World Club Rankings - Top 25 Clubs - 1990

First off, I noticed that I forgot to put links to the international cup tournaments and to prior annual rankings in my post for 1989. If you read that post and noticed those missing, I have gone back to that post and remedied that. Sorry.

1990 seemed fairly similar to 1989 in the big scheme of things. In Europe, AC Milan once again won the Champions Cup, defeating Benfica in the final in Vienna, Austria on a Frank Rijkaard goal midway through the second-half. Once again, however, Milan faltered in Serie A action, coming in second to Napoli, and finished in the runner-up position in the final season rankings to the club that it defeated to win the European title. Also, once again, all of the European cups saw Italian clubs in the final. In fact, the UEFA Cup had two of them, as Juventus defeated Fiorentina 3-1 in aggregate in the final to take the hardware. In the Cup Winners Cup, Sampdoria made it a complete sweep for Serie A clubs by defeating Belgian club RSC Anderlecht 2-0 in theUE final on two extra-time Vialli goals.

There also was a little bit of déjà vu going on in South America where Paraguay’s Olimpia once again made it to the final of the Copa Libertadores. Unlike the previous year, however, Olimpia won the 1990 title by defeating Barcelona (the one from Ecuador, not the one from Spain) 3-1 in the two-legged final. More déjà vu in North America, also, as Pinar del Rio returned to the final of the Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones, only to lose for a second consecutive year to a club from Mexico, this time Club America, who defeated the Cuban runners-up by an 8-2 aggregate score.

Six different nations factored into the other major continental cups. The African Champions Cup, once again (you’ve got to see the pattern by now, right/), was resolved in penalty kicks as JS Kabylie (Algeria) took the title from Nkana Red Devils (Zambia) 5-3, following a 1-0 home victory for both clubs in the two legs. It wasn’t as close in the African Cup Winners Cup as Nigeria’s BCC Lions defeated Tunisia’s Club Africain 4-1. Finally, the Asian Champions Cup saw China’s Liaoning win the first cup for that nation by beating Japan’s Nissan 3-2 in the two-legged final.

The complete rankings for 1990 are below. As always, feel free to complain about any of it or ignore it completely. The choice is entirely yours!!!

World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – 1990

1. Benfica (Por) – Champions Cup- Runner-up; Fourth time ranked Number One.

2. AC Milan (Ita) – Champions Cup- Winner; Second consecutive Number Two ranking.

3. River Plate (Arg) – Copa Libertadores- SF.

4. Porto (Por) – UEFA Cup- 3R.

5. Napoli (Ita) – UEFA- 3R; Fifth consecutive Top 25 ranking.

6. Club America (Mex) – Copa de Campeones y Subcampeones- Champions; Highest ever ranking for a North American club.

7. Bayern Munich (FRG) – CC- SF.

8. Dinamo Bucuresti (Rom) – Cup Winners Cup- SF; Final ever ranking.

9. Steaua Bucuresti (Rom) – CC- 2R; Final ever ranking.

10. America de Cali (Col)

11. Atletico Nacional (Col) – CL- SF; First ever ranking.

12. Real Madrid (Esp) – CC-2R; Fifth consecutive Top 20 ranking.

13. Olimpia (Par) – Copa Libertadores- Champions.

14. Inter Milan (Ita) – CC- 1R.

15. Bella Vista (Uru) – Only ever ranking.

16. Universitatea Craiova (Rom) – Highest ever ranking.

17. Marseille (Fra) – CC- SF; First ever ranking.

18. Sporting CP (Por) – UEFA- 1R.

19. Juventus (Ita) – UEFA Cup- Champions.

20. Barcelona (Ecu) – CL- RU.

21. Independiente (Arg) – CL- QF.

22. Ajax (Ned) – UEFA- 1R.

23. PSV Eindhoven (Ned) – CC- QF.

24. Club Brugge (Bel) – UEFA- 2R; Final ever ranking.

25. Vitoria Guimaraes (Por) – Final ever ranking.

Past Final Season Top 25s: 2008, 2007, 1989, 1988, 1987, 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