Top 25 Football Nations of All-Time (Europe)

Discussion in 'UEFA and Europe' started by King of STS, Oct 28, 2017.

  1. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    1. Germany
    2. Italy
    3. France
    4. England
    5. Spain
    6. Netherlands
    7. Sweden
    8. Yugoslavia
    9. Soviet Union

    10. Belgium
    11. Denmark
    12. Czechoslovakia
    13. Portugal
    14. Hungary
    15. Scotland
    16. Austria
    17. Poland
    18. Switzerland
    19. Turkey
    20. Romania
    21. Greece
    22. Republic of Ireland
    23. Wales
    24. Bulgaria
    25. Northern Ireland
     
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  2. Nani_17

    Nani_17 Member+

    Nov 3, 2011
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    It feels as though after the first 5 you started to just draw the teams out of a hat with no rhyme or reason. Except a completely random draw would likely be more accurate.
     
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  3. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    Whatever suits you better, even make it easier for you consider i'm bluffing.
     
  4. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    I made a little mistake here
    Adjusted ranking

    1. Germany
    2. Italy
    3. France
    4. England
    5. Spain
    6. Netherlands
    7. Sweden
    8. Yugoslavia
    9. Portugal
    10. Belgium
    11. Soviet Union
    12. Denmark
    13. Hungary
    14. Czechoslovakia
    15. Scotland
    16. Austria
    17. Poland
    18. Switzerland
    19. Turkey
    20. Romania
    21. Greece
    22. Republic of Ireland
    23. Wales
    24. Bulgaria
    25. Northern Ireland
     
  5. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    #5 King of STS, Nov 3, 2017
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2017
    Random way you'll be lost in the highway, It doesnt take a genius in the post-Internet era everything is available, just look at rsssf.com.
    Which one after the top five was put for no reason?
    The Netherlands, they are always formidable as long as they stay away from playing the Portuguese, they has always been a superpower that competed in every (or at least almost) finals tournament since 1974.
    Sweden, the nearest european team level-wise to traditionally footballing nations, it has been happening for decades with good results take into consideration.
    Yugoslavia was one of a leading force in european and world football.
    Then you have the next group (Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark and Portugal).
    The Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia two historic teams that can't keep holding the race anymore while the great 'old days' Hungary is a dead horse.
    Nothing spectacular about Belgium exclude the first half of 70s and the 80s proving to be an exception, it has to do with great consistency for the past hundred years.
    Denmark are remarkable at early years of football.
    So you maybe thinking Portugal 'today' is the same as Portugal 'yesterday', I'm sorry but the answer is no, they're historically inferior to all the above until around the turn of the millennium and start to catch up to them with their incredible consistency that emerged as one of the most competitive international team in european football.
    Portugal success is much more short-termed, although as recent enormous success indicate Portugal surpassed them all, but it's still way behind Sweden and Yugoslavia in general let alone the famous six teams.
    I don't see it as the number of appearances in finals tournament at the 20th century (1928, 1966, 1984, 1986, 1996), it just needs more depth, I look it at the qualifiers as well, mostly not really as a main contender in the group or too far from qualifying though it must in fairness be said that sometimes Portugal have the talent but not the chemistry in the previous qualifiers failure.

    The ranking system which seems to be works perfectly well and a more balanced at least in my view.
    Maybe right, maybe wrong, but at least it is a reasonable attempt.

    1st place: 4 pts
    Top 2: 3 pts
    Top 4: 2 pts
    Top 8: 1 pts
    Top 16: 0.5 pts
    Top 32: 0.25 pts

    Excluding the rest of the world to prevent any disadvantage


    Netherlands
    The best:1978WC, 1988EC
    Top 2: 1974WC, 2010WC, 2014WC
    Top 4: 1908Olympic (participated), 1912Olympic, 1920Olympic, 1924Olympic, 1976EC, 1992EC, 1998WC, 2000EC, 2004EC
    Top 8: 1948Olympic, 1980EC, 1994WC, 1996EC, 2008EC
    Top 16: 1928Olympic, 1934WC, 1938WC, 1958WC(Q), 1964EC(Q), 1968EC(Q), 1972EC(Q), 1984EC(Q), 1986WC, 1990WC, 2006WC, 2012EC
    Top 32: 1952Olympic, 1962WC(Q), 1966WC(Q), 1970WC(Q), 1982WC(Q), 2002WC(Q), 2016EC(Q)

