = 27	32

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14th May 2022 0

Germany’s Most Successful Football Clubs Ever (May, 2021)

ARL Football Success Ranking System

Any club which remotely thinks it deserves the label ‘big’ should be playing in the top league of its association, buying the best players and, ideally, holding down a global brand presence. It is its trophy cabinet which really sorts the economy class clubs from the business class, or even private jet ones, however.

The ARL Football Success Ranking System for men’s European club football establishes for certain the most successful clubs in each nation. It is a system of scoring points to clubs based on what trophies and how many have been won. Different trophies score different points and are based on a ‘glory’ criteria. Only ‘competitive football’ trophies are considered.

Germany and its Bundesliga

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a27d24_6c3e556bf4af461493d27897419e38e7~mv2.webp

Germany has a massive football culture and its success at national team level reflects this. The Bundesliga has a lower profile though. It has the highest match attendances in Europe but was only founded as late as 1962, with earlier national championships decided through a playoff system similar to N. America’s MLS. Germany’s most successful club has a huge global profile and German clubs have played a solid part in UEFA’s history – 7 clubs hold at least 1 major UEFA trophy in their cabinets. German clubs have scored a modest 134 Success Points in international competitions.

It’s one of the world’s strongest leagues, capable of attracting global superstars and with tv rights deals in total (shared between Bundesligas 1 and 2) worth well over a billion Euros for 2019.

(Note: Pre Bundesliga German Football Championships (GFCs) are counted as titles even though they were not ’round robin’ formats.)

Scroll down to the bottom to view the full table of Germany’s most successful clubs!

Read below to find out which 3 clubs are Germany’s ‘Big 100+ Clubs’ and Germany’s most successful:

3. FC Nurnberg

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a27d24_d9eddfa4119a4bccb2c851aacc580e29~mv2.webp

Points: 101

Earliest Trophy Won: German Football Championship (GFC), 1920

Latest Trophy Won: DFB Pokal, 2007

Most Successful Manager: Izidor Kürschner – 18 points (1920–1921)

European football has a number of ‘dormant giants’; clubs which were once the top teams to beat but have won little in decades since. England’s Aston Villa is one, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium is another. In Germany, it is Nurnberg FC.

Founded in 1900, by 1909 it won its first regional championship and by 1920 won its first national championship. By this point, it had become known simply as ‘Der Club’ on account of its dominance of German football – from July 1918 to February 1922, the team went unbeaten in 104 official matches. The ‘20s were its most successful decade when it was crowned German Champions 5 times, gaining 45 points.

After that decade, their glory years would fade due to a more fast paced game that evolved. Their more slow and deliberate style, which allowed them to shut out their opponents, became outdated. The 1930s and ‘60s would also be successful for Nurnberg, however and this makes them the 3rd most successful club in Germany and just pushes them into the ‘Big 100+’.

2. Borussia Dortmund

Points: 120.5

Earliest Trophy won: GFC, 1956

Latest Trophy won: DFB Pokal, 2021

Most Successful Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld, 28 points (1991 -1998)

Although ‘Die Borussen’ (The Borussians) have a big reputation in Germany and Europe, it only has a modest number of Success Points and this is partly explained by the fact that, despite being founded as early as 1909, Dortmund won nothing major until 1956. It managed to win the Title the year after to make it two in a row however and has managed to win Titles consecutively in the ’90s and early 2010s as well.

It was the first German club to win a UEFA trophy – a UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup in 1966. Borussia also became one of Germany’s most prolific clubs after German reunification at the start of the 1990s, regarded as its glory years. In addition to its 2 Titles in that period, it won a Champion’s League (CL).

Despite financial difficulties it’s the only club that comes close to competing with Germany’s superstar club. It sits 2nd in the national Success Rankings.

1. FC Bayern Munich

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is a27d24_5901f73acbf34c72b70948022d5ed603~mv2.webp

Points: 490.5

Earliest Trophy won: GFC, 1932

Latest Trophies won: Bundesliga, 2021

Most Successful Manager: Udo Lattek, 86 points (1970 – 75 and 1983 – 87)

Bayern Munich is a true member of European royalty, having reigned supreme over German football since the 1970s.

These blue bloods have managed to amass over 400 points and achieved feats such as winning the then European Cup 3 times in a row from 1974 – 76; winning the Bundesliga 3 times in a row from 1972 – 74, 1985 – 87 and 1999 – 2001; and as of 2021, it has been the Bundesliga Champion for 9 years. Bayern have won over half of all Bundesliga Championships.

