Top 10 best football team in the world country in 2024

Among the best football teams in the world in 2024, Bayer Leverkusen emerged as a remarkable surprise. The German side, often overshadowed by the dominance of Bayern Munich, shattered expectations with their extraordinary unbeaten Bundesliga campaign. Their success illustrates the evolution of football dynamics in 2024, where the underdogs rewrite history. From Italy’s rejuvenated Serie A to Spain’s resilient Real Madrid and the competitive giants of England’s Premier League… This list from Kingsoccertips.com will showcase the best football team in the world country that continue to inspire, innovate and shape the sport.

The best football teams in the world in 2024

10. Bayer Leverkusen

No one saw it coming. Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s title winning streak in extraordinary style with an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign in all competitions – almost.

Leverkusen have only finished outside the top six once in the last 15 seasons, but their 2023/24 campaign took the world by surprise as they won the Bundesliga with 90 points and did not lose a single game thanks to their ability to score late goals.

Xabi Alonso’s side won 28 of their 34 league games and were also unbeaten in all competitions until falling at the final hurdle in the Europa League final, which brought to an end one of the most remarkable seasons in European football history.

Of course, Leverkusen must now prove their worth as more than just a one-off phenomenon to maintain a place on this list and permanently trouble Bayern Munich to avoid a return to business as usual.

9. AC Milan

AC Milan have finished in the top two in three of their last four Serie A campaigns, picking up a title and a fourth-place finish in that time. That’s reasonable consistency in an increasingly competitive league.

It’s hard to overstate how competitive Serie A is at the moment, with Inter, Juventus and Napoli all in the top flight, plus potential contenders Atalanta, Fiorentina, Lazio and Roma.

On the continental stage, Milan have booked a semi-final spot in the 2022/23 Champions League campaign and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season.

Their squad boasts top talent such as Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and Youssouf Fofana, while Christian Pulisic has reinvented himself at the San Siro, as have Chelsea lads Fikayo Tomori, Alvaro Morata, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham.

8. PSG

Ten Ligue 1 titles and 23 domestic cups since 2013 show PSG’s dominance of the domestic game. No team has dominated their country in a top domestic league for as long as PSG have over the past decade.

A trio of fantasy football stars Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar have made a mockery of the French top flight, but our praise for PSG stops there.

Simply put, given the resources poured into the club, the box office managers and the players who call the Parc des Princes home, PSG’s return to continental football is subpar.

In the past decade of glory, PSG have failed to reach the Champions League semi-finals in nine of their 12 seasons, while their run to the 2020 final was relatively smooth, with games against Atalanta and RB Leipzig.

Now Messi is gone, Neymar is gone, Mbappé is gone. PSG could benefit from a reset, ironically. But their formidable presence has diminished somewhat.

7. Barcelona

You would be forgiven for absorbing the almost exclusively negative press surrounding Barcelona and thinking they are a tired force, a giant ready for a long nap. That is simply not true.

We will leave the discussion of their long-term future and finances to others, but on the pitch, Barcelona have plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

Xavi has conquered La Liga ahead of the mighty Real Madrid in 2022/23, homegrown trio Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Gavi look set to take world football by storm and Robert Lewandowski remains a force to be reckoned with.

Boss Hansi Flick has the team flying high into 2024/25, with Raphinha and Dani Olmo leading the way. What could be better? The Nou Camp is on the verge of breaking the 100,000-capacity barrier after a major refurbishment.

Barca’s European form has dipped since Lionel Messi left, but they remain a formidable force.

6. Inter Milan

The Milan giants won Serie A last season, with a string of silverware starting to pour through the doors of the San Siro. The dark ages of a decade ago are over and they are back at the top of Italian football.

Inter won the title in 2021, sandwiched between the two runners-up, plus a third-place finish in 2023, before lifting the trophy again in 2024. Add five of their six domestic cups in three seasons to the mix and dominance is back. A Champions League final appearance in 2023 has shown Inter’s intent to return to the top of the continental stage.

They have found stability and security at the highest levels of the Italian top flight, something that cannot be taken for granted after Juventus’ collapse in recent years.

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5. Liverpool

Liverpool are certainly one of the teams to watch in the 2024/25 standings as the season gets underway. Jurgen Klopp may have left, but the initial transition has been as smooth as it could be. Arne Slot is in charge.

The Reds have the ability to spend big but not on the scale of Manchester City, adding to the impressiveness of Klopp’s previous achievements, with a legacy of stars – old and young – that extends to this campaign.

