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Football is one of most of the popular sports out there, having played by billions of people spread throughout the globe. However, it is Europe which houses the best clubs and player. In an attempt to churn out the best cities in footballing capability in Europe, we have compiled a list that showcases the 9 best footballing cities including the likes of Madrid and Milan. While making this list, we made sure each of these cities had at least two clubs who have seen success at the global platform. This rule prevented us from including teams from Barcelona, Amsterdam and Porto.
#9 Glasgow
Clubs: Celtic and Rangers
Glasgow, the largest in Scotland has three professional clubs, viz. Celtic. Rangers and Partick Thistle.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 36 |
| Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 33 |
| TOTAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 99 | 69 |
Had this compilation been on league titles won, Celtic and Rangers would have been on top of this list. However, their record in European club competitions has not been as convincing as their domestic league record.
Rangers were the first club from Britain to have reached a UEFA tournament final, and even emerged victorious in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972. Domestically, they have won more league titles than any other club in the world. Celtic, on the other hand, holds a better record in European competitions, having won the Champions League in 1967.
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Besides that, Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship 45 times, the Scottish Cup 36 times, and the Scottish League Cup 14 times.
#8 London
Clubs: Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur
Despite boasting a total of 135 clubs spread across all division, London finds itself in the eighth spot in this list with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur being the three best representatives.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Arsenal | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 11 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| TOTAL | 1 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 26 |
Chelsea have been in and around the UEFA Champions League for a decade now, and even managed to win the tournament in 2012 beating Bayern Munich in the final. Looking into their European competition record, besides the Champions League, the Blues have won two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and one UEFA Europa League, making them the most successful team in Europe from London. They are also the only British club to have won all the three major UEFA club competitions.
Arsenal and Tottenham, on the other hand, have never tasted Champions League success. They have however won the Europe League on one occasion each.
Although when it comes to the league, Arsenal boast a total of 13 First Division titles while Tottenham have won it only twice.
#7 Lisbon
Clubs: Benfica and Sporting Lisbon
The largest and the capital city of Portugal, Lisbon is represented by three clubs, viz. Benfica, Sporting Lisbon and Belenenses Lisbon.
Despite being a big city, Milan is the home for only two clubs who share the same stadium, the San Siro.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benfica | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 25 |
| Sporting Lisbon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 15 |
| TOTAL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 40 |
Benfica’s performance in European competitions eclipses the performance of any other club in the country, having won the Champions League in 1961 and 1962, a feat unheard of in Portugal. They have also picked up the Europa League trophy on three occasions. Looking at their domestic performance, Benfica have won the league 33 times and the Portuguese Cup 25 times; both being national records.
Sporting Lisbon is third most successful team in Portugal, and have never been relegated from the first division along with Porto and Benfica. However, their trophy count isn’t as impressive as that of Benfica’s, especially in International competitions. They had won the 1963–64 European Cup Winners' Cup, and were were runners-up in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup.
#6 Turin
Clubs: Juventus and Torino
Juventus and Torino represent the Turin, a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy,
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | 2 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 9 |
| Torino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 2 | 3 | 2 | 37 | 12 |
Juventus is debatably the most successful club in the history of Italian football, having won the Serie A a record 30 times, almost double to that of Milan clubs. In European competitions, the club is only behind AC Milan in terms of trophies won. Juventus have won the Champions League twice, the Europa League on three occasions, a record they share with Liverpool and Inter Milan, and the UEFA Club Winners’ Cup once.
Torino, on the other hand, don’t share the same experience of playing in European competitions, although, they did come close to winning the UEFA Cup in 1992. Domestically however, Torino’s record is somewhat impressive, wining the league title seven times and the Coppa Italia five times,.
#5 Manchester
Clubs: Manchester United and Manchester City
Manchester is home to seven professional clubs with Manchester United and Manchester City being the most successful one.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 11 |
| Manchester City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 16 |
Manchester United is the most successful club in England in terms domestic trophies, having won the Premier League a record 20 times and the FA Cup 11 times. In European competitions, the Red Devils have won the UEFA Champions League on three occasions, the UEFA Club Winners’ Cup and the Super Cup once.
