Do you like watching football? Which football team do you support? Football clubs have fans all over the world because it’s the most-watched sport. They’re also big in entertainment, bringing social benefits to communities. Rankings of these clubs are based on how much money they make and how many fans they have on social media.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top 10 football clubs in the world. These rankings consider revenue and popularity on social media among 3,986 clubs worldwide.
Let’s discover what makes these clubs so popular and see if your favorite team is among them
1. Real Madrid
Real Madrid is the most popular football club globally with:
- Instagram Followers: 158 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 13 million
- Jersey Sales: $167.6 million
- Revenue: $905 million
The club boasts famous players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Zinedine Zidane. Real Madrid has the largest fan base and a rich history, winning 35 Spanish first division titles, and the FIFA Club of the 20th Century award with 42.35% of the votes.
2. Manchester United
Manchester United has:
- Instagram followers: 63.6 million
- YouTube subscribers: 8.9 million
- Jersey sales: $140.6 million
- Revenue: $781 million
Famous players include David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Bobby Charlton. The club, valued at $4.2 billion, won its first European championship in 1968. Although they haven’t won the league title since the 2012/2013 season, they were the first English club to achieve the Triple in 1999. They’ve also achieved success in the Champions League and Premier League.
3. Barcelona
Barcelona is a famous football club from Spain. It has:
- Instagram Followers: 127.3 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 16.8 million
- Sale of Jerseys: 193.6 million
- Revenue: $911.1 million
Famous Players: Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets
Barcelona is the second most popular football club after Real Madrid. It has won many trophies including La Liga, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Copa Del Rey, and Club World Cup. The club has also won 26 Spanish first division trophies and five European cups.
4. Manchester City
Manchester City, founded in 1880, is the oldest football club worldwide. They have:
- Instagram Followers: 53.1 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 17.1 million
- Jersey Sales: $79 million
- Revenue: $900 million
- Famous Players: Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Agüero, David Silva
Owned by City Football Club Limited, they play at Etihad Stadium. Manchester City dominates football globally and excels in the Champions League.
5. Liverpool
This Football Club has:
- Instagram Followers: 45.4 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 9.84 million
- Sale of Jerseys: $142.8 million
- Revenue: $753 million
Liverpool is one of England’s top football clubs. It has won many trophies including the UEFA Super Cup and the UEFA Champions League. In 2009, the club won its first major FIFA World Cup Title, and European cups in 2005 and 2019. Liverpool has won the league title 19 times, the second most in history. Under managers like Jurgen Klopp and Rafael Benitez, it continues to thrive.
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6. Bayern Munich
Sure, here’s a simplified version:
- Instagram Followers: 42.1 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 4.14 million
- Jersey Sales: $158.9 million
- Revenue: $913 million
- Famous Players: Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer, Franz Beckenbauer
In 2020, Bayern Munich won all four major championships: the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. The German football club is now the third most valuable, earning $4.215 billion last year, surpassing Manchester United. Bayern has 32 national titles and is Germany’s largest football club by revenue.
7. Chelsea
Chelsea Football Club has:
- 41.9 million followers on Instagram
- 5.06 million subscribers on YouTube
- Sold $94.1 million worth of jerseys
- Earned $656 million in revenue
They have famous players like Eden Hazard, John Terry, and Frank Lampard. Chelsea has won the English league title six times and two European Cups. The London-based club is valued at $3.2 billion as of 2022. They are also the current champions of the UEFA Champions League for 2020-21. Chelsea is unique in football history for winning all four major European trophies twice.
8. Arsenal
A football club based in London:
- Instagram Followers: 29.4 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 4.01 million
- Jersey Sales: $96.3 million
- Revenue: $586.5 million
- Famous Players: Thierry Henry, Tony Adams, Ian Wright
Arsenal has won 13 Premier League titles and 14 FA Cups. Last year, they didn’t qualify for the UEFA Champions League but continue to earn well due to their strong market presence. While historically successful, they haven’t matched past glories recently. The team is owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment.
9. Juventus
Juventus is an Italian football club with:
- 60.4 million Instagram followers
- 7.58 million YouTube subscribers
- $80.1 million in jersey sales
- $469 million in revenue
Famous players include Alessandro Del Piero, Michel Platini, and Gianluigi Buffon. Established in 1923 and owned by the Agnelli family, Juventus has won the Italian championship four times. It has also won international titles twice. Cristiano Ronaldo’s move from Real Madrid to Juventus significantly boosted its fan base.
10. Paris-Saint-German
Paris-Saint-Germain, often called PSG, is a highly popular football club from France.
- Instagram Followers: 64.8 million
- YouTube Subscribers: 7.46 million
- Jersey Sales: $104.9 million
- Revenue: $868 million
- Famous Players: Kylian Mbappé, Edinson Cavani, George Weah
Neymar Jr.’s move to PSG from Barcelona in 2017 set a record at $222 million. PSG was the runner-up in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League. Due to the pandemic in 2020, the club faced a $224 million loss.
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