Top 5 European clubs of the 21st century 

#1 Barcelona (Spain)

Barcelona Victory Parade

Real Madrid's unprecedented feat of winning three Champions League titles consecutively set them up perfectly to be the team of the 21st century so far, so what exactly have Barcelona done to displace them at the top?

Take your pick from the club becoming the first to win six trophies in a year in 2009, becoming the first to win two continental trebles in 2015, usurping Real Madrid as the dominant force in LaLiga, and becoming arguably the best club team in history.

The fact that they achieved all this while playing an aesthetically pleasing brand of possession-based football only makes their feats all the more romantic.

The Blaugrana ended the 20th century in disappointing fashion and begun the first four years of the new century trophyless but Ronaldinho's arrival at the club helped lay the foundation for what was to come and the club won consecutive league titles in 2005 and 2006 in addition to the Champions League in the latter year.

Pep Guardiola's appointment in 2008 saw Barcelona reach previously unimaginable heights and their charge was led by arguably the best player in history, Lionel Messi, augmented by other La Masia graduates like Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets as well as expensive imports like Luis Suarez, Neymar, and Dani Alves.

So far this century, Barcelona have won a whopping 34 major trophies, which is more than anyone else has managed in mainstream Europe, with triumphs recorded in LaLiga (10), Copa del Rey (6), Champions League (4), FIFA Club World Cup (3), UEFA Super Cup (3), and Spanish Super Cup (8).