This monopoly over the Bundesliga probably doesn’t do the league any favours as a one horse race isn’t exciting and probably effects how lucrative its broadcast rights deals are and how attractive the league and BM are to the world’s top managers and players.

For the 2020 season, however, Bayern managed an unprecedented total sweep of every trophy for the season; scooping all 6 trophies and 28 success points! This club is a global superstar and will remain Germany’s most successful club for the foreseeable future.

The Best of the Rest

5th placed Hamburger SV sits just outside of the ‘Big 100+’ but enjoyed a particularly successful period from 1975 to 1983. During this time they grabbed 3 Titles and a European Cup amongst other trophies, mostly under the guidance of manager Ernst Happel.

6th placed SV Werder Bremen scored 34.5 out of their total 80.5 points by winning 2 Bundesligas and a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup plus other trophies in a period from 1987 – 94.

Borussia Monchengladbach comes in at 7th by winning 6 Titles and 2 UEFA Cups and dominating German football in the 1970s. It did this with a young squad, an offensive-minded philosophy and powerful play.

Success Points Table

*Competition Key*	*Points*
SC: Domestic ‘Super Cup’ (DFL Super Cup)	1
UEFA SC: UEFA Super Cup	2
FIFA CWC: Intercontinental Cup / FIFA Club World Cup	3
LC: League Cup (DFL Ligapokal)	4
UEFA ECL: UEFA Europa Conference League	4
AC: Association Cup (DFB Pokal)	5
UEFA EL: UEFA Cup / Europa League	6
UEFA CWC: UEFA Cup Winners Cup	6.5
UEFA CL: UEFA European Cup / Champions League	8
T: Top Tier League Title (German Football Championship / Bundesliga)	9

*Position*	*Club*	*Point Subtotals*	*Success Point Total*
1	FC Bayern Munich	SC: 8 x 1 = 8 UEFA SC: 2 x 2 = 4 FIFA CWC: 4 x 3 = 12 LC: 6 x 4 = 24 AC: 20 x 5 = 100 EL: 1 x 6 = 6 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 CL: 6 x 8 = 48 T: 31 x 9 = 279 +3 (Trebles)	490.5
2	Borussia Dortmund	SC: 6 x 1 = 6 FIFA CWC: 1 x 3 = 3 AC: 5 x 5 = 25 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 CL: 1 x 8 = 8 T: 8 x 9 = 72	120.5
3	FC Nurnberg	AC: 4 x 5 = 20 T: 9 x 9 = 81	101
4	FC Schalke 04	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 5 x 5 = 25 EL: 1 x 6 = 6 T: 7 x 9 = 63	99
5	Hamburger SV	SC: 3 x 1 = 3 LC: 2 x 4 = 8 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 CL: 1 x 8 = 8 T: 6 x 9 = 54	94.5
6	SV Werder Bremen	SC: 2 x 1 = 2 LC: 1 x 4 = 4 AC: 6 x 5 = 30 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 T: 4 x 9 = 36	78.5
7	Borussia Monchengladbach	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 EL: 2 x 6 = 12 T: 5 x 9 = 45	73
8	VfB Stuttgart	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 T: 5 x 9 = 45	61
=9	FC Kaiserslautern	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 2 x 5 = 10 T: 4 x 9 = 36	47
=9	FC Koln	AC: 4 x 5 = 20 T: 3 x 9 = 27	47
11	Eintracht Frankfurt	AC: 5 x 5 = 25 EL: 1 x 6 = 6 T: 1 x 9 = 9	40

23rd Feb 2022 0

Italy’s Most Successful Football Clubs Ever (May, 2021)

ARL Football Success Ranking System

Any club which remotely thinks it deserves the label ‘big’ should be playing in the top league of its association, buying the best players and, ideally, holding down a global brand presence. It is its trophy cabinet, however, which really sorts the economy class clubs from the business class, or even private jet ones.

Italian Football and Serie A

Sold Price: Sport Poster Football Villalba Spain Rome Italy - November 6, 0120 3:00 PM GMT

With its National Championship founded in 1898, Italy has given a lot to the beautiful game over the many decades since. Italian football drips with history and culture, reflecting the country in general, and like the country, Italian football is known for the passion and style that it has in bucket loads.

Serie A was at its zenith by the 20th Century’s end, dominating Europe and being the most glamorous league on the planet.

Its clubs have also enjoyed incredible success in UEFA competitions, from the numerous triumphs which made AC Milan the legendary club it still is to lesser known winners such as Palma which has amassed 3 UEFA trophies. Italian football’s impressive 240.5 Success Points in international competitions reflects its European pedigree.

