Naming the greatest team of all time often sparks numerous arguments and disagreements as different points are raised. One may highlight how dominant Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid were in the Champions League, while another may point out the captivating football played by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.
If you were to ask a Manchester United fan, they would likely argue Sir Alex Ferguson's 1999 treble winners are right up there. Their cross-city rivals, Manchester City, would undoubtedly hit back and put forward their Cityzens, who became the second English team to win the treble.
Several factors come into play when deciding who is the best in any sport, let alone football, which is renowned for its passionate fan base who aren't afraid to share their opinions. But their support of their favourite teams often means their opinions are clouded by loyalty.
That's why GIVEMESPORT tasked ChatGPT with ranking the best teams in football history, and its results made for interesting reading. These include teams from any era and both club and international football, so you can expect to see one or two World Cup winners.
Honourable Mentions:
Liverpool (1983–84)
Inter Milan (1963–65) – “La Grande Inter”
Juventus (1996–97)
The Netherlands (1974) – Runners-up but legendary style
Chelsea (2004–05) – Mourinho’s defensive masterclass
10 Arsenal
The Invincibles (2003–2004)
Arsenal Invincibles
AI Said:
Key XI: Lehmann; Lauren, Campbell, Touré, Cole; Ljungberg, Vieira, Gilberto, Pires; Bergkamp, Henry
Achievements: Unbeaten Premier League season
Why: Never lost in the league — a rare feat in any era. Led by Thierry Henry, with class and style all over the pitch.
Arsenal made history by becoming the first team in Premier League history to win the title unbeaten in the 2003-04 season. Arsene Wenger's achievement is one that Ferguson insisted trumped any of those he managed during his managerial career.
The Gunners surged to the title courtesy of 26 wins and 12 draws, including their crowning as champions after a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. Rival fans sometimes reflect on this accomplishment and suggest it wasn't as remarkable as made out.
That stance is rubbished by the extraordinary football played at Highbury under Wenger, fronted by a red-hot Henry, who AI claims is the second-best player in Premier League history.
9 France
Les Bleus' first-ever world champions (1998–2000)
France 1998
AI Said:
Key XI: Barthez; Thuram, Desailly, Blanc, Lizarazu; Vieira, Deschamps; Zidane; Djorkaeff, Henry, Trezeguet
Achievements: World Cup 1998, Euro 2000
Why: Balanced, physical, and technical. Zidane pulled the strings, and the defense was among the best ever. France ruled the late 90s.
This was the golden age for French football, which boasted a team brimming with excellence, including Zinedine Zidane, who was at the peak of his powers. It's understandable that this Les Bleus team makes the list, given they triumphed at the 1998 World Cup on home soil before winning the European Championships a year later.
Zidane was just one of many French stars helping the nation dominate during that period. Their stranglehold on international football was established by a stunning 3-0 win over Brazil in the World Cup final. France's success from 1998 to 2000 led to huge expectations for the country, which is why its subsequent failures were so astounding.
8 Bayern Munich
Football's Second Sextuple Winners (2019-2020)
Bayern Munich 2020
AI Said:
Key XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Thiago, Goretzka; Gnabry, Müller, Coman; Lewandowski
Achievements: Treble winners – Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, Champions League
Why: High-pressing, direct, and lethal. Undefeated in the Champions League. Lewandowski scored 55 goals in 47 games.
You could make a case for this Bayern Munich team being one of the most underappreciated teams in football history, as their success speaks for itself. Hansi Flick's Bavarians wrote their names in the history books during the COVID-19 pandemic, excelling in empty stadiums.
Flick placed a massive focus on pressing, and this resulted in them winning the ball 34.7% of the time on average. Robert Lewandowski enjoyed a Ballon d'Or-worthy season, bagging 55 goals and 10 assists in 47 games across competitions.
A 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final was the final piece of a second treble triumph before completing a sextuple by winning a year later.
