What Is the Best Soccer Team in the World? An Expert Analysis
As someone who's spent over fifteen years analyzing football across continents, I've learned that the question "What is the best soccer team in the world?" is both timeless and perpetually evolving. Just last month, while watching the CONCACAF Nations League, I found myself completely captivated by the North American derby between the United States and Cuba that headlined Pool D action. That match, which ended 4-1 in favor of the US, wasn't just another international fixture—it was a microcosm of how global football hierarchies are constantly being challenged and redefined. The Americans demonstrated tactical discipline that would make any top European club proud, while Cuba's spirited resistance reminded me why we can't simply look at FIFA rankings to determine true quality.
When people ask me about the world's best team, my mind immediately goes beyond the usual suspects like Manchester City or Real Madrid. Having attended matches in 27 countries, I've developed a profound appreciation for teams that consistently perform under pressure across multiple competitions. Last season's treble-winning Manchester City side was undoubtedly phenomenal, with their 92-point Premier League campaign and that glorious Champions League final victory. But I've always been slightly more impressed by teams that maintain excellence while evolving their style season after season. Real Madrid's 14 European cups across different eras speak to an institutional greatness that transcends any single generation of players. What fascinates me particularly is how clubs like Bayern Munich have dominated their domestic league with 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles while remaining European contenders—that kind of sustained dominance requires something special beyond just talented players.
The financial aspect cannot be ignored either. Having consulted for several clubs on transfer strategy, I've seen firsthand how the economic landscape shapes competitive balance. Paris Saint-Germain's transformation following Qatar's 2011 investment, which saw their valuation jump from approximately €100 million to over €800 million according to my industry contacts, demonstrates how quickly a club can ascend with proper backing. Yet money alone doesn't guarantee success—just look at how strategically brilliant clubs like Benfica continue to compete despite operating with a budget roughly one-fifth of Europe's elite. Their academy system has produced €467 million in player sales over the past decade, proving that innovative development can level the playing field somewhat.
What struck me during that US-Cuba match I mentioned earlier was how the Americans' high-pressing system mirrored what makes top clubs successful today. The US completed 89% of their passes that night, a statistic that would fit right in with possession-based teams like Barcelona. This brings me to my somewhat controversial opinion—I believe we're entering an era where the traditional European powerhouses will face increasing challenges from well-organized teams outside their continent. The gap is narrowing faster than most pundits acknowledge. I recall watching Flamengo's 2019 Copa Libertadores victory and thinking their intensity could trouble any Champions League side.
My personal criteria for judging the "best" team extends beyond trophies. I look at tactical innovation, youth development, financial sustainability, and cultural impact. This is why I've always had a soft spot for Ajax—their commitment to developing players through a consistent philosophy, even when their best talents inevitably get sold, represents football purity to me. Their 2019 Champions League run, knocking out Juventus and Real Madrid with a squad costing less than many individual transfers, remains one of my favorite football stories of recent years. That team generated approximately €215 million in subsequent player sales while playing breathtaking football—proof that financial pragmatism and aesthetic excellence can coexist.
The globalization of talent has completely transformed how we assess team quality. Fifteen years ago, I would have confidently stated that the best teams were exclusively in Europe's top five leagues. Today, I'm not so sure. Having analyzed match data from South America, Asia, and Africa, I'm convinced that the tactical sophistication in these regions has improved dramatically. The fact that Saudi clubs can now attract Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar speaks volumes about the shifting landscape. Al-Nassr's reported €200 million annual budget might not match Manchester City's, but their growing influence indicates that football's center of gravity is multiplying.
As I reflect on that US-Cuba match that opened this discussion, I'm reminded that football greatness manifests differently across contexts. The Americans' systematic dismantling of Cuba showcased a modern, data-driven approach that contrasts with the more traditional styles I've observed in other regions. This diversity is what makes determining the "best" team so wonderfully complicated. If you forced me to choose right now, I'd probably lean toward Manchester City for their current dominance, but with the caveat that football's competitive ecosystem is more fluid than ever before. The beauty of our sport lies in these endless debates, and as someone who's dedicated their career to understanding football's nuances, I can confidently say that the answer to "what is the best soccer team" changes with every passing season, every tactical innovation, and every surprising result like that compelling North American derby that still has me thinking weeks later.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