Serie A has passed on the torch to La Liga and the PL as we head into the 21st Century’s 3rd decade yet Serie A is still a force to be reckoned with.

Scroll down to the bottom to view the full table of Italy’s Most Successful Clubs

*Competition Key*	*Points*
SC: Domestic ‘Super Cup’ (Supercoppa Italiana)	1
UEFA SC: UEFA Super Cup	2
FIFA CWC: Intercontinental Cup / FIFA Club World Cup	3
UEFA ECL: UEFA Europa Conference League	4
AC: Association Cup (Coppa Italia)	5
UEFA EL: UEFA Cup / Europa League	6
UEFA CWC: UEFA Cup Winners Cup	6.5
UEFA CL: UEFA European Cup / Champions League	8
T: Top Tier League Title (Serie A)	9

Here, the ARL countdown of the Top 3 Most Successful Football Clubs in Italy:

3. Inter Milan FC

Campione del Mondo: Inter are FIFA Club World Cup Champions - Serpents of Madonnina

Points: 263

Earliest Trophy Won: Serie A, 1910

Latest Trophy Won: Serie A, 2021

Most Successful Manager: Helenio Herrera – 40 points (1960-68 and 1973-74)

Despite coming in at 3rd place, Internazionale Milano is a true giant of the European game having won European and Italian crowns on numerous occasions.

The ‘Nerazzurri’ (Black and Blues) won their very first championship in 1910 and the captain and coach of that first championship winning team, Virgilio Fossati, was sadly killed later while serving in the army during World War I. The club would grab its first ‘Coppa’ in 1939. Its greatest period came in 1960 with the arrival of coach Helenio Herrera from Barcelona FC. He implemented a modified version of the ‘door bolt’ system of play, created to provide greater flexibility for counterattacks. Under Herrera’s first period in charge Inter won 3 Titles and 2 European Cups.

Inter was awarded its 14th Title in 2005–06, after Juventus and AC Milan were stripped of points due to a match fixing scandal that year. It would peak again under manager legend Jose Mourinho who lead the club to an unprecedented ‘European Treble’ in the 2009-10 season.

Inter broke Juventus’ stranglehold on Serie A by winning the Title in 2021.

Winning major trophies every decade except the 1940s, Inter Milan has a well established global profile. It sits 3rd in the Italy rankings with over 250 Success points.

2. AC Milan FC

Points: 285

Earliest Trophy Won: Serie A, 1901

Latest Trophy Won: Supercoppa Italiana, 2016

Most Successful Manager: Nereo Rocco – 65 points (1961-1963, 1967-73 and 1977)

The ‘Rossoneri’ (The Red and Blacks) were founded at the end of the 19th Century by two Englishmen and the club won its first Title just 2 years after. Two further Titles were won before some of its members split away after a dispute to form fierce rivals Internazionale in 1908. After that, AC Milan won nothing for decades.

The 20th Century’s second half was when Milan really started to take off. It won 4 Titles in the ’50s with famous Swedish attacking trio ‘Gre-No-Li‘ in its ranks; 3 more in the ’60s and 6 Serie As during its, and Serie A’s, glittering period of the ’90s. Milan has also won the joint 2nd most ECs/CLs in Europe, winning 7 to date (2020).

Although also football giants, like Inter, both clubs have struggled to win much since the start of the 2010s. The epicentre of Italian football has shifted from Milan to Turin due to the stranglehold over Italian football that city’s no. 1 club now has.

1. Juventus FC

Juventus' open-top bus victory parade in Turin marred by injuries to six fans

Points: 453.5

Earliest Trophy Won: Serie A, 1905

Latest Trophy Won: Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, 2021

Most Successful Manager: Giovanni Trapattoni – 95.5 points (1976 – 1986 and 1991–1994)

Juventus is a club, like Bayern Munich of Germany and France’s Paris Saint Germain, that has enjoyed a near monopoly over trophy winning in its domestic league since the 2010s began. This is somewhat impressive given it was relegated for a season in 2006-07. It is subsequently Serie A’s superstar club with an incredible 400+ success points.

It’s hard to single out Juve’s ‘glory years’ as they’ve been bringing home the bacon consistently since the 1930s. Only during the ’40s, ’60s and noughties were trophies a little harder to come by. The 2010s are easily Juve’s most successful decade with 8 Titles and 96 out of its 447.5 points won (as of 2020). They have also managed the rare feat of winning every UEFA trophy possible, including 2 EC/CLs.

