Throughout football’s rich history, many dominant European clubs have etched their legacy as the best ever. But what was the best season for these great clubs?
In this post, I’ll look into the lineups of these superior teams, their key players, and the trophies they’ve won during their most lucrative season.
Best Football Teams Of All Time:
- Arsenal
- Barcelona
- Ajax
- AC Milan
- Real Madrid
- Bayern Munich
- Liverpool FC
- S.L. Benfica
- Manchester United
- Porto
Related: Best European Football Players Of All Time – Starting XI By Position
Arsenal – 2003/04
Starting XI : GK – Lehmann, CB – Campbell, CB – Toure, RB – Lauren, LB – Cole, DM – Vieira, DM – Silva, LM – Pires , RM – Ljunberg, SS – Bergkamp, ST – Henry
The Arsenal squad of the 2003/04 season, called “The Invincibles,” won the Premier League title. They ended the season on top of the table, unbeaten in 38 games with 90 points. The Invincibles, along with the legendary French manager Arsene Wenger, had 26 wins as well as 12 draws.
The key players for the Gunners were, first and foremost, the elite striker Thierry Henry, who scored 30 goals thanks to his super-sharp finishes and lightning-fast pace. The midfielder, Patrick Vieira, has been crucial to the team with his precise passes and immense leadership. Also, Dennis Bergkamp was a magician with the ball, scoring goals and giving assists.
Their perfect run sets a great example that nothing is impossible in the game of football.
Barcelona – 2008/09
Starting XI : GK – Valdes, CB – Pique, CB – Puyol, RB – Alves, LB – Abidal, DM – Toure, CM – Xavi, CM – Iniesta , RW – Messi, LW – Henry, ST – Eto’o
The 2008/09 season was the most memorable in the history of FC Barcelona. They’ve won the treble: UEFA Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey. Their “tiki-taka” style of play was very helpful in winning those titles. Regarding how this became the trademark of Barca’s play, the head coach, Pep Guardiola, drew inspiration from Ajax’s “Total Football” style.
All members of the Barcelona 2008/2009 team were impressive, but a couple of incredible players stood out.
For example, this was the breakthrough season of the goat of football, Lionel Messi. With 38 goals and 19 assists, Messi was the star of the team. His crucial header against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League will never be forgotten.
Besides Leo, the captain center-back, Carles Puyol was the team’s backbone. Also, the midfield Duo, Xavi, and Iniesta, were important players of them. They controlled the ball perfectly in all their games and gave flawless passes.
The 2008/09 Barca lineup will go down as one of the best football teams in the world.
Ajax – 1971/1972
Starting XI : GK – Stuy, CB – Blankenburg, CB – Hulshoff, RB – Suurbier, LB – Krol, DM – Haan, CM – Neeskens, LM – Mühren, AM – Cruyff, RW – Swart, LW – Keizer
At the beginning of the 1970s, Ajax was a force to be reckoned with and one of the best teams in Europe. The 1971/72 season was wildly successful, and they won the treble: the Eredivisie, the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League), and the KNVB Cup. Ajax won three European cups in a row, in 1971, 1972, and 1973.
The “Total Football” style, which promoted teamwork and quick position switches, was a major factor in their success. They used the super flexible 4-3-3 formation, which caused problems for many of their opponents.
Rinus Michaels left the head coach position, but Stefan Kovacs was equally as good as him and didn’t change the team’s formation, which was the right move.
All football enthusiasts know who was the superstar of the team. Johan Cruyff was as brilliant as always as the playmaker, scoring 33 goals and providing 26 assists in all competitions that season. The brilliant Johan Neeskens was the midfield general, and the right winger Sjaak Swart was the maestro in the attack.
This Ajax generation is probably the best one since this Dutch club was founded in 1900.
