The most successful football club in the world are not necessarily the biggest names in football odds.
Measuring success in the simplest form is about silverware collected, a category which rewards clubs who have dominated their domestic leagues.
These are clubs often heavily favoured in outright betting. These teams are not just impressive for a half-decade, but hardware hoarders spanning generations.
Of course, the established superpowers of European football feature here, yet many are outcompeted by clubs from less competitive leagues.
Here are the most successful football clubs on the planet…
Most Successful Football Clubs In The World:
20) Boca Juniors – 62
The most successful club in Argentina, Boca Juniors’ blue and yellow kit is among the most iconic in world football.
Crowned national champions on 35 occasions, Boca have also lifted the Copa Libertadores on six occasions, the most recent of which was their 2007 triumph led by Juan Roman Riquelme.
19) FCSB – 62
Formerly Steaua București, FCSB are 26-time champions of Romania and lifted the European Cup in the 1980s.
Ranking so highly on this list is an especially impressive feat, given that the club was only founded in 1947.
18) Galatasaray – 64
While bitter rivals Fenerbahce have the greater tally of league titles, more of Galatasaray’s domestic crowns are recognised by the Turkish Football Federation.
Their lead over Fenerbahce and Besiktas is extended further by their dominance of the main domestic cup competition.
17) Anderlecht – 64
Champions of Belgium on 34 occasions, Anderlecht are by far the nation’s most successful team. They have translated their domestic glories into continental honours, too, with a pair of Cup Winners’ Cups and the UEFA Cup in 1983.
Only Club Brugge can better their total of nine Belgian Cup wins.
16) Liverpool – 66
The most successful football team in England, the Jurgen Klopp era has seen Liverpool add to its already historic trophy collection.
A disrupted 2019-20 season brought Liverpool’s 19th league title, which followed a sixth European Cup/Champions League win a year prior.
15) Manchester United – 66
Despite a decade-plus in the doldrums since Alex Ferguson hung up his hairdryer, Manchester United’s 20 league titles remains an English football record.
The Red Devils have infrequently added to their trophy count since Ferguson’s retirement, but their mark of 66 still places among the most successful club teams in world football.
14) Juventus – 70
Already Italy’s most decorated club, Juventus’ spell of dominance through the 2010s extended their lead over the two Milan clubs. The Old Lady is behind only three teams from Europe’s top five leagues.
Record holders for Scudetto wins and Coppa Italia triumphs, European silverware has still escaped Juve’s grasp since 1996.
13) Ajax – 75
Not only the Netherlands’ most successful team, Ajax are a footballing institution. Few clubs have influenced the sport worldwide like de Godenzonen.
The 36 league titles and four European Cups speak for themselves. Ajax is far more than its silverware, however, from the players that have developed at the club through to the tactical innovation of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff.
12) Olympiacos – 82
The unstoppable force of Greek football, Olympiacos have relentlessly accumulated hardware throughout their history, and particularly so since the turn of the century.
They might never have been past the last eight of the Champions League, but the Erythrolefki continue to climb this list.
11) Bayern Munich – 82
Bayern Munich were already Germany’s most successful team, but 10 straight Bundesliga titles and two Champions League wins in the last decade have seen them reach new heights.
Trebles in 2013 and 2020 have represented a period of unprecedented supremacy for FC Hollywood.
10) Porto – 83
Super Cup success boosts Porto’s trophy haul, keeping them level with Benfica despite fewer league titles and domestic cups.
In Europe, however, it is the Azuis e brancos who have the upper hand with a pair of UEFA Cups to go with their two Champions League wins (1986-87, 2003-04).
9) Al-Faisaly SC – 83
Winners of 18 more Jordanian league titles than any other club, Al-Faisaly SC have an absurd total of 81 domestic honours, including 21 FA Cup wins.
The Blue Eagles are two-time AFC Cup winners, going back-to-back in the mid-noughties.
8) Benfica – 83
Despite a pair of European Cups and record totals in the league and cup, Benfica are only tied with rivals Porto for the most honours in Portuguese football.
Os Encarnados are in a trophy drought by their lofty standards, going without a league crown since 2019 and not winning the Taça de Portugal since 2017.
7) Barcelona – 93
It has been nip and tuck between Barcelona and Real Madrid over the last few years. Barca have dropped off the pace lately, with no La Liga win since 2019. The Catalan giants went trophyless in 2021-22, but picked up the 2023 Supercopa de España.
Following Lionel Messi’s departure, Barcelona appear to have got back on track under Xavi thanks to a raft of high-profile signings, including Robert Lewandowski.
6) Real Madrid – 97
Since the start of 2021-22, Real Madrid have won the Supercopa de España, the Champions League, La Liga, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. That glorious spell has seen them regain an advantage over Barcelona.
The total of 14 European Cups and Champions Leagues is a record which no team can come close to. The Copa del Rey is the one area where Barcelona have an advantage.
5) Penarol – 110
There is a substantial leap from Real Madrid to Penarol. We are now in the 100-club, with the Uruguayan outfit sitting 13 clear of Los Blancos.
Penarol, though, are not even the most decorated team from their country. They do have the most league titles with 51, however, and no other team has appeared in more Copa Libertadores finals (10).
4) Celtic – 113
Raising the bat for a half century of league titles in 2019, Celtic have been Scottish champions twice more since then, and reached the 40 mark for Scottish Cup wins in 2020.
The Bhoys are up to seven domestic trebles and 12 league and Scottish Cup doubles.
3) Nacional - 116
Even after winning the Uruguayan league title in 2022, Nacional’s total of 49 is two behind rivals Penarol.
The Tricolores do have the advantage is in international competition, though, where they have collected more silverware than Penarol despite fewer Copa Libertadores wins (three to five).
2) Rangers - 116
Rangers missed an opportunity to add to their haul in the 2022 Europa League final, but that doesn’t prevent them being the second-most successful football team in the world.
Champions of Scotland on 55 occasions and 34-time winners of the Scottish Cup, much of Rangers’ advantage can be attributed to their record 27 League Cups.
1) Al Ahly – 121
Al Ahly have won three times as many Egyptian league titles as any other team.
They have the most Egypt Cups, the most CAF Champions Leagues, the most African Cup Winners’ Cups and the most CAF Super Cups. Unsurprisingly, they were named the CAF Club of the 20th Century.
The trophy hoarding hasn’t exactly slowed down since then. Don’t be surprised if the five-trophy lead extends throughout the 2020s.
Most Successful Football Clubs
With two of the top five most successful football clubs in terms of trophies, Scotland is one of the top football nations when it comes to major honours.
Rangers and Celtic - both located in the city of Glasgow - are two of the biggest rivals in football and have dominated Scottish football for many years. Betting expert betting tips may struggle to split the two teams but every football fan has a preference.
By the same token, two Uruguayan teams feature on this list; Penarol and Nacional. In terms of teams outside of Europe, there are just three other teams in the 20 most successful clubs in world football.
Manchester United are the most successful English club on this list though Liverpool are breathing down their necks. Again, two of Britain's top rivals, it wouldn't be a huge shock to see the Reds turn the tables in the coming years.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Hassan Ammar / AP Photo*
