Italy: Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

Like many countries, a few clubs dominate and Italy is no different. Three mainly take the spoils here and they are well known outside of the country due to success in Europe. 

The chart to the right shows domestic success (Ita) and with European glory added (Tot). Juventus is the most successful in both areas. 

So how do the points work? In the Serie A (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Coppa Italia (Cup) 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. 

In Europe, the Champions League (European Cup) 8, 4 and two from the semi finals forward. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. 

Serie A has Juventus at the top. It won the league consecutively from 2012 to 2020 inclusive of those dates. They have been dogged with scandal over the last few years over transfer dealings. For the years covered here, the two clubs with Milan in their name have tried to keep up but not quite.

The Coppa Italia is shared more evenly but Juventus still leads and won the 2024 competition. It also won four consecutive trophies from 2015. Roma is next, winning the cup five times in six years from 2003. Inter Milan won the cup in 2022 and 2023 but remains fourth. 

All put together, the clubs are below. The grand total is shown for each club, divided into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place compared to all the other clubs. 

The North West is the most successful with 65.7% of all points issued and the top three clubs. The Central region is next with South, North East and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia combined the lowest as one would expect. 

Portugal Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

Portugese football fans have to be realistic. Unless they support one of a few teams, there will be slim pickings. SL Benfica and FC Porto rule with Sporting CP trying to keep up.

The chart to the right shows points for domestic (Por) and including European success in the Tot column. There isn't too much of the latter as is explained further down the page. 

As for how points are collected first domestic points. In the Liga Portugal (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Taça da Portugal (Cup) 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. The Taça da Liga (League Cup) 3 & 1. 

The Primeira Liga or Liga Portugal (Division 1) is about three clubs. Only once since 1960/61 has another club won it, Boavista FC in 2000/01. That was also the only year Benfica hasn't been in the top four. FC Porto has missed out twice in that time. Sporting has made the top four all but five times. 

The Taça da Portugal or the equivalent to the FA Cup is not so monopolised as the Liga Portugal. Knock out football never is. 

Porto has lifted the trophy the last three years, Braga, Porto, Sporting and CD Aves once each in previous editions back to 2017/18.

The Taça da Liga (League Cup) was introduced in the 2007/08 season so has been contested  just 17 times. Benfica won seven of the first nine held but none since. 

Europe hasn't been too kind to Portugese sides of late. Their top players are now more likely to move elsewhere. Benfica won the European Cup twice in 1961 and 1962 but not since. Porto also in 1987 while Sporting secured the Cup Winner's Cup in 1964. None of those dates are recent, a reality of modern sport where money is so influential.

All put together, the clubs are below. The grand total is shown for each club, divided into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place compared to all the other clubs. Lisbon leads (56%) from the North (41.2%) and the rest (Central & South minimal)

UEFA Women's Euro Tournaments : 1997-2022

There have been sanctioned Euros for women for many years, usually four teams in a knock out format. In 1997, teams played in groups of four, with knock out games thereafter. That is where this blog article takes up the story.

Looking at the list below, one can see that Germany is the most successful country. The first five tournaments were won by them. However, as standards and depth improved, it became harder for a single country to dominate proceedings. The lat two held have been won by other nations, the Netherlands and England. 

How many points have been accrued for each attendance is under the 'Avg' column. So while Austria for example has only been to two events, it has performed well in those so has a high average as a result. 

The different coloured square for Russia in 2022 shows that while they qualified to attend, they were disqualified and Portugal took that country's place. The next tournament will be held in 2025.

Belgium Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

Three clubs stand out here, not an unusual occurrence in Europe. To the right, the Bel column is for points allocated for local success and the Tot column adds Europe. 

In Belgium they also hold a playoff system for the top teams from the league to see which European competition clubs qualify for but that isn't included here. 

As for how points are collected first domestic points. In the Pro League (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Cup 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. A few are added for the occasional League Cups held. 

In Europe, the Champions League (European Cup) 8 , 4 and two from the semi finals forward. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. 

RSC Anderlecht is the most successful league team, from Club Brugge and Standard Liège. Few others have made much impact. That said, a club by the name of RU Saint-Gilloise has come from nowhere to win the league in 2021/22 and 2023/24, coming second in between those triumphs. They are based in the capital Brussels.

