It’s been a few months since I posted an annual Top 25. The primary reason for this is because I’m saving them for the summer when the Weekly Top 25s (and the Weekly Television Schedule for the most part) go into hiatus. Now seems like a good time for an update, however.
1967 was the year that one of the world’s most popular teams became such as Celtic defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in the Champions Cup final to win the European championship and, incidentally, end Internazionale’s two-year run as the best team in the world.
Unlike the Champions Cup, where the two best teams in the world faced off for the title, other continental competitions were won by teams that did poorly enough in their respective domestic leagues that they did not qualify for the season-ending Top 25. It took three matches for Argentina’s Racing Club to claim the Copa Libertadores, defeating Nacional of Uruguay 2-0 in Santiago, Chile following two goalless draws on each other’s home turf. Bayern Munchen took Europe’s Cup Winners Cup by defeating Rangers (it was a good year for Scotland overall) 1-0. Finally, in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Dinamo Zagreb scored a 2-0 aggregate victory over Leeds United for the title. The top five domestic leagues in the world were won by Juventus, Real Madrid, Celtic, Independiente and Benfica, while Manchester United took the English title as the English were on the verge of breaking through in Europe.
Without further adieu, the rankings . . .
World Club Rankings Top 25 – 1967
1. Celtic (Sco) – Champions Cup Winner, First WCR Championship.
2. Inter Milan (Ita) – CC-RU; Fifth consecutive Top 3 finish.
3. Real Madrid (Esp) – CC-QF; Eighth consecutive Top 5 finish.
4. Juventus (Ita) – Inter-Cities Fairs Cup-QF; First Top 5 ranking.
5. Independiente (Arg) – First Top 5 ranking.
6. Benfica (Por) – ICFC-3R; Seventh consecutive Top 10 ranking.
7. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores-RU; Fourth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
8. Rangers (Sco) – Cup Winners Cup-RU; Third Top 10.
9. Penarol (Uru) – CL-SF; Fourth consecutive Top 10.
10. Barcelona (Esp) – ICFC-2R.
11. Dukla Praha (Tch) – CC-SF; Highest ever ranking.
12. Ajax (Ned) – CC-QF; Best ranking to date.
13. Academica (Por) – Highest ever ranking.
14. Bologna (Ita) – ICFC-QF; Last time in Top 25.
15. Porto (Por) – ICFC-1R; Seventh consecutive Top 25.
16. Estudiantes (Arg) – First Top 25.
17. Sparta Praha (Tch) – ICFC-2R; Highest ever ranking.
18. Napoli (Ita) – ICFC-3R; Second consecutive Top 20.
19. Atletico de Madrid (Esp) – CC-2R; Seventh time in Top 25.
20. Velez Sarsfield (Arg) – First time in Top 25.
21. Sarajevo (Yug) – Only trip to Top 25.
22. Aberdeen (Sco) – First trip to Top 25.
23. Universitario de Deportes (Per) – CL-SF; Only time in Top 25 and one of only two trips by Peruvian clubs.
24. Espanyol (Esp) – Only trip to Top 25.
25. Ferencvaros (Hun) – Only trip to Top 25.
1967 was the year that one of the world’s most popular teams became such as Celtic defeated Inter Milan 2-1 in the Champions Cup final to win the European championship and, incidentally, end Internazionale’s two-year run as the best team in the world.
Unlike the Champions Cup, where the two best teams in the world faced off for the title, other continental competitions were won by teams that did poorly enough in their respective domestic leagues that they did not qualify for the season-ending Top 25. It took three matches for Argentina’s Racing Club to claim the Copa Libertadores, defeating Nacional of Uruguay 2-0 in Santiago, Chile following two goalless draws on each other’s home turf. Bayern Munchen took Europe’s Cup Winners Cup by defeating Rangers (it was a good year for Scotland overall) 1-0. Finally, in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Dinamo Zagreb scored a 2-0 aggregate victory over Leeds United for the title. The top five domestic leagues in the world were won by Juventus, Real Madrid, Celtic, Independiente and Benfica, while Manchester United took the English title as the English were on the verge of breaking through in Europe.
Without further adieu, the rankings . . .
World Club Rankings Top 25 – 1967
1. Celtic (Sco) – Champions Cup Winner, First WCR Championship.
2. Inter Milan (Ita) – CC-RU; Fifth consecutive Top 3 finish.
3. Real Madrid (Esp) – CC-QF; Eighth consecutive Top 5 finish.
4. Juventus (Ita) – Inter-Cities Fairs Cup-QF; First Top 5 ranking.
5. Independiente (Arg) – First Top 5 ranking.
6. Benfica (Por) – ICFC-3R; Seventh consecutive Top 10 ranking.
7. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores-RU; Fourth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
8. Rangers (Sco) – Cup Winners Cup-RU; Third Top 10.
9. Penarol (Uru) – CL-SF; Fourth consecutive Top 10.
10. Barcelona (Esp) – ICFC-2R.
11. Dukla Praha (Tch) – CC-SF; Highest ever ranking.
12. Ajax (Ned) – CC-QF; Best ranking to date.
13. Academica (Por) – Highest ever ranking.
14. Bologna (Ita) – ICFC-QF; Last time in Top 25.
15. Porto (Por) – ICFC-1R; Seventh consecutive Top 25.
16. Estudiantes (Arg) – First Top 25.
17. Sparta Praha (Tch) – ICFC-2R; Highest ever ranking.
18. Napoli (Ita) – ICFC-3R; Second consecutive Top 20.
19. Atletico de Madrid (Esp) – CC-2R; Seventh time in Top 25.
20. Velez Sarsfield (Arg) – First time in Top 25.
21. Sarajevo (Yug) – Only trip to Top 25.
22. Aberdeen (Sco) – First trip to Top 25.
23. Universitario de Deportes (Per) – CL-SF; Only time in Top 25 and one of only two trips by Peruvian clubs.
24. Espanyol (Esp) – Only trip to Top 25.
25. Ferencvaros (Hun) – Only trip to Top 25.
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