    Total = 47.75 pts


    Sweden
    The best: 1948Olympic, 1950WC, 1958WC
    Top 2: 1924Olympic, 1994WC
    Top 4: 1908Olympic (participated), 1938WC, 1952Olympic, 1974WC, 1992EC
    Top 8: 1920Olympic, 1964EC(Q), 1934WC, 1936Olympic, 1970WC, 2002WC, 2004EC
    Top 16: 1912Olympic, 1954WC(Q), 1962WC(Q), 1966WC(Q), 1978WC, 1984EC(Q), 1988EC(Q), 1990WC, 2000EC, 2006WC, 2008EC, 2012EC
    Top 32: 1968EC, 1972EC(Q), 1976EC(Q), 1980EC(Q), 1982WC(Q), 1986WC(Q), 1996EC(Q), 1998WC(Q), 2010WC(Q), 2014WC(Q), 2016EC

    Total = 43.75 pts


    Yugoslavia
    The best: 1930WC, 1960Olympic
    Top 2: 1948Olympic, 1952Olympic, 1956Olympic, 1960EC, 1962WC, 1968EC
    Top 4: 1950WC, 1958WC, 1976EC, 1990WC
    Top 8: 1928Olympic, 1954WC, 1972EC(Q), 1974WC, 1984EC, 1992EC (banned), 1998WC, 2000EC
    Top 16: 1920Olympic, 1934WC(Q), 1938WC(Q), 1964EC(Q), 1970WC(Q), 1980EC(Q), 1982WC, 1988EC(Q)
    Top 32: 1924Olympic, 1966WC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1986WC(Q), 2002WC(Q)

    Total = 43.75 pts


    Portugal
    The best: 2016EC
    Top 2: 2004EC
    Top 4: 1928Olympic, 1966WC, 1984EC, 2000EC, 2006WC, 2010WC, 2012EC
    Top 8: 1950WC(Q), 1960EC(Q), 1996EC, 2008EC, 2014WC
    Top 16: 1962WC(Q), 1968EC(Q), 1972EC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1986WC, 1990WC(Q), 1992EC(Q), 1994WC(Q), 2002WC
    Top 32: 1934WC(Q), 1938WC(Q), 1954(Q), 1958WC(Q), 1964EC(Q), 1970WC(Q), 1974WC(Q), 1976EC(Q), 1980EC(Q), 1982WC(Q), 1988EC(Q), 1998WC(Q)

    Total = 33.5 pts


    Belgium
    The best: 1920Olympic
    Top 2: 1980EC
    Top 4: 1928Olympic, 1930WC (participated), 1972EC, 1986WC, 2014WC
    Top 8: 1970WC, 1976EC(Q), 1984EC, 1990WC, 1994WC, 2016EC
    Top 16: 1924Olympic, 1934WC, 1938WC, 1954WC, 1958WC(Q), 1966WC(Q), 1968EC(Q), 1974WC(Q), 1982WC, 1988EC(Q), 1998WC, 2000EC, 2002WC
    Top 32: 1962WC(Q), 1964EC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1992EC(Q), 1996EC(Q), 2004EC(Q), 2006WC(Q), 2010WC(Q), 2012EC(Q)

    Total = 31.75 pts


    Soviet Union
    The best: 1956Olympic, 1960EC
    Top 2: 1964EC, 1972EC, 1988EC
    Top 4: 1962WC, 1966WC, 1968EC, 1970WC
    Top 8: 1952Olympic, 1958WC, 1976EC(Q), 1982WC, 1986WC, 1992EC
    Top 16: 1974WC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1984EC(Q), 1990WC
    Top 32: 1980EC(Q)

    Total = 31.25 pts


    Denmark
    The best: 1992EC
    Top 2: 1908Olympic, 1912Olympic, 1960Olympic
    Top 4: 1948Olympic, 1964EC, 1984EC
    Top 8: 1952Olympic, 1986WC, 1988EC, 1998WC, 2002WC, 2004EC
    Top 16: 1920Olympic, 1960EC(Q), 1990WC(Q), 1994WC(Q), 1996EC, 2000EC, 2010WC, 2012EC
    Top 32: 1958WC(Q), 1966WC(Q), 1968EC(Q), 1970WC(Q), 1972EC(Q), 1974WC(Q), 1976EC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1980EC(Q), 1982WC(Q), 2006WC(Q), 2008EC(Q), 2014WC(Q), 2016EC(Q)

