Articles Archives - Page 24 of 27

There are professional soccer leagues everywhere in the world, but the best players tend to gravitate towards certain countries. Those who have clubs that spend the most money are usually going to attract the most players, although history plays a role in things as well. What are the best 20 leagues in the world right now? There is a pretty distinct top five when looking at leagues right now, but there are some surprises after that as legs are jockeying for position and bragging rights. 20. Danish Superligaen The first league to make the list is the top league in Denmark. It is a small country with a passion for soccer, which has helped keep them somewhat relevant internationally. FC Copenhagen and FC Midtjylland dominate right now, but a few other teams have made the league competitive. 19. Chinese Super League There are teams in China that have the money to make the Chinese Super League a pretty dominant force if they want to. They are the best league in Asia right now, and the sport is growing with a vast population growing up playing for the first time. Both Major League Soccer and the Chinese Super League could be near the top 10 in a decade. 18. Major League Soccer The United States seems pretty focused on doing what it can to make Major League Soccer an actual threat in the soccer world. They are the only North American league to make this list, and the 18th might be a little low on going off of name recognition. The problem is, MLS teams still focus on known players at the twilight of their careers. They need to land more stars in their prime if they want to be taken seriously. 17. Greek Super League Some blame it on Greece not having as much passion for soccer as some other countries in today’s world. Others look at the financial struggles of many of the top clubs as a reason why they have dropped so low. The Greek Super League still has some talent occasionally, but it is not like it used to be. They are one to look out for if they ever do get things back together as they rise up the ranks. 16. Turkish Super Lig Turkey is propped up by the likes of Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas. Turkey’s most prominent threat in international competition is Galatasaray. There are always at least a few players in the league considered top internationally. Turkey’s style is a little more physical than most, appealing to some fans looking for a brand of soccer they enjoy. 15. Swiss Raiffeisen Super League Some form of a Swiss Super League has been around since 1898, and with all that history, the league has fluctuated in talent throughout the years. Since starting their current format in 2003, just three teams have won the title. Basel and Zurich trade-off win in the early stages of the new format, but the Young Boys have won three straight. Some talented players come through the league at times, but they usually end up signing their contracts when they get near their prime. 14. Ukrainian Premier League When Shakthar Donetsk broke through the knockout stages in champions league action a few years ago, it gave the Ukrainian Premier league a little bit of notoriety. It usually comes down between them and Dynamo Kyiv for the domestic crown. Since more talent is starting to come through Ukraine and as youth ranks, it has helped grow their league in general. 13. Argentina Primera Division Argentina certainly has the talent to be higher on this list coming from the country easier, but many of them leave to Europe to play for the power teams. They run into the same situations like Brazil, only it is worse in Argentina. A few clubs have money to pay to aging stars, but it is mostly a breeding ground for players to jump elsewhere. For those who want to stay in South America, being the second-best league does provide a little benefit. 12. Belgian Jupiler Pro League The league in Belgium is much like the league in Austria and that many top homegrown players leave for other spots on prestigious European clubs. The top teams in Belgium do not have the money to throw to top players and keep them satisfied. 11. Austrian T-Mobile Bundesliga The Austrian T-Mobile Bundesliga gets lost in the shuffle a lot because they do not have any teams that make much noise. In recent years, Red Bull Salzburg has evolved into the team to beat, but they are hoping to impact the Europa League and Champions League at some point. Austria loses a fair share of the top players to other leagues in Europe. 10. Championship (English second league) As competitive as the Premier League is in England, there is still some quality soccer found in other England leagues as well. The second league consists of some teams that have recently been relegated from the Premier League, and that alone puts them in the top 10 for leagues worldwide. A big reason why this league is still competitive is that there is just so much money invested in these clubs. With Premier league spots on the line every year, teams are looking to go all in and see what they can accomplish before moving up. 9. Russian Premier League Considering that the Russian Premier League has only been around for two decades, it is fairly impressive that they are this high up in the list made up of many teams filled with Russian-born players. A few clubs have solidified themselves as of the best. CSKA Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg both have six titles each to their name, and they are hoping to start showing what they can do in the rest of Europe. Do not be surprised if the Russian Premier League starts to climb up the list a bit. 8. Portuguese Liga Portugal is yet another country that has a domestic league dominated by a few teams. The domination in Portugal is unlike most. Then, FC Porto, Sporting CP, and Benfica have won all but two titles in their history. They have found success against other clubs in Europe, which is why they at least are a little high up in the rankings. 