In England, football is not just a sport; it is a lifestyle. English football, particularly the Premier League and Championship, is followed by millions of fans worldwide. With a rich history, England is often called the birthplace of football. But who is the best English football team right now?
And further questions...
What is the most successful team in England historically? Who is the biggest club in England? This article ranks the clubs based on an algorithm that considers recent success, historic achievements, and the overall size of each football club currently in the Premier League or the Championship. Read more about our ranking here.
From giants like Manchester City and Liverpool to historically significant clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal. The debate over which English football team is the best is sure to spark discussions, but when taking all factors into consideration it is possible to find out. Let us dive into the rankings to finally find out.
Top 10 - Best English Football Team
Full data - Best English Football Team in Premier League and Championship - last updated after the 2023/24 season
| Team | Ranking | Recent success | Historic success | Size | Total score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 1 | 61.5 | 27.2 | 13.5 | 102.1 |
| Liverpool FC | 2 | 22.8 | 60.2 | 10.3 | 93.2 |
| Manchester United | 3 | 14.8 | 54 | 10.8 | 79.6 |
| Arsenal FC | 4 | 12.3 | 38 | 13.5 | 63.8 |
| Chelsea FC | 5 | 14.9 | 22.8 | 7.3 | 45.0 |
| Everton FC | 6 | 5.7 | 24.1 | 2.7 | 32.5 |
| Aston Villa | 7 | 6.6 | 20.3 | 5.4 | 32.3 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 11.1 | 10.4 | 9.6 | 31.0 |
| Newcastle United | 9 | 7.9 | 11.4 | 6.6 | 25.9 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 10 | 6.5 | 8.4 | 2.1 | 16.9 |
| Sunderland AFC | 11 | 3.1 | 13 | 0.6 | 16.7 |
| West Ham United | 12 | 6.9 | 2.2 | 5.6 | 14.7 |
| Nottingham Forest | 13 | 4.2 | 8.2 | 2.2 | 14.5 |
| Leeds United | 14 | 4.9 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 12.8 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 15 | 3.7 | 9 | 0.2 | 12.8 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 16 | 3.1 | 9.5 | 0.1 | 12.7 |
| Leicester City | 17 | 7.1 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 10.9 |
| Burnley FC | 18 | 5 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 10.6 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 19 | 6.6 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 10.2 |
| Sheffield United | 20 | 5 | 4 | 0.9 | 9.9 |
| Crystal Palace | 21 | 6.1 | 0.6 | 2 | 8.8 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 22 | 4 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 8.7 |
| Preston North End | 23 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.1 | 8.6 |
| Portsmouth FC | 24 | 3 | 5 | 0.1 | 8.0 |
| Derby County | 25 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 0.1 | 7.7 |
| Southampton FC | 26 | 5.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 7.1 |
| Fulham FC | 27 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 6.7 |
| Brentford FC | 28 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Ipswich Town | 29 | 3 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 5.9 |
| AFC Bournemouth | 30 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 5.7 |
| Norwich City | 31 | 4.2 | 0 | 0.4 | 4.5 |
| Coventry City | 32 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 4.3 |
| Cardiff City | 33 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| Watford FC | 34 | 3.9 | 0 | 0.2 | 4.1 |
| Middlesbrough FC | 35 | 3.7 | 0 | 0.4 | 4.1 |
| Swansea City | 36 | 3.9 | 0 | 0.2 | 4.1 |
| Luton Town | 37 | 3.9 | 0 | 0.3 | 4.1 |
| Bristol City | 38 | 3.5 | 0 | 0.2 | 3.7 |
| Millwall FC | 39 | 3.6 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.7 |
| Stoke City | 40 | 3.4 | 0 | 0.3 | 3.7 |
| Hull City | 41 | 3.2 | 0 | 0.5 | 3.7 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 3.4 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.5 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 43 | 3 | 0 | 0.1 | 3.0 |
| Oxford United | 44 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | 2.9 |
Club Summaries
1. Manchester City
Founded: 1894
Division: Premier League
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Recent Success: Manchester City has dominated the English top division in recent years, and has also found some success in the Champions League. This puts them comfortably as number one in the category for recent success.
Historic Achievements: Although many people look at Manchester City as a new club at the absolute top of world football, they also have a rich history. They rank at fourth place in historic achievements, and many of these achievements were earned way back.
Overall Size: As one of the largest clubs in Europe, it is no surprise they top the rankings in England along with Arsenal.
2. Liverpool FC
Founded: 1892
Division: Premier League
Stadium: Anfield
Recent Success: Liverpool has returned to the top in recent years, with success in both England and Europe, which puts them in second place in this category.
Historic achievements: Liverpool is known for its legendary history, including 19 league titles and six Champions League titles. This puts them in first place in this category.
Overall Size: One of the most popular football clubs in Europe, with a reach extending far beyond England.
3. Manchester United
Founded: 1878
Division: Premier League
Stadium: Old Trafford
Recent success: Manchester United have faced challenges recently, which makes their recent success limited. In this category, they are currently ranked in fourth place in England.
Historic Achievements: Despite recent struggles, they have a massive history in European football, holding the record for most league titles with 20. This puts them in second place, just behind Liverpool in this category.
Overall Size: One of the biggest brands in football, they rank third in England based on overall size.
4. Arsenal FC
Founded: 1886
Division: Premier League
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
Recent success: Arsenal have been challenging for the league title in recent years, but they have failed to secure the first place. This leaves Arsenal in fifth place in this category.
Historic Achievements: Arsenal has a rich history with multiple league titles and is famously remembered for its invincible season in 2003/24. They are ranked third in this category.
Overall Size: One of the largest clubs in England and Europe, currently ranked as number one in this category together with Manchester City.
5. Chelsea FC
Founded: 1905
Division: Premier League
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Recent success: Chelsea has not won the league in recent years, but they have been consistently at the top in almost every season in recent times. This puts them in third place in this category, however far behind top-ranked Manchester City.
Historic Achievements: Chelsea has a significant history, especially since the early 2000s. This puts them in sixth place in this category.
Overall Size: A major player in European top football, Chelsea ranks at number six in overall size for English football clubs.
Honorable mentions
6. Everton
The total score ranks them in sixth place, but it is worth mentioning that Everton ranks in fifth place for historic achievements. Recent success has not been shown, fighting for relegation in several seasons in recent times.
8. Tottenham Hotspur
They are overall ranked at number eight, but Tottenham ranks fifth in the category for overall size. They are considered one of the “big six” in England, but recent success may force people to soon rename the six clubs who are looked at as the biggest clubs in England.
Conclusion - The Best English Football Team
In summary, English football is dominated by a mix of historical legacies and newer achievements. Each club has its narrative that contributes to this fantastic football nation, and it could be difficult to rank the best English football team. However, with Manchester City’s enourmous recent success, they are fairly comfortable on the top. The competition heats up and the rankings will evolve, but one thing remains certain: the passion and dedication of clubs and their supporters will drive English football forward. This ranking is last updated after the 2023/24 season and will be updated as soon as the 2024/25 season ends. Sign up for our newspaper to get notified when the new ranking arrives!