7 Ajax
Johan Cruyff's Dutch Dominance (1971–73)
Ajax 1970
AI Said:
Key XI: Stuy; Suurbier, Hulshoff, Blankenburg, Krol; Neeskens, Haan, Muhren; Rep, Cruyff, Keizer
Achievements: 3 consecutive European Cups
Why: Total Football in its purest form. Johan Cruyff was the brains and soul. Revolutionized tactics and positional play.
It cannot be overstated how vital the revolution of 'Total Football' at Ajax during the early seventies was, transforming football into the behemoth sport it is today. Rinus Michels and Stefan Kovac's team, De Godenzonen, was a cornerstone, becoming the second team in history to win three European titles in a row.
Johan Cruyff was Ajax's talismanic figure whose attacking nous was unprecedented, influencing the 'Barca DNA' and Spanish and Dutch brand of football. Any football historian will spend hours explaining just how entertaining the Dutch giants were during this period.
6 Spain
La Roja's three-in-a-row heroes (2008–2012)
Spain 2010
AI Said:
Key XI (2012): Casillas; Ramos, Piqué, Puyol, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Silva, Fabregas, Villa
Achievements: Euro 2008, World Cup 2010, Euro 2012
Why: Dominated world football through control and intelligence. The only team to win three major tournaments in a row. Midfield of legends.
There often comes a time when an international team takes to the throne of football, but Spain did so in unprecedented fashion from 2008 to 2012. It was inevitable that La Roja would end their 44-year wait for a major trophy amid the pool of world-class stars flourishing, including Barcelona trio Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets.
Spain's Euro 2008 win was just the start of a golden era for the nation, following its 1-0 victory over Germany in the competition's final. They became undeniable soon after, winning their first World Cup in 2010 through an Iniesta winner against the Netherlands in the final, taking tiki-taka to another level against the inventors of Total Football.
Their final major trophy came in 2012 when Iniesta stole the show at the European Championships to help his side claim the title once again. Has there ever been a better midfield in international football history? Probably not.
5 Manchester United
Fergie's History Makers (1998–99)
Man United 1999
AI Said:
Key XI: Schmeichel; Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Yorke, Cole
Achievements: Treble winners – Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League
Why: Mentality monsters. Fergie’s men had resilience, depth, and big-game ability. Not the most elegant, but among the most legendary.
While most of the teams on this list are acknowledged for their playing styles, this Manchester United side is applauded for their hard work, which was and partly remains the main essence of English football. It was the never-say-die attitude that Ferguson instilled in his players' mindsets that significantly contributed to their treble triumph.
That's not to downplay just how formidable the squad was at Old Trafford, boasting the Class of 92': Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Roy Keane among others. It was one of the most competitive periods in Premier League history but Sir Alex, as usual, prevailed, by a mere point over Arsenal.
His Red Devils then claimed the FA Cup courtesy of a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the final, not forgetting Giggs' sublime solo-goal against the Gunners in the semis. Not much needs to be said about their 2-1 turnaround against Bayern Munich to win the Champions League, which is one of the best of any comeback victory in any sport.
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4 AC Milan
Italy's Immortals (1988–1990)
AC Milan 1989AC Milan 1989
AI Said:
Key XI: Galli; Tassotti, Baresi, Costacurta, Maldini; Donadoni, Rijkaard, Ancelotti; Gullit, van Basten, Massaro
Achievements: Back-to-back European Cups (1989, 1990), Serie A
Why: Defensive solidity and attacking brilliance. Baresi and Maldini in defense, with Gullit and Van Basten up front. Tactically disciplined and ruthless under Arrigo Sacchi.
"For me, football has always been a philosophy, not a game system", was a line given by Arrigo Sacchi that summed up what he desired from his AC Milan players. It was all well and good to have the tactical setup in place for success, but the iconic Italian wanted a group that was in total cohesion with one another.
Sacchi
Sacchi's Milan took Italian football in a new direction, steering away from the traditional defensive (Catenaccio) style of the Azzurri. It was all about pressing and having the right shape as a team, and his crop of Rossoneri players weren't half bad.
While Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten delivered up front, they still possessed perhaps the best defence in history. A backline of captain, Franco Baresi, the remarkably versatile Paolo Maldini, and the ever-reliable Alessandro Costacurta and Claudio Gentile kept Europe's best forwards at bay.
3 Real Madrid
Santiago Bernabeu's Los Vikingos' Rise (1955–60)
Real Madrid (1960)
AI Said:
Key XI: Alonso; Marquitos, Santamaría, Lesmes; Zárraga, Santisteban; Kopa, Rial, Di Stéfano, Puskás, Gento
Achievements: 5 consecutive European Cups (1956–1960)
Why: The original European powerhouse. Di Stéfano and Puskás were generational talents. They laid the foundations for continental football dominance.
Real Madrid are often acknowledged by even rival fans as the best football 'club' in history. What makes for an even more interesting debate is their best 'team' given they continuously break and set records. There's Zidane's Los Blancos of the modern era, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale, who have fired them to three European titles in a row.
There was also a golden age that arrived in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with three more Champions League triumphs to add to their record trophy cabinet. However, none of this would have occurred without the historic feats of Santiago Bernabeu's Los Merengues of the fifties.
Madrid's dominance began at the very start of European club football, winning the first five European Cups consecutively. It was dominance on another level, which also included five La Liga titles. Bernabeu was president during this period, and it was his vision that was pivotal for such success, put into practice by legendary managers Jose Villalonga, Luis Carniglia and Miguel Munoz and generational forward duo Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano.
2 Brazil
Pele's Supreme Selecao (1970)
Pele is lifted up by his team-mates after Brazil's 1970 World Cup success.
AI Said:
Key XI: Félix; Carlos Alberto, Brito, Piazza, Everaldo; Clodoaldo, Gérson, Rivellino; Jairzinho, Pelé, Tostão
Achievements: World Cup winners (100% record)
Why: The most aesthetically beautiful football ever played. Fluidity, flair, and genius — led by Pelé at his best. A team that defined an era.
Brazil's 1970 World Cup win alone was enough to place them on this list, which speaks volumes about just how incredible the South Americans were. There hasn't been a more enthralling journey to the pinnacle of world football than the one Selecao enjoyed with Pele, producing unstoppable performances.
"We had a fantastic side and everyone expected us to win, which gave me the shakes. I was very nervous and under a lot of pressure. Maybe people have forgotten, but the political situation in Brazil was not good and we felt that we simply had to win the title. That was the difference" - Pele on 1970 World Cup win (via FIFA).
Mario Zagallo's men were such a joy to watch that they made new fans of the sport, courtesy of their jogo bonito style, which has become a part of popular culture. The swagger of Pele, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, and Gerson has left a permanent expectation of Brazil that fans believe should be replicated by today's Selecao heroes, such as Vinicius Junior and Raphinha.
1 Barcelona
Pep Guardiola’s Masterpiece (2010–2011)
Barcelona 2011
AI Said:
Key XI: Valdés; Alves, Piqué, Puyol, Abidal; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Villa
Achievements: La Liga, Champions League (beat Man United 3-1), Club World Cup
Why #1: The peak of tiki-taka. Total control, mesmerizing passing, and arguably the best version of Lionel Messi. Tactical and technical perfection — the gold standard for modern football.
The verdict on Barcelona's brilliance in 2010-11 was that the Catalans "spoke a particular footballing language unintelligible to the rest," and that's the perfect description of Pep Guardiola's tiki-taka perfection. The trophies kept on coming at Camp Nou, but it was how they toyed with their opponents, making giants of European football feel like minnows.
The Blaugrana bested Manchester United in every department in the Champions League final, with Wembley witnessing "one of the best ever team performances in a European final and possibly the greatest player to have played in one in Messi", according to those in England.
The widespread acclaim across the globe for Barca was more than deserved because they played football the right way. Messi was majestic, Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets were midfield marvels, and Dani Alves and Eric Abidal were wondrous at full-back.
AI believes there has never been a better team in history, and who are we to disagree? If it weren't for their loss to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, this probably wouldn't even be up for discussion.
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