‘Greatest football sides of all-time’ Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United take your bow!

Throughout history there have been a number of great football teams, both domestically and internationally. At every FIFA World Cup the winning team are always compared to successful international teams in the past and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next summer will be no different. While in domestic European football, the UEFA Champions League or the European Cup remains the pinnacle for clubs from the English FA Premier League, the Spanish La Liga and the Italian Serie A. Here is a look at some of the most talented and successful teams from the history of football:

10: France – 1998: When the FIFA World Cup was hosted by France in 1998, French football fans were hoping that their nation could once again become successful on the international stage after a period of relative decline. The French team from 1998 certainly had plenty of talent, led by Deschamps, with an enigmatic Barthez in goal, Desailly and Lebouef forming a very solid central defence pairing, and one of the best players in world football pulling the strings, Zinedine Zidane. Not only did they win their home World Cup by beating Brazil in the final, but they also won Euro 2000 two years later to cement their place in history.

9: AC Milan – 1989: This European Cup winning team had star players in every position throughout the team. A line-up of Galli, Tassotti, Costacurta, Baresi, Maldini, Ancelotti, Rijkaard, Colombo, Donadoni, Gullit and Van Basten matches up well against any team in history. The hard-working and hard to break down qualities of Italian teams was given that edge by the flair provided by the three Dutch players. Gullit and Van Basten were a handful for all of their opponents and helped Milan achieve the most success in the club’s history. The Rossoneri picked up a handful of trophies around that time, most notably back-to-back Champions League triumphs.

8: Spain – 2008: The Euro 2008 champions, the current Spanish team is full of attacking flair and will be one of the favourites heading into the 2010 World Cup. Their defence led by captain Puyol may not be the strongest, but in Real Madrid’s Casillas they posses one of the best goalkeepers in the world, whilst Senna provides some steel to the midfield. Ahead of them they have an embarrassment of riches, with Arsenal’s Fabregas and Barcelona’s Xavi and Iniesta all world-class creative players, that’s without Silva and Alonso. In Villa and Liverpool’s Torres they have a deadly forward partnership who could drive them to even greater achievements.

7: The Netherlands – 1974: Arguably the greatest squad of players to never win the World Cup, their brand of football was eye-catching and they remain one of the pioneers of the modern game. Beaten by West Germany in the final, most fans thought that the runners-up were the best team at the tournament. They were managed by Rinus Michels, who is credited with the invention of ‘Total Football’ and his managerial skills were recognised when he was named Coach of the Century by FIFA in 1999. They had Johan Cruyff in their ranks, who is one of the most skilful and talented to ever step on a football pitch. If only they gave out trophies for talent.

6: Arsenal – 2004: This Arsenal side went unbeaten throughout the 2003/04 English Premier League campaign and did it with style and panache. Under the guidance of manager Arsene Wenger, Arsenal set the Premiership alight with a passing game that was envied and admired by fans from around the country. Led by midfield stalwart and captain Vieira, it was the striking partnership of Bergkamp and Henry that appeared to be a perfect combination. With the Dutchman creating and the Frenchman putting the ball in the back of the net, they scored goals for fun. They would be higher up this list but fell short as they didn’t manage to win the Champions League.

5: Liverpool – 1984: The Liverpool team of the 1980s achieved English and European domination and got their hands on almost every trophy that was on offer. Their team was pretty much faultless, from Grobbelaar in goal right the way through to Rush upfront. A special mention has to go to the defensive prowess of Alan Hansen and the creative talents of Kenny Dalglish, who helped lead this team to greatness. In 1984 they won the English League, League Cup and European Cup to secure a famous treble after a penalty shoo-out victory in Rome. It was their 3rd consecutive league title in a decade in which they won 6 league titles and 2 European cups.

4: England – 1966: England’s 1966 World Cup winning side are the pride of the country and remain the only English team to win an international tournament to date. Managed by Sir Alf Ramsey, the Three Lions had world-class players in key positions down the spine of the team. From one of the best goalkeepers of all-time Gordon Banks, to supreme defender and captain Sir Bobby Moore and midfield star Sir Bobby Charlton, England had an incredible group of players. Sir Geoff Hurst shouldn’t be forgotten either, as his hat-trick in the final against West Germany ultimately won the World Cup for England and made that great piece of commentary possible.

3: Manchester United – 1999: The United team of 1999 picked up the most coveted treble of all, by winning the Premiership, the FA Cup and the Champions League. That season was full of memorable moments, from Giggs’ storming run in the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, to their dramatic comeback in Barcelona in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Managed by Sir Alex Ferguson, United had a great ‘keeper in Schmeichel, a solid defence led by Stam, and a deadly strike force in the form of Cole and Yorke. But it was the midfield of Beckham, Keane, Scholes and Giggs that ticked every box and was key to their success.

2: Real Madrid – 1960: The iconic Real team are the most successful team in domestic European football history. The 1960 side claimed Real’s 5th successive European Cup, an incredible feat that is unimaginable today. Their two most influential players are Argentinean midfielder Alfredo di Stefano and Hungarian forward Ferenc Puskas, who are both widely regarded amongst the best footballers of all time. By beating Eintracht Franfurt 7-3 in the final, with Puskas netting 4 and de Stefano 3 on their own, Real Madrid were awarded the original cup permanently and Jose Maria Zarraga remains one of the most successful domestic captains.

1: Brazil – 1970: The Brazil team at the 1970 World Cup remains the group of players against which all current international teams are compared with. It is hard to describe just how good this team was, and they strolled to victory in the tournament, beating Italy in the final. That match produced the finest team goal of all-time, with a flowing move clinically finished off by Carlos Alberto. The legendary squad included Gerson, Jairzinho, Tostao and of course Pele, who is arguably the greatest footballer of all-time. Brazil were allowed to keep the trophy, and the team that won it are the greatest collection of incredibly talented players to play football to this day.