(Note: Due to minimal action among club participants over the past week, the weekly WCR Top 25 will be passed over for the next installment in the WCR Annual Rankings. The weekly club ranking will return next week.)
As was demonstrated in 1982, when Uruguay’s Penarol became the first South American club to finish atop the annual rankings, the 1980s were the glory years for South American clubs in the annual rankings.1983, however, did see the return of a European club to the pinnacle as Hamburger SV defeated Juventus 1-0 in Athens on an 8th minute goal by Feilix Magath to with the European Cup and make a trip to the top of the 1983 WCR Top 25. European glory was pretty evenly divided in 1982 as the finalists of the three major cup competitions came from six different countries and, contrary to form in the late 70s/early 80s, England was not one of those six nations. Scottish club Aberdeen defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in the Cup Winners Cup final on an extra time goal by John Hewitt. In its home-and-away format, RSC Anderlecht defeated Benfica 2-1 in the aggregate to take home the 1983 UEFA Cup.
For the second time in three years, the Copa Libertadores returned to Brazil, where Gremio defeated Uruguay’s Penarol 3-2 in aggregate, before defeating European champion Hamburger SV 2-1 in the Intercontinental Cup final, with both IC goals coming from Renato Gaucho. Gremio’s Intercontinental Cup victory marked the sixth in a row for South America.
Elsewhere around the world, Mexico’s Atlante earned one of the highest ever ranking for a current CONCACAF club after defeating Suriname’s Robin Hood in the finals of the Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones. In Africa, Asante Kotoko from Ghana defeated Egyptian club Al-Ahly 1-0 in aggregate to take the African Champions Cup away from the defending champions, but Egypt’s Al-Mokaoulun did repeat as African Cup Winners Cup, defeating Agaza Lome 1-0 in aggregate.
In addition to winning the European Cup, Hamburger SV also finished atop its domestic table in the Bundesliga. Other champions in major domestic leagues included Liverpool, Nacional, Flamengo and Athletic de Bilbao, all of which finished in the top six of the annual rankings. To see where others finished, see below:
WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1983
1. Hamburger SV (FRG) – European Cup-Winner; Second Number One ranking (1980).
2. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores-Semifinalist; Second Number Two ranking (1969).
3. Liverpool (Eng) – EC-Quarterfinalist; Seventh consecutive Top Five ranking.
4. Flamengo (Bra) – CL-1R; Highest ever ranking.
5. Werder Bremen (FRG) – UEFA Cup-3R; Highest ever ranking.
6. Athletic de Bilbao (Esp) – Highest ever ranking.
7. Atlante (Mex) – Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones –Champion; Only season in Top 25.
8. Juventus (Ita) – EC-RU.
9. Watford (Eng) – Only Top 25 ranking.
10. VfB Stuttgart (FRG)
11. Danubio (Uru) – First Top 25 ranking.
12. Club America (Mex) – First Top 25 ranking.
13. Real Madrid (Esp) – Cup Winners Cup-RU; Sixth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
14. Manchester United (Eng) – UEFA-1R.
15. Penarol (Uru) – CL-RU.
16. Bayern Munchen (FRG) – Fifth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
17. Atletico-MG (Bra) – Highest ever ranking.
18. Santos (Bra)
19. Real Sociedad (Esp) – EC-SF.
20. Defensor (Uru)
21. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – CWC-2R.
22. Colo Colo (Chi) – CL-1R; First Top 25 ranking.
23. Cologne (FRG) – UEFA-3R; Final Top 25 ranking.
24. Cobreloa (Chi) – CL-1R.
25. Gremio (Bra) – Copa Libertadores-Winner.
As was demonstrated in 1982, when Uruguay’s Penarol became the first South American club to finish atop the annual rankings, the 1980s were the glory years for South American clubs in the annual rankings.1983, however, did see the return of a European club to the pinnacle as Hamburger SV defeated Juventus 1-0 in Athens on an 8th minute goal by Feilix Magath to with the European Cup and make a trip to the top of the 1983 WCR Top 25. European glory was pretty evenly divided in 1982 as the finalists of the three major cup competitions came from six different countries and, contrary to form in the late 70s/early 80s, England was not one of those six nations. Scottish club Aberdeen defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in the Cup Winners Cup final on an extra time goal by John Hewitt. In its home-and-away format, RSC Anderlecht defeated Benfica 2-1 in the aggregate to take home the 1983 UEFA Cup.
For the second time in three years, the Copa Libertadores returned to Brazil, where Gremio defeated Uruguay’s Penarol 3-2 in aggregate, before defeating European champion Hamburger SV 2-1 in the Intercontinental Cup final, with both IC goals coming from Renato Gaucho. Gremio’s Intercontinental Cup victory marked the sixth in a row for South America.
Elsewhere around the world, Mexico’s Atlante earned one of the highest ever ranking for a current CONCACAF club after defeating Suriname’s Robin Hood in the finals of the Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones. In Africa, Asante Kotoko from Ghana defeated Egyptian club Al-Ahly 1-0 in aggregate to take the African Champions Cup away from the defending champions, but Egypt’s Al-Mokaoulun did repeat as African Cup Winners Cup, defeating Agaza Lome 1-0 in aggregate.
In addition to winning the European Cup, Hamburger SV also finished atop its domestic table in the Bundesliga. Other champions in major domestic leagues included Liverpool, Nacional, Flamengo and Athletic de Bilbao, all of which finished in the top six of the annual rankings. To see where others finished, see below:
WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1983
1. Hamburger SV (FRG) – European Cup-Winner; Second Number One ranking (1980).
2. Nacional (Uru) – Copa Libertadores-Semifinalist; Second Number Two ranking (1969).
3. Liverpool (Eng) – EC-Quarterfinalist; Seventh consecutive Top Five ranking.
4. Flamengo (Bra) – CL-1R; Highest ever ranking.
5. Werder Bremen (FRG) – UEFA Cup-3R; Highest ever ranking.
6. Athletic de Bilbao (Esp) – Highest ever ranking.
7. Atlante (Mex) – Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones –Champion; Only season in Top 25.
8. Juventus (Ita) – EC-RU.
9. Watford (Eng) – Only Top 25 ranking.
10. VfB Stuttgart (FRG)
11. Danubio (Uru) – First Top 25 ranking.
12. Club America (Mex) – First Top 25 ranking.
13. Real Madrid (Esp) – Cup Winners Cup-RU; Sixth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
14. Manchester United (Eng) – UEFA-1R.
15. Penarol (Uru) – CL-RU.
16. Bayern Munchen (FRG) – Fifth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
17. Atletico-MG (Bra) – Highest ever ranking.
18. Santos (Bra)
19. Real Sociedad (Esp) – EC-SF.
20. Defensor (Uru)
21. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – CWC-2R.
22. Colo Colo (Chi) – CL-1R; First Top 25 ranking.
23. Cologne (FRG) – UEFA-3R; Final Top 25 ranking.
24. Cobreloa (Chi) – CL-1R.
25. Gremio (Bra) – Copa Libertadores-Winner.
Posts