The Cup is well shared although the top clubs have been the most successful at claiming the trophy. Recent winners are KV Mechelen in 2019, Royal Antwerp (2020 & 2023), KRC Genk (2021 & 2022), and RU Saint-Gilloise (2024). In recent times, big clubs are noticeable by their absence. 

The League Cup has been a strange arrangement, held just seven times for three periods from 1969/70 to 2029/20. The few points garnered are included on the total list below. 

In Europe, Belgian sides have barely raised a ripple. They have occasionally courted winning trophies, the only times they managed was Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup during the 1983 campaign and three Cup Winner's Cup results. 

Finally, we tie it together. The grand total is shown for each club below, divided into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place against all the other clubs. The North West leads (32.3%) from Brussels (29.6%), the North East (20%) and the South (Wallonia) with 18%.

Netherlands Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

The Netherlands has had three teams in control of the local scene. Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord Rotterdam. The next two are well down as seen on the chart to the right. Below the fifth club, there is another sizable gap. Ajax got 300 points for its local success and that climbed to 392 when Europe is added.

The first chart above shows domestic points and the 'Tot' figure includes European success. As for how points are collected first domestic points. In the Eredivisie the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The KNVB Cup 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. In Europe, the Champions League (European Cup) 8 , 4 and two from the semi finals forward. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. 

The first division is named the Eredivisie and the same top five are there. Ajax took the title three times from 2018/19 while Feyenoord and PSV each one of the last two. These top three have between them won the Eredivisie since 2010/11. FC Twente won it the season before (2009/10).

The KNVB Cup is not as monopolised as the league, a common situation generally. The usual suspects are there with FC Utrecht putting in a cameo appearance. 

The 2020 final between Feyenoord and Utrecht was cancelled due to COVID-19. PSV won the next two cups and Feyenood the last one held.

Like many smaller countries, winning in Europe isn't easy. Ajax is the one club with a good record and only five meet the criteria to make the list to the left. The golden era was between 1970 and 74 when Dutch clubs won the European Cup four times. Feyenoord once then Ajax the next three.

As for the grand total for each club below, they are divided into regions with a ranking number (RK) which gives their place against all the clubs. The West is the most populated and where 62.4% of the success is to be found. The South is reasonably successful but the last two are less so.

France Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

The top clubs are quite close as there isn't historically the dominance of a few compared to what other competitions have in Europe. In a world where success is driven by money, could it last? That has changed in the last decade and a half. Once a club has more money than others, it has a greater chance to take control and that is the case here. 

The first chart above shows domestic points and the 'Tot' figure includes European success. For domestic competitions, the Ligue 1 (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Coupe de France 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. The Coupe de la Ligue 3 and 1. In Europe, the Champions League (European Cup) 8 , 4 and two from the semi finals forward. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. 

France had a very even league competition until 2013 when Paris St-Germain took over. It has won the league title for ten of the last twelve years. For the two it missed out on in that time they came second. 

Saint-Étienne was the most successful club in the 1970's and early 80's. Others took over for brief periods until PSG as mentioned above.

The Coupe de France has been won by so many clubs with no one dominating...until Paris St-Germain did. They have won seven cups since 2015. That puts them well ahead on the chart to the right. The evenness is otherwise shown with the rest of the list, with only two points separating the next four clubs.  

The The Coupe de la Ligue was held between the 1993-94 season to 2019/20 when it ceased. I don't see the point of this competition in what is now a too busy schedule for players in Europe. In France they were smart enough to end it. PSG won six of the last seven editions and is therefore the permanent top side of this competition.

                      Europe isn't a happy hunting ground for French clubs of the three competitions they enter. Olympique de Marseille is the leader as the chart to the right shows. The 1990's was the most successful period, before PSG emerged as the leading French club. 

Below is the club honours board, divided up into regions, which are quite even. A ranking number (RK) gives their place against all the other clubs. 

The North is the most successful at 29.6% of all points. The South has accumulated 28.2%, Central/East 22.6% and the West 19.6%. The South was the top region but PSG has been the driving force in taking the North to the top. 

