WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World
1959-60
Welcome to the first in our series of Annual Rankings features on World Club Rankings. This first issue is for 1960. You can read more about the methodology on our introduction page.
This initial edition is led by the five-time defending European Cup champions, Real Madrid. In all likelihood, if we started this series from 1956, it would be their fifth consecutive time leading it, but as it is, they are the initial champions for 1960. Just behind them in the rankings is Barcelona, in a rivalry that is as hot today as it was back then. Our one South American club in the Top Ten is Peñàrol from Uruguay, winners of the initial Copa Libertadores.
Several countries are represented, including Yugoslavia, which is no longer a country. The runners-up of the two major international tournaments are not represented, however, because Eintracht Frankfurt was a West German club, and the Bundesliga did not begin until 1963-64, so there was insufficient national-level data to include them. Paraguay’s Olimpia was not eligible because data from their domestic league is too incomplete to be usable in our calculations.
Below are the WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World for 1960, with a little information about what each club accomplished that season.
1. Real Madrid (Esp) - European Cup Champions; La Liga second place; Copa del Rey Finalists
2. Barcelona (Esp) - European Cup Semifinalists; La Liga Champions; Copa del Rey Quarterfinalists
3. Juventus (Ita) - Serie A Champions; Coppa Italia Winners
4. Rangers (Sco) - European Cup Semifinalists; Scottish First Division third place; Scottish Cup Winners
5. Stade Reims (Fra) - Ligue 1 Champions; Coupe de France Semifinalists
6. Athletic Bilbao (Esp) - La Liga third place; Copa del Rey Semifinalists
7. Atlético Madrid (Esp) - La Liga fifth place; Copa del Rey Winners
8. Peñàrol (Uru) - Copa Libertadores Champions; Primera División Champions
9. Fiorentina (Ita) - Serie A second place; Coppa Italia Finalists
10. Sevilla (Esp) - La Liga fourth place
11. Wiener Sportclub (Aut) - European Cup Quarterfinalists; Bundesliga second place
12. Nimes (Fra) - Ligue 1 second place
13. Dinamo Zagreb (Yug) - First League second place; Cup of Yugoslavia Winners
14. AS Monaco (Fra) - Ligue 1 fourth place; Coupe de France Winners
15. Crvena Zvezda (Yug) - First League Champions
16. RC Paris (Fra) - Ligue 1 third place
17. Rapid Vienna (Aut) - Bundesliga Champions; Austrian Cup Finalists
18. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Eng) - European Cup Quarterfinalists; First Division second place; FA Cup Winners
19. AC Milan (Ita) - Serie A third place
20. Hearts (Sco) - Scottish Premier League Champions
21. Kilmarnock (Sco) - Scottish Premier League second place; Scottish Cup Finalists
22. Nice (Fra) - European Cup Quarterfinalists; Ligue 1 ninth place; Coupe de France Quarterfinalists
23. Millonarios (Col) - Copa Libertadores Semifinalists; Primera División Champions
24. Újpesti Dózsa (Hun) - Nemzeti Bajnoksag Champions
25. Espanyol (Esp) - La Liga eighth place