The 50 greatest European club sides

The teams who missed out

Huddersfield 1923-26

The reason: couldn’t combine their league dominance with an FA Cup

 

Arsenal 1930-35

The reason: almost the same as Herbert Chapman’s previous team, Huddersfield. Won an FA Cup but not in same season as a league.

 

Manchester United 1955-58

The reason: as if it barely needs to be repeated, the Munich Air Disaster tragically took this team away as they were only getting started. In every sense. Victory in the 1957 FA Cup final, however, would have been enough to put them 46th.

 

Milan 1961-63

The reason: the Serie A and the European Cup which followed it were ultimately two isolated achievements.

 

Leeds United 1964-75

The reason: few sides have stayed at the top for so long. But then few sides have won so relatively few trophies from that position, with only six in 11 years. By contrast, endured 11 runners-up positions. Don Revie never truly translated competitiveness into dominance.

 

Milan 1966-72

The reason: magnificent for two seasons as they won a league, a Cup Winners Cup and a European Cup. But ultimately mediocre either side, best represented by an eighth-place finish in Serie A.

 

Dynamo Kyiv 1971-77

The reason: only once got beyond the quarter-finals of the European Cup.

 

Dynamo Kyiv 1981-86

The reason: dynamism in the Soviet league and Cup Winners Cup was offset by mediocrity in the European Cup.

 

Napoli 1986-90

The reason: a miserable showing in the European Cup.

 

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