This installment of the Annual Rankings brings us to 1987. In the final rankings for 1987, a European club returns to the top of the rankings, though it was not the European Cup champion. That title belonged to the runners up in the Portuguese Liga, Porto, who defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in the finals in Vienna by scoring two late goals to overcome a 0-1 halftime deficit. Bayern, 1986-87 Bundesliga champions, managed to finish atop the rankings for the third time despite the loss.
With the absence of English clubs in European competitions, nations that do not typically find themselves with clubs in the finals of European cup competitions made their way there in 1987. In the Cup Winners Cup, East Germany’s Lokomotive Leipzig made it to the final in Athens, where it was defeated 1-0 by Ajax on a goal by recent-former Netherlands and Ajax manager Marco van Basten. In the UEFA Cup, Sweden’s IFK Goteborg defeated Scotland’s Dundee United 2-1 in the aggregate in the final.
In the Western Hemisphere, the champions of the Copa Libertadores, Penarol, did not make the year-end rankings due to poor domestic play in Uruguay. Penarol won the title by defeating Colombian power America de Cali in the finals. After splitting victories in the home-and-away final, Penarol won the playoff in Santiago, Chile by a 1-0 score with a goal by Diego Aguirre in the 120th minute. The champion of the Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones did make the rankings, however, with Mexico’s Club America defeating Defence Force in the final.
Elsewhere, Egypt’s Al-Ahly won its second of many African Champions Cups by defeating Sudan’s Al-Hilal in the final. The African Cup Winners Cup went to Kenya’s Gor Mahia, who defeated Esperance from Tunisia in the final. In Asia, the title of Champions Cup winner went to Japan’s Furukawa, who finished on top of a four-team final group including clubs from China, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Note: With the 2009 Copa Libertadores concluding this week, the weekly rankings will return next week for the final time before the 2009-10 pre-season rankings.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1987
1. Bayern Munich (FRG) – European Cup- Runner-up; Third Number One ranking.
2. Napoli (Ita) – UEFA Cup- 1R; Highest ever ranking.
3. Porto (Por) – European Cup- Champion; First Top 25 ranking since 1969.
4. Real Madrid (Esp) – EC- SF.
5. Everton (Eng)
6. Steaua Bucuresti (Rom) – EC- 2R.
7. Juventus (Ita) – EC- 2R; Fifth consecutive Top 20 ranking.
8. Liverpool (Eng) – Thirteenth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
9. Rosario Central (Arg) – Copa Libertaodres- 1R; Final Top 25 ranking.
10. Hamburger (FRG)
11. Dinamo Bucuresti (Rom) – Cup Winners Cup- 1R.
12. Benfica (Por) – CWC- 2R.
13. Club America (Mex) – Copa de Campeones y Subcampiones- Champion.
14. Inter Milan (Ita) – UEFA- QF.
15. Newell’s Old Boys (Arg)
16. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – Final Top 25 ranking.
17. Borussia Monchengladbach (FRG) – UEFA- SF; Final Top 25 ranking.
18. America de Cali (Col) – CL- RU.
19. Independiente (Arg) – CL- SF.
20. River Plate (Arg) – CL- SF.
21. Verona (Ita) – Final Top 25 ranking.
22. Arsenal (Eng)
23. Barcelona (Esp) – UEFA- QF.
24. AC Milan (Ita)
25. Vitoria Guimaraes (Por) – UEFA- QF.
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2008 ,2007, 1986, 1985, 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
With the absence of English clubs in European competitions, nations that do not typically find themselves with clubs in the finals of European cup competitions made their way there in 1987. In the Cup Winners Cup, East Germany’s Lokomotive Leipzig made it to the final in Athens, where it was defeated 1-0 by Ajax on a goal by recent-former Netherlands and Ajax manager Marco van Basten. In the UEFA Cup, Sweden’s IFK Goteborg defeated Scotland’s Dundee United 2-1 in the aggregate in the final.
In the Western Hemisphere, the champions of the Copa Libertadores, Penarol, did not make the year-end rankings due to poor domestic play in Uruguay. Penarol won the title by defeating Colombian power America de Cali in the finals. After splitting victories in the home-and-away final, Penarol won the playoff in Santiago, Chile by a 1-0 score with a goal by Diego Aguirre in the 120th minute. The champion of the Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones did make the rankings, however, with Mexico’s Club America defeating Defence Force in the final.
Elsewhere, Egypt’s Al-Ahly won its second of many African Champions Cups by defeating Sudan’s Al-Hilal in the final. The African Cup Winners Cup went to Kenya’s Gor Mahia, who defeated Esperance from Tunisia in the final. In Asia, the title of Champions Cup winner went to Japan’s Furukawa, who finished on top of a four-team final group including clubs from China, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Note: With the 2009 Copa Libertadores concluding this week, the weekly rankings will return next week for the final time before the 2009-10 pre-season rankings.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1987
1. Bayern Munich (FRG) – European Cup- Runner-up; Third Number One ranking.
2. Napoli (Ita) – UEFA Cup- 1R; Highest ever ranking.
3. Porto (Por) – European Cup- Champion; First Top 25 ranking since 1969.
4. Real Madrid (Esp) – EC- SF.
5. Everton (Eng)
6. Steaua Bucuresti (Rom) – EC- 2R.
7. Juventus (Ita) – EC- 2R; Fifth consecutive Top 20 ranking.
8. Liverpool (Eng) – Thirteenth consecutive Top 25 ranking.
9. Rosario Central (Arg) – Copa Libertaodres- 1R; Final Top 25 ranking.
10. Hamburger (FRG)
11. Dinamo Bucuresti (Rom) – Cup Winners Cup- 1R.
12. Benfica (Por) – CWC- 2R.
13. Club America (Mex) – Copa de Campeones y Subcampiones- Champion.
14. Inter Milan (Ita) – UEFA- QF.
15. Newell’s Old Boys (Arg)
16. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) – Final Top 25 ranking.
17. Borussia Monchengladbach (FRG) – UEFA- SF; Final Top 25 ranking.
18. America de Cali (Col) – CL- RU.
19. Independiente (Arg) – CL- SF.
20. River Plate (Arg) – CL- SF.
21. Verona (Ita) – Final Top 25 ranking.
22. Arsenal (Eng)
23. Barcelona (Esp) – UEFA- QF.
24. AC Milan (Ita)
25. Vitoria Guimaraes (Por) – UEFA- QF.
Past Final Season Top 25s: 2008 ,2007, 1986, 1985, 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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