    Total = 31 pts


    Hungary

    The best: 1952Olympic
    Top 2: 1938WC, 1954WC
    Top 4: 1960Olympic, 1962WC, 1964EC, 1972EC
    Top 8: 1912Olympic, 1934WC, 1936Olympic, 1966WC, 1968EC(Q)
    Top 16: 1924Olympic, 1958WC, 1960EC(Q), 1970WC(Q), 1974WC(Q), 1976EC(Q), 1978WC, 1980EC(Q), 1982WC, 1986WC, 2016EC
    Top 32: 1984EC(Q), 1988EC(Q), 1990WC(Q), 1992EC(Q), 1996EC(Q), 1994WC(Q), 1998WC(Q), 2000EC(Q), 2002WC(Q), 2004EC(Q), 2006WC(Q), 2010WC(Q), 2012EC(Q), 2014WC(Q)

    Total = 31 pts


    Czechoslovakia
    The best: 1962WC, 1976EC
    Top 2: 1934WC
    Top 4: 1920Olympic (disqualified), 1938WC, 1960EC, 1980EC
    Top 8: 1924Olympic, 1958WC, 1990WC
    Top 16: 1954WC, 1966WC(Q), 1968EC(Q), 1970WC, 1972EC(Q), 1974WC(Q), 1982WC, 1984EC(Q), 1988EC(Q), 1992EC(Q)
    Top 32: 1964EC(Q), 1978WC(Q), 1986WC(Q), 1994WC(Q)

    Total = 28 pts


    Olympic tournaments definitely should have included, it was seen as the 'original' World Cup, the first official major football tournaments until the first FIFA World Cup materialised in Uruguay in 1930, then there were three respectable editions in 1936, 1948 and 1952 that almost equal, the Olympic football tournament was clearly replaced by the World Cup when it came the 1954 FIFA World Cup which was held in Switzerland that has achieved an overwhelming success organizationally, technically also media coverage 'radio days' , but I made an exception for both 1956 & 1960 and give half of the points each.
    For 'eras' argument, they were the best in their era so have been given the same treatment.
    Thanks anyway for reminding me to reconsider.
     
  6. Smoga

    Smoga Member

    Jan 28, 2002
    Brooklyn, NYC
    This is the primary reason why this methodology and ranking sucks, but there are other ones as well.
     
  7. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    I have already said maybe right way, maybe wrong. Certainly I know that there will always be some flaws.
    Just by saying it, with no solution, that's the easy part.
    The hard part is you have a chance to put it to bed once and for all with a better methodology, it all depends that if you can or you can't.
    Perfection is impossible, nobody can.
     
  8. Metropolitan

    Metropolitan Member+

    Paris Saint Germain
    France
    Sep 5, 2005
    Paris
    Club:
    Paris Saint Germain FC
    Nat'l Team:
    France
    Here is the all-time table ranking for UEFA teams at the Euro, World Cup and Confederations Cup:
    http://www.international-football.net/page-13

    3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 for a loss, then ranked by goal differences as a tie-breaker.

    Serbia includes Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro results. Russia includes Soviet Union results. Czech Republic includes Czechosovakia results.
     
  9. Ceres

    Ceres Member+

    Jan 18, 2004
    Aarhus, Denmark
    Club:
    AGF Aarhus
    Nat'l Team:
    Denmark
    Sweden never won anything except for the 1948 Olympics (with the advantage of not having been involved in WW2 at all), so what's up with giving them top points for WC1950 and WC1958 ?

    Also, regarding the first WC tournaments in general, you need to consider that very few European countries chose to participate at all .. only 4 in 1930 and at that point in time England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales had actually resigned from FIFA...

    In fact, besides Sweden and France, some of the absolute top European football nations in the early years of the game, England and Denmark did not participate at all in the WC qualifiers before 1950 .. (Denmark did not even enter the qualifiers before 1958). the Netherlands also did not participate on a regular basis before 1958.