7. Brazilierio Serie A The top league outside of Europe is in Brazil. It is still a relatively new league, and many teams run into issues financially to keep quality players. That leaves teams with a lot of players who might be a little over the hill, and some younger guys still developing and figuring out what they can provide. It is still an exciting league and it continues getting support throughout South America. If they can find a way to keep the best Brazilian players home, it could begin to challenge one of the top five leaders on the list. 6. Eredivisie After the top five leagues, the overall level play dips significantly. That is not to say that there are not good players and teams scattered throughout the other leagues, but it is just not the same as the top five. The Dutch league comes the closest, as they have a few clubs that can make noise outside of the Netherlands as well. Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord Rotterdam are the three teams that collect the most talent and produce the best results in the league. The hard part is bringing in players from outside of the Netherlands because most of the top players will go to more established leagues to compete. 5. Ligue 1 Like many other leagues, Ligue 1 is dominated by a single team. Paris Saint-Germain is a club that can compete with anyone, but there is just no real depth in France right now. People are always going to tune in to see the likes of Neymar in Kylian Mbappe, but most soccer fans don't watch them play in the Ligue 1, but only when it's time for the Champions League. Other teams need to step up to challenge PSG before Ligue 1 can think about moving up this list. Maybe that will happen eventually, but everything seems to be moving slowly right now. 4. Bundesliga The Bundesliga might not be the most competitive league in the world, but they do have one of the most successful clubs in the world in Bayern Munich. They have won every German championship since 2013, and they fare well against the top teams in Europe as well. Unfortunately, their dominance has caused some frustration domestically. With the league turning into a race for second, many are hoping that a few teams might start making a push of their own. Borussia Dortmund and VfL Wolfsburg are two teams in the best position to make that push towards the top, but Bayern Munich is a true juggernaut at this point domestically. It will take a huge effort to dethrone them over an entire season. 3. Serie A It might surprise some to see Serie A in 3rd, but the league has made some great strides lately in landing star players and having some competitive balance. The marquee player is Ronaldo, but the league received a nice boost when Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed with AC Milan. They are both nearing the end of their careers, but having them on two of the top teams in the league helps with worldwide notoriety. AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus are historically the big three in Serie A, but Napoli, Roma, and Atalanta have all shown that they can make things competitive domestically. They still have a ways to go to compete with the two above them, but Serie A continues to improve. 2. La Liga When people think of La Liga, they think of two teams: Barcelona and Real Madrid. There is no question that these two teams have the history, the star players, the fan bases, and the money to compete with any club team in the world. However, one relatively new team in Spain helps make this the second-best league in the world. Atletico Madrid is the only other team to win La Liga since 2005. They are continually in the hunt in recent years not only domestically, but in international competitions as well. They haven’t won a Champions League title yet, but they did finish runner-up twice. Spain might not have the depth of the English Premier League, but they do have the most Champions League titles with 18. As long as the teams with money continue signing top players, La Liga seems firmly placed in second. 1. Premier League Many leagues have tried to replicate what the Premier League provides, but it is still the best soccer league in the world. It has the most competition from top to bottom, a few teams that can compete with anyone in the world, and a rabid fan base that keeps things going. England might be struggling to some degree in producing homegrown talent, but the ability to import players from other countries helps keep the Premier League strong. In any given year, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal are all dangerous threats in the Champions League.