Now that the weekly rankings have come to an end for the season, it’s time to publish more of the annual rankings that have been an occasional fixture on this site.
After seeing United Kingdom powerhouses in the making Celtic and Manchester United take the Champions Cup titles in 1967 and 1968, the European Championship went back to the mainland in 1969. Although they finished third in Serie A, AC Milan was able to take home the Champions Cup with a 4-1 victory over Ajax and Johan Cruyff thanks in large part by Pierino Prati’s hat trick. Due to their poor domestic finish, the championship wasn’t enough to take AC Milan to the top spot, but it did secure the team a spot in the top five. Other winners of European Cups didn’t fare as well in the rankings, but in the big picture, I’m sure they’d rather have their silverware than my rankings. (Both of the runners-up did find a home in the rankings, however.) In the Cup Winners Cup, Slovan Bratislava defeated FC Barcelona 3-2. More impressively (because they are my team), the Inter Cities Fairs Cup title went to Newcastle United, in an extremely rare case of trophy-collecting, defeating Ujpest Dozsa in both legs of a two-leg final, 3-0 and 3-2.
In the Copa Libertadores, Estudiantes defeated Nacional, 1-0 and 2-0 in the finals to win its second consecutive South American title. Once again, Estudiantes’ poor domestic effort kept them from challenging as the world’s best club, but at least they did squeak into the bottom of the rankings this time.
I’m not sure if it’s possible to win the Team of the Year title without winning your domestic league, and not many domestic champions scored top spots in international competition in 1969, so the top spot was up for grabs in 1969. The title this year went to Leeds United, who won the English Championship by finishing six points clear of Liverpool. The leaders in points in the other top leagues in the world were Fiorentina, Real Madrid, Boca Juniors and Celtic. All of those clubs, and many others, are identified below.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 – 1969
1. Leeds United (Eng) – Inter Cities Fairs Cup – QF; only time as number one in the world.
2. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores – RU; sixth consecutive Top 25.
3. Fiorentina (Ita) – ICFC – 3R; best ever finish in the rankings.
4. AC Milan (Ita) – Champions Cup – Winner; best finish to date.
5. Spartak Trnava (Tch) – CC – SF; only Top 20 finish.
6. Ajax (Ned) – CC – RU; first time in the Top 10.
7. Penarol (Uru) – CL – SF; sixth consecutive Top 10.
8. Boca Juniors (Arg)
9. Celtic (Sco) – CC – QF; third consecutive Top 10.
10. Real Madrid (Esp) – CC – 2R; tenth consecutive Top 10
11. Cagliari (Ita)
12. Liverpool (Eng) – ICFC – 1R
13. River Plate (Arg)
14. Rangers (Sco) – ICFC – SF; fourth consecutive Top 25.
15. Benfica (Por) – CC – QF; ninth consecutive Top 25.
16. Everton (Eng)
17. San Lorenzo (Arg) – first ever ranking.
18. Internazionale (Ita)
19. Feyenoord (Ned) – ICFC – 1R
20. Ujpest Dozsa (Hun) – ICFC – RU
21. Las Palmas (Esp)
22. Manchester United (Eng) – CC – SF
23. Barcelona (Esp) – CWC – RU; fourth consecutive Top 25.
24. Independiente (Arg)
25. Estudiantes (Arg) – Copa Libertadores – Winner
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2007, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961, 1960
After seeing United Kingdom powerhouses in the making Celtic and Manchester United take the Champions Cup titles in 1967 and 1968, the European Championship went back to the mainland in 1969. Although they finished third in Serie A, AC Milan was able to take home the Champions Cup with a 4-1 victory over Ajax and Johan Cruyff thanks in large part by Pierino Prati’s hat trick. Due to their poor domestic finish, the championship wasn’t enough to take AC Milan to the top spot, but it did secure the team a spot in the top five. Other winners of European Cups didn’t fare as well in the rankings, but in the big picture, I’m sure they’d rather have their silverware than my rankings. (Both of the runners-up did find a home in the rankings, however.) In the Cup Winners Cup, Slovan Bratislava defeated FC Barcelona 3-2. More impressively (because they are my team), the Inter Cities Fairs Cup title went to Newcastle United, in an extremely rare case of trophy-collecting, defeating Ujpest Dozsa in both legs of a two-leg final, 3-0 and 3-2.
In the Copa Libertadores, Estudiantes defeated Nacional, 1-0 and 2-0 in the finals to win its second consecutive South American title. Once again, Estudiantes’ poor domestic effort kept them from challenging as the world’s best club, but at least they did squeak into the bottom of the rankings this time.
I’m not sure if it’s possible to win the Team of the Year title without winning your domestic league, and not many domestic champions scored top spots in international competition in 1969, so the top spot was up for grabs in 1969. The title this year went to Leeds United, who won the English Championship by finishing six points clear of Liverpool. The leaders in points in the other top leagues in the world were Fiorentina, Real Madrid, Boca Juniors and Celtic. All of those clubs, and many others, are identified below.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 – 1969
1. Leeds United (Eng) – Inter Cities Fairs Cup – QF; only time as number one in the world.
2. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores – RU; sixth consecutive Top 25.
3. Fiorentina (Ita) – ICFC – 3R; best ever finish in the rankings.
4. AC Milan (Ita) – Champions Cup – Winner; best finish to date.
5. Spartak Trnava (Tch) – CC – SF; only Top 20 finish.
6. Ajax (Ned) – CC – RU; first time in the Top 10.
7. Penarol (Uru) – CL – SF; sixth consecutive Top 10.
8. Boca Juniors (Arg)
9. Celtic (Sco) – CC – QF; third consecutive Top 10.
10. Real Madrid (Esp) – CC – 2R; tenth consecutive Top 10
11. Cagliari (Ita)
12. Liverpool (Eng) – ICFC – 1R
13. River Plate (Arg)
14. Rangers (Sco) – ICFC – SF; fourth consecutive Top 25.
15. Benfica (Por) – CC – QF; ninth consecutive Top 25.
16. Everton (Eng)
17. San Lorenzo (Arg) – first ever ranking.
18. Internazionale (Ita)
19. Feyenoord (Ned) – ICFC – 1R
20. Ujpest Dozsa (Hun) – ICFC – RU
21. Las Palmas (Esp)
22. Manchester United (Eng) – CC – SF
23. Barcelona (Esp) – CWC – RU; fourth consecutive Top 25.
24. Independiente (Arg)
25. Estudiantes (Arg) – Copa Libertadores – Winner
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2007, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961, 1960
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