Since I'm a 100% biased Barcelona supporter, most automatically dismiss my notion for them being the best side ever as fanaticism without fact. However, as a lover of the game and a football purist, I would be insulting the game I love were I to make such a bold statement without providing a thorough argument as to why. There are only a few sides in the history of the game where you can make a legitimate case for them being the best side in history.
The first is the Real Madrid team in the 1950s featuring Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento, which won five successive European Cups, and eight Spanish Primera titles. Numbers like those in the modern era are more or less impossible to achieve. The overall level of play has risen substantially, and there is vast parity in football now, particularly on European Cup competition. Nonetheless, this Real Madrid side is considered the first real dynasty of world football and therefore considered to be one of the greatest ever.
Next up is the Ajax team of the 1970s which boasted the likes of Cruyff, Van Dijk, Rep and Neeskens. They won three European Cups and five Eredivisie titles, highlighted by their treble-winning year of 1972 where they won the European Cup, Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup. This great team, though statistically impressive, will be most remembered for introducing the world to Total Football. The style of football they played brought the world to its feet by showing how all 10 outfield players could be involved in attack.
The third team on this list is Liverpool of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Featuring current club manager Kenny Dalglish, they won four European Cups, two UEFA Cups and 6 of 11 English League titles between 1972 and1990. Not as attractive to watch as the other sides being compared, though extremely efficient. The domination over such a long period solidified their place as one of the great sides for all time.
The first of what can truly be considered the modern era of football is the A.C. Milan team of the late 1980s and early 1990s. They were the first team to field a laundry list of stars, featuring Baresi, Maldini, Gullitt, Van Basten and Rijkaard among others. They won three European Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, four Italian Super Cups and four Serie A titles with probably the most balanced side ever at that point in history. The incredible balance between an almost impenetrable defense and high-powered attack made them the only back-to-back European Champions in the modern era to date.
Finally we come to Barcelona of present, simply the greatest the world has ever seen. Beginning with the Champions League-winning team centered around two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho to the present squad built around two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. They have won three Champions League titles, five Spanish Primera titles), a Spanish Cup, four Spanish Super Cups, a European Super Cup and a FIFA World Club Cup title. They are the only side to ever win all six trophies available to them in one year (2008-2009) and have all three players shortlisted for FIFA World Player of the Year (FIFA Ballon D’or) coming from the same team. They play a brand of football never seen before; it is the blueprint of Ajax Total Football taken to new heights. During this time they have switched managers from Frank Rijkaard to Pep Guardiola. They have also changed regimes on the pitch as well from the Ronaldinho-Deco-Eto’o trio to Messi-Xavi-Iniesta. They are setting Spanish League and European records for points, winning streaks, and goals scored. Lionel Messi is also well on his way to breaking all individual record for club, league and Europe for goals and awards. They are flat out the best we’ve ever seen, not to say they can never be surpassed, but it will take some doing.
You may disagree, as I guarantee many will. You can put forward an argument for another team, but it won’t make you any less wrong.
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