Africa Nations Cup : 1968-2023

This chart goes back to 1968 for total figures and the year 2000 for each tournament held. Points are allocated for each participating country. The weighting of points favours success but any participation gets some recognition. 

Nigeria leads the way, not in the number of titles but through overall points, which total 185. That's an average of 9.7 points for each tournament it has been involved in. Now for some detail.

More than one title: Egypt, Cameroon (5). Ivory Coast, Nigeria (3). Algeria, DR Congo, Ghana (2). Those with one title number 7. 14 Different winners in all.

Origin: It started in 1957 but switched to a biannual format in 1968 and that was the first year eight nations took part. That is where this data starts. 

Regions: At the base of the chart, the countries listed are put into regions. In reality, there is no perfect way of doing it but that didn't stop me from trying. West Africa is the most successful region, from Northern Africa and Central. 

Scotland Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

Scotland has been dominated by two clubs and going back over the period covered here that has always been the case. With such a large concentration of people in the city of Glasgow it's hardly surprising. 

Celtic and Rangers are the two clubs, one traditionally Catholic and the other protestant. That is no longer the case but the competition between them is intense. Celtic are ahead and was helped in part when Rangers was demoted to the Third Division in 2012 due to a debt crisis. The gap is now quite large. 

The first chart above shows domestic points and the 'Tot' figure includes European success. For domestic points, the Premier League (Division 1) top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Cup 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. The League Cup 3 and 1. 

In Europe, the Champions League (European Cup) 8 , 4 and two from the semi finals forward. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. 

 

The Scottish Premier League is totally dominated by the two most successful clubs, known together as the Old Firm. Celtic have won eleven of the last 12 titles. The last time another side won was Aberdeen way back in 1984/85! They won it the year before as well. Dundee Utd was the year before that for a rare treble without the Old Firm getting a title between them.

The Scottish Cup is also passed between the top two with the odd hiccup. They aren't so dominant due to the uncertainty of knock out matches. St Johnstone won it as recently as 2021 but they haven't enough success to make the top five.

The League Cup has gone the way of Rangers, the only title they have exceeded Celtic in. Aberdeen takes its customary third place. In 2021, St Johnstone won this cup as well in quite a coup for a lower ranked club. 

Finally, Europe where success hasn't been huge, certainly of late. Rangers came second in the Europa League as late as 2021 but it's not easy for smaller nation's clubs to compete against the big guns. Celtic's European Cup win in 1967 may never be repeated by a Scottish club. 

All put together, the clubs are below. They are divided into regions, with a ranking number (RK) which gives their place against all the other clubs. The Glasgow region claim 62.7% of all points. Central/East 20.4%, Lothian 9.6%, Strathclyde 6%. The Highlands and South have had a minimal impact.

England Clubs Ranked - 1960/61 to 2023/24

When you look at the past sixty four seasons, how do you quantify success? By allocating points for the top finishing sides. 

Over that many seasons there have been many clubs that have managed to score points but there are some sides that shine. The lists you see here reflect that. 

To the right are the top ten, with UK only points on the extreme right and European success added for the 'Tot' figure. 

For the Premier League (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The top five are to the left. There is nothing between Liverpool and Man United with the next three too far behind to realistically catch them anytime soon.

The FA Cup 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. In this Man United lead from Arsenal with Chelsea third. There isn't much between them though, the uncertainty of knock out sport a leveller.

The League Cup just 3 and 1 ponit to reflect it's lesser status. Liverpool do better in this than the FA Cup as does Man City. Aston Villa too has done better here than elsewhere. 

For Europe, I put them together. For the Champions League (European Cup) I gave 8 , 4 and two from the semi finals. The Europa League (UEFA Cup) got 6, 3 and 1. The new Conference League I added to the long time defunct Cup Winner's Cup. They get 4 and 2 for the finalists. Liverpool are big winners here from Man Utd and Chelsea. I did a top eight here rather than the usual five.

So putting it together and covering all the clubs that have accumulated points, what do we have? What is below, broken down into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place against all the other clubs. 

The strongest region is the North West where the powerhouse football cities of Manchester and Liverpool are situated. They account for 47.3% of the total. London is next with several strong clubs and 29.0%.