AC Milan – 1993/94
Starting XI : GK – Rossi, CB – Costacurta, CB – Baresi , RB – Tassotti, LB – Maldini, CM – Desailly, CM – Albertini, AM – Savićević , RM- Donadoni, ST – Massaro, ST – Papin
AC Milan had a truly exceptional 1993/94 season by winning the treble: Seria A, Supercoppa Italiana, and the Champions League. Fabio Capello’s team only managed to score 36 goals in only 34 matches in the league, but they only conceded 15 goals.
In the UEFA Champions League final versus Barcelona, AC Milan destroyed them 4-0.
One of the main reasons why AC Milan had that fantastic was its two defenders. Two AC Milan legends, Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi, made an impenetrable fortress of their defense.
As for other memorable players, Desailly and Albertini controlled the midfield, while Jean Pierre Papin was the club’s striker in the absence of Marco Van Basten.
The whole season was tremendous for the Rossoneri, and they’re undoubtedly one of the top 10 football teams ever to grace the pitch.
Real Madrid – 2016/17
Starting XI : GK – Navas, CB – Ramos, CB – Pepe, RB – Carvajal, LB – Marcelo, DM – Casemiro, CM – Modrić, CM – Kroos , RW – Bale, LW – Ronaldo, ST – Benzema
Having such a rich history as a club, Real Madrid was superb in many different eras of modern football, but their best season has to be 2016/17. Zinedine Zidane’s team won four trophies in that season: Champions League, La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and the Club World Cup.
The race with Barca for the La Liga title was nail-biting, but Real Madrid prevailed by having 3 points more than the Catalans. In the final of the Champions League, Real showed pure dominance against Juventus, beating them 4 -1.
Zidane knew how to make a complete team.
Pepe and Ramos were unstoppable in the defense, and the left-back Marcelo could efficiently run the flank from one end of the pitch to another. The midfield was steady, with Modrić and Kroos. One of the football GOATs, Cristiano Ronaldo, led the attack, scoring 42 goals alongside 12 assists in all competitions. Benzema, being the team’s striker, bagged 19 goals as well as eight assists.
No one can deny that the 2016/17 Real Madrid season was one of the best in the Galacticos’ history or in all football history.
Bayern Munich – 2012/13
Starting XI : GK – Neuer, CB – Dante, CB – Boateng, RB – Lahm, LB – Alaba, CM – Schweinsteiger , CM – Kroos, AM – Müller , RW – Ribèry, LW – Robben, ST – Mandžukić
Bayern Munich is by far the best German football club ever. There have been many prosperous seasons in the club’s history, but the one that stands out is the 2012/13 season. Under coach Yupp Heynckess, Bayern won four titles in that season: the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal, DFL Supercup, and the UEFA Champions League.
They won the Bundesliga impressively, 19 points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, the runner-up. In the Champions League final, they also faced their Bundesliga rival, Borussia Dortmund, and beat them by 2 -1.
Bayern had a team that had no flaws. Between the posts, there was the incredible shot-stopper Manuel Neuer. In the defense were the giant center-back Boateng and the captain Phillip Lahm, who was always consistent and light on his feet.
In the midfield, Toni Kroos was the one giving perfect both short and long passes. There were super-fast Dutchman Arjen Robben and Frenchman Franck Ribery on the wings. The team’s prolific strikers, Mario Mandzukic and Mario Gomez scored more than 40 goals together in Bayern’s 2012/13 season.
Bayern Munich 2012/13 was no joke, and this team will be remembered as one of the greatest in European football.
Liverpool FC – 1983/84
Starting XI: GK – Grobbelaar, CB – Lawrenson, CB – Hansen, RB – Neal, LB – Kennedy, CM – Souness, CM – Lee, LM – Whelan, RM – Johnston, ST – Dalglish, ST – Rush
Liverpool’s legacy as one of the biggest football clubs in the world is huge. Since their founding in 1892, the Reds have amassed many trophies and had many illustrious seasons.
Their best one was the 1983/84 season when they succeeded in winning the treble: the European Cup, the League title, and also the League Cup. The title was won by three points, with Southampton as the second team on the table. In the European Cup, Liverpool beat Roma in a penalty shootout.