Manchester City, on the other hand, have not witnessed success in the same magnitude. Having won the League Championship, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison in the 60s and early 70s, City’s trophy cabinet had however faced a major scarce.
Although, following the arrival of their new owner Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the club’s fortunes have increased marginally, making an appearance in the Champions League in 2011. The Blues have won the league four times, the FA Cup five times, the League Cup three times, and the Community Shield four times. Their only win in European club competition was their victory in the 1970 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
#4 Munich
Clubs: Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München
Munich boasts a total of eight clubs playing in the Bundesliga and other smaller divisions with Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München being the two teams with more success.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | 5 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 17 |
| TSV 1860 München | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 19 |
Munich is the most successful city in the history of Bundesliga, with Bayern Munich dominating the major part of it.
The Bavarians record in both European football and Bundesliga is unmatched by any other German clubs, with them having have won the Bundesliga 24 times and the Champions League on five occasions; highest for a German club. Additionally, Bayern has also won one Europa League cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup, one European Cup Winners Cup and 17 DFB Pokal Cups, making it one of the most successful clubs in Europe.
Unlike their trophy-laden city rivals, TSV 1860 München’s success in Europe is non-existent. The Lions did come close in one occasion when they were defeated in the 1965 European Cup Winners Cup. Their record in the Bundesliga is somewhat average, winning the Bundesliga once and DFB Pokal twice.
#3 Liverpool
Clubs: Liverpool and Everton
Liverpool is the most successful footballing city in England, and is home to two Premier League clubs: Liverpool and Everton.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool FC | 5 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 7 |
| Everton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 5 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 12 |
Liverpool FC is one the most successful club in England when we take European competitions into consideration, winning the Champions League on five occasions. Besides that, the Reds have won the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup three times.
The Reds have also won the Premier League 18 times, only second to Manchester United. In addition, they have won the FA cup seven times, and the League Cup a record eight times.
Despite not being successful in European cup competitions, Everton’s domestic league record is impressive, having won the First Division title nine times, the FA Cup five times. It should be noted that Everton were however the 1985 European Cup Winners’ Cup champion.
#2 Milan
Clubs: AC Milan and Inter Milan
Despite being a big city, Milan is the home for only two clubs who share the same stadium, the San Siro.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Milan | 7 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 5 |
| Inter Milan | 3 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 10 | 3 | 9 | 36 | 12 |
AC Milan has won the UEFA Champions League seven times, second only to Real Madrid’s record. Their record in European competitions have seen them win the Club World Cup a record four times, the UEFA Super Cup a record five times and the Cup Winners' Cup twice.
Despite having being successful in every competition they have taken part in, the Rossoneris are yet to bag a Europa League trophy in their cabinet. Looking at their domestic record, AC Milan has won the Serie A title 18 times, same as Inter. They has also won the Italian Super Cup a record six times, and the Copa Italia five times.
Inter Milan has won the UEFA Champions League on three occasions, adding to the total tally of cups won by Milan clubs to 10, equal to that of Madrid’s. In addition to that, they have bagged the UEFA Super Cup three times and the FIFA Club World Cup once.
Their domestic record is as impressive as their European record, having won the league 18 times along with the seven Coppa Italia wins and the five Supercoppa Italiana wins.
#1 Madrid
Clubs: Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano
A total number of 32 clubs are based in Madrid, but they haven’t tasted the same success that Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have.
Team | UCL | Europa League | Super Cup | Domestic League | Domestic Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid | 10 | 2 | 2 | 32 | 19 |
| Atletico Madrid | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 10 |
| TOTAL | 10 | 4 | 4 | 42 | 29 |
Real Madrid is the most successful club in the history of Champions League football, winning the prestigious trophy a record 10 times. The Los Blancos had won their first European Cup five times in a row between the period of 1956 and 1960, and recently completed their much awaited tenth title in Lisbon. Besides that, Real Madrid has also won the Europa League Cup, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Super Cup, twice each.
Neighbours Atletico Madrid might not have been as successful as their city rivals in the Champions League, finishing the tournament as runner-ups on two occasions. The Rojiblancos have won the Europa League twice in addition to their ten La Liga, ten Copa del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups, two Super Cups and one UEFA Cup Winners Cup.