    On a side note ... you did not count Denmark winning the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1995 :
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Confederations_Cup#FIFA_Confederations_Cup
     
  10. Gilbertsson

    Gilbertsson Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Apr 1, 2012
    Geneva
    Club:
    Toronto Croatia
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    #10 Gilbertsson, Jan 8, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
    Why is Scotland in front of Poland, Greece? Poland has two bronze World Cup medals, one fifth place, Olympic winners 1972, silver medal in 1976 and 1992, fourth place in 1936. Even some ex-Soviet Republics, ex-Yugoslav countries have better results than Northern Ireland, Switzerland, Scotland, Romania, etc.
    The best intention would be the calculation of World Cup, EURO, Confederation Cup, Olympic Games results. Not tradition, appearance, popularity, national league strength.
    Denmark should be in front of Sweden. But it's also hard to say are several silver and bronze World Cup medals stronger than silver and bronze EURO medals. Is World Cup 3rd place stronger than EURO semifinals? Is Olympic title stronger than EURO or Confederation Cup title?:) Many versions of point calculations have flaws. It's really hard to create anything objective.

    Denmark won Olympic gold medal in 1906.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_1906_Intercalated_Games

    Also they have EURO title, but with weaker results at World Cups.

    East Germany is forgotten here.

    Guide:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natio..._Cup#Comprehensive_team_results_by_tournament
     
  11. +PL+

    +PL+ Member+

    Jun 22, 2015
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Your ranking was correct. Portugal is around 15-16 in ranking.
     
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  12. Show Business

    Show Business Red Card

    Borussia Dortmund
    May 2, 2018
    In deep south
    My rankings:

    1. Germany
    2. Spain
    3. France
    4. Italy
    5. Netherlands
    6. Greece
    7. England
    8. Serbia
    9. Portugal
    10. Denmark
    11. Russia
    12. Sweden
    13. Hungary
     
  13. Show Business

    Show Business Red Card

    Borussia Dortmund
    May 2, 2018
    In deep south
    The nation Germany are strongest soccer ever in Europe. Explination are World War 2 victims 9 nations where occupate after war.
     
  14. Yume

    Yume New Member

    Dec 11, 2015
    Club:
    --other--
    My ranking:

    1.Germany
    2.Italy
    3.France
    4.Spain
    5.Netherlands
    6.England
    7.Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia
    8.Urss
    9.Sweden
    10.Yugoslavia
    11.Portugal
    12.Hungary
    13.Belgium
    14.Denmark
    15.Poland
     
  15. Smoga

    Smoga Member

    Jan 28, 2002
    Brooklyn, NYC
    Czech, but especially Soviets, Sweden and Yugoslavia way too high. Denmark above Poland, Portugal above Hungary is just dumb. Top five about right, except Netherlands should be higher than Spain, as I am assuming you're ranking more than last decade.
     
  16. Simmer

    Simmer Member

    Feyenoord
    Netherlands
    Oct 23, 2009
    Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Nah, Spain has rightfully surpassed us.

    A World Cup and 3 European championships says it all.
     
  17. Oddo26

    Oddo26 Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    New York City
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Uruguay
    Spain might have a win, but they've been to the last four only twice and have never been advanced to the semi's in a knockout format besides 2010. The Netherland's have done it five times since 1974. Arguably the third best team in European history and they've got a Euro's too. Euro's like the Olympics is dominated by teams that don't succeed at the World Cup. Denmark, Greece, Yugoslavia, USSR,Greece, Portugal, Czechoslovakia it goes on and on. Euro performers always do worse in the World Cup(even when Spain won they did considerably worse IMO). After Spain's loss this year, 2010 seems just like an extreme outlier, and this was just another repeat of the pre 2010 trend of Spain going out in the early group stage.

    If Belguim wins they'll have a cup too(though no Euro's) but they'll have only been to the semi's twice.
     
  18. Oddo26

    Oddo26 Member

    Jul 12, 2014
    New York City
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Uruguay
    Think posters valuing Euro's a little too much IMO but seeing that his list seems more rational. Two largely different groups of teams have historically won and performed in those tournaments with the world cup group typically being much more exclusive.

    Sweden though's been to the WC semi's four times same as England and Spain combined. Worth something.
     
  19. O Cangaceiro

    O Cangaceiro Member

    Celtic
    Scotland
    Jul 7, 2018
    Scotland have spent more days at the top of the ELO rankings than Germany; Italy, Uruguay, Spain, and France.