Like Bayern, Juventus’s strength in Serie A might mean that the club is so successful it weakens the league it plays in by making it less of a spectacle, in turn, weakening Juventus; and this might explain why Juve haven’t won a CL in decades.

Best of the Rest

Turin’s 2nd club, Torino FC, comes 4th in the rankings on 88 points and outside the ‘Big 100+’. From 1942-1949 (with a break due to WW2) ‘Grande Torino’ won 5 Titles in a row. This team of ‘invincibles’ also won the first ever League/Cup double in Serie A and once provided 10 players for the national team.

Genoa CFC, in 5th place and FC Pro Vercelli, in as 9th most successful are Italy’s ‘dormant volcanos’. Between them they won 16 Titles from 1898-1924 when Serie A was in its infancy.

Genoa won the first 6 out of 7 Serie As (then called the National Championships) using a strong English contingent. It’s probably worth noting the first few of these were small affairs with less than 5 teams competing.

Vercelli struggled in the doldrums of Italian football from the 1930s onwards before folding in 2010. It’s since been reincarnated. Will either club erupt again?

Let’s doff our caps to one of Italy’s more flamboyant clubs – Parma Calcio at 12th in the rankings. From out of nowhere Parma snatched 6 major trophies – 3 of then UEFA trophies – and all its 36.5 success points in just 10 years, from 1992-2002. This, under the guidance of Nevio Scala followed by a rare cup double under coach Carlo Ancelotti.

*Competition Key*	*Points*
SC: Domestic ‘Super Cup’ (Supercoppa Italiana)	1
UEFA SC: UEFA Super Cup	2
FIFA CWC: Intercontinental Cup / FIFA Club World Cup	3
UEFA ECL: UEFA Europa Conference League	4
AC: Association Cup (Coppa Italia)	5
UEFA EL: UEFA Cup / Europa League	6
UEFA CWC: UEFA Cup Winners Cup	6.5
UEFA CL: UEFA European Cup / Champions League	8
T: Top Tier League Title (Serie A)	9

Success Point Ranking Table

*Position*	*Club*	*Sub-point Totals*	*Success Points Total*
1	Juventus FC	SC: 9 x 1 = 9 UEFA SC: 2 x 2 = 4 FIFA CWC: 2 x 3 = 6 AC: 14 x 5 = 70 EL: 3 x 6 = 18 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 CL: 2 x 8 = 16 T: 36 x 9 = 324	453.5
2	AC Milan	SC: 7 x 1 = 7 UEFA SC: 5 x 2 = 10 FIFA CWC: 4 x 3 = 12 AC: 5 x 5 = 25 UEFA CWC: 2 x 6.5 = 13 CL: 7 x 8 = 56 T: 18 x 9 = 162	285
3	Inter Milan FC	SC: 5 x 1 = 5 FIFA CWC: 3 x 3 = 9 AC: 7 x 5 = 35 EL: 3 x 6 = 18 CL: 3 x 8 = 24 T: 19 x 9 = 171 +1 (Treble)	263
4	Torino FC	AC: 5 x 5 = 25 T: 7 x 9 = 63	88
5	Genoa CFC	AC: 1 x 5 = 5 T: 9 x 9 = 81	86
=6	Bologna FC	AC: 2 x 5 = 10 T: 7 x 9 = 63	73
=6	AS Roma	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 9 x 5 = 45 T: 3 x 9 = 27	73
8	SS Lazio	SC: 5 x 1 = 5 UEFA SC: 1 x 2 = 2 AC: 7 x 5 = 35 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 T: 2 x 9 = 18	66.5
9	FC Pro Vercelli 1892	T: 7 x 9	63
10	SSC Napoli	SC: 2 x 1 = 2 AC: 6 x 5 = 30 EL: 1 x 6 = 6 T: 2 x 9 = 18	56
11	AFC Fiorentina	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 6 x 5 = 30 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 T: 2 x 9 = 18	55.5
=13	UC Sampdoria	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 AC: 4 x 5 = 20 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5 T: 1 x 9 = 9	36.5
=13	Parma Calcio 1913	SC: 1 x 1 = 1 UEFA SC: 1 x 2 = 2 AC: 3 x 5 = 15 EL: 2 x 6 = 12 UEFA CWC: 1 x 6.5 = 6.5	36.5
=15	Casale FBC USD Novese Cagliare Calcio Hellas Verona FC	T: 1 x 9 = 9	9

22nd Jan 2022 0

The Craziest Ever Day of English Football

The hectic goal-fest of Boxing Day, 1963 when 66 goals were scored in 10 games in the English top flight Division 1 is probably the most epic day in English football history. Read about the time records were broken and legends were made.