Liverpool have reached three Champions League finals in seven years, won the Premier League in 2020 and have finished in the top three in five of the last six. They’ve also won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in 2022, with the latter to be added in 2024. The Reds are going about their business with quiet confidence.

4. Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich’s run of 11 consecutive Bundesliga titles was abruptly ended by Bayer Leverkusen last season. However, Bayern’s ‘never settle for second’ attitude remained unshaken as they finished the campaign in third place.

Despite last season’s struggles, Bayern remain a dominant force in Germany. Dortmund and RB Leipzig have tried to change the pecking order in separate seasons but have failed to make a lasting difference. Leverkusen will have a tough time repeating their heroics.

Many might argue, as PSG did, that the relative weakness of the league will work against them, but it’s their Champions League record that should determine their true strength.

Bayern have reached the semi-finals in 10 of their last 17 campaigns, with four finals and two victories in that time. They have reached the knockout stages in all 16 of those seasons, losing just twice in the last 16.

Harry Kane’s goalscoring numbers continue to soar, while former Crystal Palace man Michael Olise, veteran Thomas Muller and rising superstar Jamal Musiala have all been excellent in 2024/25 so far. They remain a formidable force not to be feared.

3. Arsenal

It would be lazy to put Arsenal at the top based on just a couple of seasons in the Premier League top four since 2016, but the Gunners’ form has barely faltered since 2022, with a youthful squad that will continue to develop under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal’s development under the Spaniard has been nothing short of astonishing, winning nearly 60 per cent of his games in charge since 2019, taking them from the outskirts of European qualification to the heart of successive title races, while also winning domestic trophies.

Like Liverpool, Arsenal don’t have the spending power of City, but have spent big money in the right places at the right time.

They boast world-class talent across their entire squad, from William Saliba and Gabriel in defence, to Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in central midfield, with Bukayo Saka moving forward. This team can take on any team in world football and will only continue to improve.

The best thing about Arsenal? This team is here to stay. They don’t look like a one-off. Arteta has assembled a fantastic squad with plenty of years to develop and has established himself as one of the two truly elite sides in English football today.

2. Manchester City

Manchester City brought the European Cup back to the Etihad in 2023 and they finally feel like they have reached the pinnacle and deserved their party.

It’s hard to reflect on Manchester City’s decade of success without acknowledging the Premier League’s allegations that the club breached financial regulations. The club strongly denies any wrongdoing and the debate will continue for months, if not years, but for now we’ll focus on their on-field heroics.

City have won six of the last seven Premier League titles and will be firmly in the hunt for another in 2024/25. They boast the best manager in world football, Pep Guardiola, and some of the best players in the world including Erling Haaland, who is on track to score 7,000,000 goals this season.

Things haven’t gone City’s way during their reign of dominance, but we hold them to such a high standard that even minor dips in form are considered catastrophic crises. City are the dominant force in the highest quality and most lucrative competition in world football, with their continued evolution of style set to keep them at the top for a long time to come.

The only weakness for Man City is that they don’t have the Champions League trophy under their belt, although they have shown clear progress in that area with three successive semi-final appearances before winning the trophy in 2023 to ensure their status as a formidable side.

1. Real Madrid

Despite City’s incredible dominance of the English top flight, highlighted by the Champions League, we can’t help but tip the scales in favour of Spanish giants Real Madrid for the top spot.

Los Blancos are still considered the toughest team to play against in Europe, having won seven Champions League titles since 2014. To put that in perspective, only six teams have won four or more since the European Cup was created in 1956.

Jude Bellingham is the hottest young talent in world football, Luka Modric is still a fantastic midfielder, although his involvement is waning, and David Alaba is arguably the best defender in the world. Young players like Vinicius Jr, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni will ensure Real Madrid’s continued success for years to come.

And then there’s Kylian Mbappe. Imagine having a squad like Carlo Ancelotti blessed and putting the most explosive player of a generation into it. He started straight away and it looked like no one could catch them by the end of the season – domestically and continentally.

The journey continues

The race to be crowned best football team in the world country is fierce, reflecting the relentless pursuit of excellence in the sport. From the astonishing rise of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany to the continued dominance of Manchester City in England and the unrivalled legacy of Real Madrid in Europe, these teams represent the pinnacle of footballing achievement. Each club brings a unique style, a squad of exceptional talent and a commitment to pushing the boundaries. As the 2024 season gets underway, the global football stage is reminding us why these teams captivate millions, proving that the essence of the game lies in its unpredictability and passion. Whether it’s historic victories or breakthrough performances, their journey to greatness cements their place among the best footballing nations in history.

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