    The fact only two countries really played football for most of that time is unimportant :ROFLMAO:
     
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  20. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    Germany
    Italia
    France
    Spain
    England
    Holland
    Portugal
    Croatia

    Top 8.
     
  21. SF19

    SF19 Member+

    Jun 8, 2013
    There is no objective basis to truly rate them. The other problem is the now defunct nation states like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and Soviet Union.

    The best I can do is rate teams according to trophies won and by the weight of their best placed finishes in major competitions. I think more weight must be given to World Cup successes over Euro Cup successes. I don't think it's necessary to take into account other tournament successes like the Confederations (unless a tie-breaker is needed). Finally, some countries have a far greater pedigree, despite not having a trophy from the finals: countries like Ireland, Scotland, and Romania have a superior pedigree to countries like my own, Greece. With that said, I think this gives as good an idea of how to rate European countries, at least on the merits of the successes they've registered.

    1. Germany (4x WC, 3x EC)
    2. Italy (4x WC, 1x EC)
    3. France (2x WC, 2x EC)
    4. Spain (1x WC, 3x EC)
    5. England (1x WC)
    6. Netherlands (1x EC, 3x WC finalist)
    7. Ex-Yugoslavia (1 EC, 1x WC finalist via Croatia)
    8. Portugal (1x EC, 1x EC finalist, better WC & EC record than Soviets and Czechoslovakians)
    9. Ex-Soviet Union (1x EC, 1x EC finalist, better WC & EC record than Czechoslovakians)
    10. Ex-Czechoslovakia (1x EC, 1x EC finalist via Czech Rep.)
    11. Denmark (1x EC, better WC & EC record than Greece)
    12. Greece (1x EC)
    13. Sweden (1x WC finalist, better WC & EC record than Hungary)
    14. Hungary (1x WC finalist)
    15. Poland (2x WC semi-finalist, 3rd place twice)
    16. Belgium (2x WC semi-finalist, 3rd place once)
    16. Austria (2x WC semi-finalist, 3rd place once)
    18. Turkey (1x WC semi-finalist, 1x EC semi-finalist)
    19. Bulgaria (1x WC semi-finalist)
    20. Wales (1x EC semi-finalist, 1x WC quarter-finalist)
    21. Switzerland (3x WC quarter-finalist)
    22. Romania (1x WC & EC quarter-finalist)
    23. Ireland (1x WC quarter-finalist, better WC & EC record than Northern Ireland)
    24. Northern Ireland (1x WC quarter-finalist)
    25. Norway (1x WC last 16)
     
  22. O Cangaceiro

    O Cangaceiro Member

    Celtic
    Scotland
    Jul 7, 2018
    Plus two World Cup finals. 1934 and 1962.

    Two World Cup finals. 1938 and 1958.
     
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  23. Nico777

    Nico777 Member+

    Olympique de marseille
    Croatia
    Oct 19, 2017
    I think that a world cup final reached recently in a football played and developped in countries all over the world as it is now got more value than finals reached like 50-60-80 years ago. And i think also that world cup achievements are 10 times more important than continental achievements.


    But just my opinion.
     
  24. Pyros

    Pyros Member

    Sep 6, 2009
    La Coruña
    Club:
    Valencia CF
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    It would be interesting to know what criteria you're using to put England above Spain, you know, since Spain has 3 euros and England has a big fat 0.
     
  25. msioux75

    msioux75 Member+

    Jan 8, 2006
    Lima, Peru
    Do you think that the OGs from 1936 to 1976, had at least 10 NTs that had been World Cup material at that time?

    For example, Sweden 1948, Hungary 1952 are two clear examples of countries sending to the OGs, a XI as strong as their full NT.

    Considering that the less atended WCs had 13 teams taking part of it.
     
  26. King of STS

    King of STS Member

    Oct 20, 2017
    Top 25 Football Nations of All-Time (Europe)

    1. Germany
    2. Italy
    3. England
    4. France
    5. Spain
    6. Netherlands
    7. Sweden
    8. Yugoslavia
    9. Hungary
    10. Czechoslovakia
    11. Denmark
    12. Scotland
    13. Belgium
    14. Soviet Union
    15. Portugal
    16. Austria
    17. Switzerland
    18. Poland
    19. Wales
    20. Romania
    21. Bulgaria
    22. Northern Ireland
    23. Turkey
    24. Republic of Ireland
    25. Greece
     

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