The beautiful game has a reputation in some quarters for not being the most exciting sport because it’s perhaps the only sport where matches can sometimes be played without a single game point being scored.

Yet football often throws up games of breathless action and Boxing Day 1963 served up a whole day of them with 66 goals in just 10 games.

It was the day after Christmas in 1963, still three years to go before England’s first and, to date, only World Cup triumph. Everton were the English Division 1 (precursor to the Premier League) title holders and AC Milan were the current European champions. On that day 20 of the 22 Division 1 clubs were going to attempt to warm the hearts and bodies of spectators across the land, numbed as they were by artic temperatures during the ‘Big Freeze of 63’, with an exhilarating 90 minutes.

Firstly, Liverpool, who would go on to be crowned league champions that season, thrashed Stoke City 6-1 at home with club legend Roger Hunt scoring four goals. Hunt went on be a record goalscorer for ‘The Reds’ and played an integral part of England’s 1966 World Cup campaign.

Matt Busby’s Man United, meanwhile, were thrashed 6-1 away by Burnley with four of their goals coming from striker Andy Lochhead. The Guardian wrote: “The Clarets were organised and compact as they set about dismantling the FA Cup holders, and it was down to ‘Morgan’s mastery’ that a series of frustrated fouls ultimately resulted in a red card for United defender Paddy Crerand.”

Entertaining draws were played out by Sheffield Utd, who fought back to draw after going 3-0 down to Nottingham Forest, and cross-town rivals Wolves and Aston Villa also played out a 3-3 draw.

West Bromwich Albion and UEFA Cup Winners Cup holders Tottenham Hotspur fought out an eight goal thriller after Spurs let a 4-2 lead slip from their grasp to end the game even-stevens. Days earlier, West Brom’s players had gone on strike when they were told that they had to wear shorts to train in freezing conditions during the exceptionally artic winter of that year, but peace was reached ahead of their Boxing Day fixture and the Daily Mirror wrote that “the only crisis at the Hawthorns [West Brom stadium] was in the Spurs defence.“

Chelsea’s away victory over Blackpool meanwhile was won at a trot, with ‘the Blues’ scoring five goals to Blackpool’s one.

Then there was the game with West Ham v Blackburn. ‘the Blues and Whites’ showed why they were current league leaders by demolishing the London side a whopping eight goals to two which is their highest ever away win. Both England footballer Fred Pickering and Republic of Ireland international Andy McAvoy scored hattricks that afternoon and McAvoy went on to be the joint top goalscorer for that season. A reporter summed up the game thus: “Everything West Ham did was tinged with misfortune. Everything Blackburn did was coldly calculated and correct.“

*West Ham goalkeeper Jim Standen trudges away as he conceded eight against Blackburn (dailymail.co.uk)*

Even that game was topped, however, when Fulham destroyed visitors Ipswich Town 10-1. ‘The Tractor Boys’ had been crowned English champions just 18 months prior, but in this game Bobby Howfield scored a hattrick and Scottish International Graham Leggat scored four goals including a hattrick chalked up in an incredible three minutes. That was a record fastest hattrick in Division 1 history. Fulham boss Bedford Jezzard said after the game: “It must have been those lovely turkeys we gave ’em for Christmas. From now on, they get one every week.” Ipswich chairman John Cobbold could only retort: “It could have gone either way, until the match began.” That result is both Fulham’s best, and Ipswich’s worst ever result respectively to date.

*Newspaper report of Fulham’s historic win (fulhamfc.com)*

The two other results were Leicester City’s 2-0 win over Everton and Sheffield Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers.

That afternoon’s incredible haul of 66 goals scored in a single round of league fixtures compares to a Premier League record of 44 goals. It was a crazy day. Tottenham centre forward Terry Dyson, who played in his side’s 4-4 draw with West Bromwich Albion, remarked: “It was a bizarre afternoon of football, without a doubt.”

Even more remarkably, two days later the reverse fixtures were played out and some of those badly mauled teams turned the tables on their tormentors.

Despite how dominant their opponents had been on Boxing Day, West Ham would hit back at Blackburn with a 3-1 win, Ipswich overcame Fulham 4-2, and Man Utd retaliated against Burnley with a 5-1 thrashing. And Bolton Wanders also bounced back to beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 to cancel out their previous result.