Of course, 1985 will always be known more for the Heysel Stadium disaster, in which 39 fans lost their lives and hundreds more were injured shortly before the final of the European Cup, than for the final itself. In the wake of that tragedy, European powerhouses Liverpool and Juventus played a controversial match in which the only score was a Michael Platini penalty kick that gave Juventus a 1-0 victory and the championship. The team across town from Liverpool had a little more success, winning the Cup Winners Cup, defeating Rapid Wien 3-1 in the final. These were the last hurrahs for some time for English clubs in European action as they were banned for five years as a result of the Heysel disaster. Finally, in the UEFA Cup final, Real Madrid and Hungary’s Videoton traded away victories in the championship legs, with Real Madrid finishing with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Neither Juventus nor Liverpool managed to follow up their continental success with domestic championships. A South American club, however, did manage this feat and it helped to put that club at the top of the annual rankings in 1985. In a final for the ages, Argentinos Juniiors and America de Cali each won 1-0 victories at home in the two-leg final and then played to a 1-1 draw in the playoff match in Asuncion, Paraguay. After each club hit their first four penalty kicks, Antony de Avila missed and when Mario Videla didn’t, Argentinos Juniors had won the Copa Libertadores.
Elsewhere around the world, Defence Force from Trinidad & Tobago won its first CONCACAF Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones in 1985, defeating Honduran club Olimpia 2-1 in the aggregate in the final. Olimpia’s semifinal opponent, Aurora, was the defending Guatemalan champion coming into the tournament and became the first, and thus far only, club from Guatemala ever to finish in the Annual Rankings. Africa also saw a first-time champion as FAR Rabat from Morocco defeated Zaire’s AS Bilima 6-3 in the two-leg AFC Champions Cup final. Meanwhile, the perennial powerhouse Al-Ahly won the AFC Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985 with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Leventis United.
The way all of the action shook out in the final season rankings is identified below. (Note: Because the quarterfinals of the 2009 Copa Libertadores will conclude this week, we will be back next week with an updated WCR Weekly Ranking.)
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1985
1. Argentinos Juniors (Arg) – Copa Libertadores- Champion; Only Number One ranking.
2. Liverpool (Eng) – Champions Cup- Runner Up; Ninth consecutive Top Five ranking.
3. Everton (Eng) – Cup Winners Cup- Champion; Highest ever ranking.
4. Verona (Ita) – Highest ever ranking.
5. Bayern Munich (FRG) – CWC- SF; Seventh consecutive Top 25.
6. Bangu (Bra) – Only ever ranking.
7. Juventus (Ita) – CC- Champion.
8. Ferro Carril Oeste (Arg) – CL- 1R; Highest ever ranking.
9. Torino (Ita) – Highest ever ranking.
10. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – UEFA Cup- QF; Highest ranking since 1962.
11. America de Cali (Col) – CL- RU; First ever ranking.
12. Werder Bremen (FRG) – UEFA- 1R.
13. Penarol (Uru) – CL- SF.
14. Manchester United (Eng) – UEFA- QF.
15. Aurora (Gua) – CdC- SF; Only ever ranking for Guatemalan club.
16. Inter Milan (Ita) – UEFA- SF.
17. Estudiantes (Arg) – Final ever ranking.
18. Sampdoria (Ita) – First ever ranking.
19. Cobreloa (Chi) – Final ever ranking.
20. Barcelona (Esp) – CWC- 1R.
21. Brasil (Pel.) (Bra) – Only ever ranking.
22. Sport (Bra) – First ever ranking.
23. Borussia Monchengladbach (FRG) – UEFA- 2R.
24. Southampton (Eng) – Final ever ranking.
25. Atletico-MG (Bra) – Final ever ranking.
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2008 ,2007, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978,1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970,1969, 1968, 1967, 1966,1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961,1960
Neither Juventus nor Liverpool managed to follow up their continental success with domestic championships. A South American club, however, did manage this feat and it helped to put that club at the top of the annual rankings in 1985. In a final for the ages, Argentinos Juniiors and America de Cali each won 1-0 victories at home in the two-leg final and then played to a 1-1 draw in the playoff match in Asuncion, Paraguay. After each club hit their first four penalty kicks, Antony de Avila missed and when Mario Videla didn’t, Argentinos Juniors had won the Copa Libertadores.
Elsewhere around the world, Defence Force from Trinidad & Tobago won its first CONCACAF Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones in 1985, defeating Honduran club Olimpia 2-1 in the aggregate in the final. Olimpia’s semifinal opponent, Aurora, was the defending Guatemalan champion coming into the tournament and became the first, and thus far only, club from Guatemala ever to finish in the Annual Rankings. Africa also saw a first-time champion as FAR Rabat from Morocco defeated Zaire’s AS Bilima 6-3 in the two-leg AFC Champions Cup final. Meanwhile, the perennial powerhouse Al-Ahly won the AFC Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985 with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Leventis United.
The way all of the action shook out in the final season rankings is identified below. (Note: Because the quarterfinals of the 2009 Copa Libertadores will conclude this week, we will be back next week with an updated WCR Weekly Ranking.)
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1985
1. Argentinos Juniors (Arg) – Copa Libertadores- Champion; Only Number One ranking.
2. Liverpool (Eng) – Champions Cup- Runner Up; Ninth consecutive Top Five ranking.
3. Everton (Eng) – Cup Winners Cup- Champion; Highest ever ranking.
4. Verona (Ita) – Highest ever ranking.
5. Bayern Munich (FRG) – CWC- SF; Seventh consecutive Top 25.
6. Bangu (Bra) – Only ever ranking.
7. Juventus (Ita) – CC- Champion.
8. Ferro Carril Oeste (Arg) – CL- 1R; Highest ever ranking.
9. Torino (Ita) – Highest ever ranking.
10. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – UEFA Cup- QF; Highest ranking since 1962.
11. America de Cali (Col) – CL- RU; First ever ranking.
12. Werder Bremen (FRG) – UEFA- 1R.
13. Penarol (Uru) – CL- SF.
14. Manchester United (Eng) – UEFA- QF.
15. Aurora (Gua) – CdC- SF; Only ever ranking for Guatemalan club.
16. Inter Milan (Ita) – UEFA- SF.
17. Estudiantes (Arg) – Final ever ranking.
18. Sampdoria (Ita) – First ever ranking.
19. Cobreloa (Chi) – Final ever ranking.
20. Barcelona (Esp) – CWC- 1R.
21. Brasil (Pel.) (Bra) – Only ever ranking.
22. Sport (Bra) – First ever ranking.
23. Borussia Monchengladbach (FRG) – UEFA- 2R.
24. Southampton (Eng) – Final ever ranking.
25. Atletico-MG (Bra) – Final ever ranking.
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2008 ,2007, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978,1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970,1969, 1968, 1967, 1966,1965, 1964, 1963, 1962, 1961,1960
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