With Joe Fagan as their manager, Liverpool ensured the treble for the first time ever in the club’s history.
The Liverpool club’s legendary forward, Ian Rush, scored a record-breaking 47 goals in all tournaments. Alongside him played another Liverpool football icon, striker Kenny Dalglish, who scored 12 goals and gave out 12 assists during that season.
The 1983/84 season was a year of Liverpool’s complete and utter domination domestically and in European tournaments, too.
S.L. Benfica – 1960/1961
Starting XI : GK – Pereira, CB – Germano, RB – Joao LB – Angelo, DM – Cruz, CM – Neto, CM – Coluna AM – Santana , RW – Augusto, LW – Cavem, ST – Aguas
S.L. Benfica is one of the most respectable clubs in European football history.
Even though Benfica won the treble in their league in 2013/14, this Portuguese football giant’s best season was the 1960/61. The tactical genius head coach, Bella Guttmann, put them in a rare formation of 4-2-4.
That turned out to be one of the best moves Guttmann made since players were thriving in that formation. S.L. Benfica won the title in the domestic league dominantly, losing only twice during the whole season. They won the European Cup, beating Barcelona with 3-2.
This Benfica era was remembered for having one of the best strikers ever, Eusebio. The 1960/61 was his debut season, as he only played at the end of it. Nevertheless, Eusebio scored 715 goals in 727 appearances. Almost a goal per match!
The 60/61 Benfica striker was Jose Aguas, who netted 43 goals in all tournaments throughout the season. Besides him, one of the key figures of the teams was Mario Coluna, Eusebio’s fellow countrymen and central midfielder from Mozambique. His trademarks were his left-foot rocket shots, incredible passing, and leadership on the field.
S.L. Benfica in 1960/1961 was one of the finest teams in the whole world.
Manchester United – 1998/99
Starting XI: GK – Schmeichel, CB – Johnsen, CB – Stam, RB – Neville, LB – Irwin, DM – Keane, CM – Scholes, LM- Giggs, RM – Beckham, ST – Cole, ST – Yorke
The Manchester United 1998/99 season was packed with trophies. They became the first English club to win the treble: the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup.
As for the Premier League title, they claimed the spot at the top of the table with 79 points, leaving Arsenal in second place with 78 points. They almost lost the Champions League final to Bayern München, but goals of Solskjaer and Sheringham in stoppage time secured the late win.
Before mentioning the crucial players of the Red Devils, I have to take the hat off to the legendary coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, who was the mastermind behind United’s success.
The goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, was remarkable in stopping shots from any range. Regarding the players, the defense of United was rock solid, thanks to Jaap Stam, Gary Neville, and Steve Irwin. The midfield quartet made of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, and Ryan Giggs was perfect throughout the season. The forwards Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke scored 53 goals combined in all competitions.
Manchester United 1998/99 has to be one of Europe’s most complete football teams ever.
Porto – 2003/04
Starting XI : GK – Baia, CB – Costa, CB – Carvalho, RB – Ferreira, LB – Valente, DM – Costinha, CM – Mendes, CM – Maniche, AM – Deco , ST – Alberto, ST – McCarthy
The season of dreams for FC Porto was 2013/14. Under the legendary coach Jose Mourinho, Porto won multiple trophies, including the Primeira Liga, the domestic Supercup, and the biggest trophy of them all—the UEFA Champions League. As the champions of Portugal, Porto amassed 12 points more than the runners-up Benfica.
The memorable night of Porto’s season was the Champions League final, when they defeated Monaco 3 – 0.
This team’s best players were the defensive duo that stopped attackers with their sheer tenacity and strength, Richardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira. Behind them was the goalkeeper of FC Porto, legend Vitor Baia.
In the midfield, the talented playmaker Deco gave out 29 assists during the season, while the prolific attacker Benni McCarthy scored 26 goals in all competitions.
FC Porto had superb teams throughout different eras of modern football, but the 2003/04 one has to go down in history as one of the best.
Featured image taken from YouTube.
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