During the 70's and 80's Liverpool were by far the most successful team in England and transferred their dominance to the European stage. But how would they rank compared to other great European club sides?
The Liverpool side from 1976-1986 were the best side English football had seen at the time. Domestically Manchester United under Fergie may have a strong claim as the best, but they struggled to dominate in Europe to the same extent.
The trophy cabinet must have been on the verge of collapse at Anfield. Between 76-86, Liverpool took home 8 League titles, 4 European cup/Champions league, 4 League cups, an FA cup, a UEFA Cup and a Super Cup. They won 1 treble and 6 doubles of sorts.
Arguably the best eleven was Clemence, Neal, Thompson, Hansen, A Kennedy, R Kennedy, Souness, McDermott, Heighway, Rush and Dalglish. Others may not agree totally on the same team, but the spine will be similar.
Understandably the Real Madrid side from 1954-1965 are rivals in this debate and rightly so. They dominated early European football and at home in Spain winning 9 League titles, 5 European cup/Champions league, 1 Copa De Rey and 1 Intercontinental cup with a best eleven of Alonso, Marquitos, Santamaria, Munoz, Torres, Kopa, Zarraga, Mateous, Gento, Di Stefano and Puskas.
Next up are the masters of total football Ajax and the side from 1966-1973. With their talisman Johan Cryuff they won 6 League titles, 3 European cup/Champions league, 4 Dutch cups, 1 Super Cup and 1 Intercontinental cup. Best eleven Stuy, Suurbier, Blakenberg, Hulshoff, Krol, Neeskens, Haan, Muhren, Cruyff, Keizer and van Dijk.
Bayern Munich followed Ajax’s dominance and keeping the trophy in Northern Europe. In the period 1966-1976 they won 4 League titles, 3 European cup/Champions league, 4 German cups, 1 Cup winner’s cup and 1 Intercontinental cup. The best side were Maier, Schwarzenbeck, Breitner, Beckenbauer, Hansen, Torstensson, Roth, Kapellmann, Rumminigge, Muller, Hoeness.
Next up are the Italian giants of AC Milan, a team that were so good they defeated favourites Barcelona, including Stoichkov and Romario, 4-0 in the 1993-94 European cup/Champions league final. They played some great football with a backbone of Dutch stars. Between 1988-1996 they accumulated 5 League titles, 3 European cup/Champions league, 3 Super Cup and 2 Intercontinental cups. Best eleven Rossi, Tassotti, Costacurta, Baresi, Maldini, Ancelotti, Desailly, Rijkaard, Donadoni, van Basten and Gullitt.
Finally we reach the modern day with the great tiki-taka style of football that entertained the world and kept Manchester united from this debate by beating them in two finals. The star studded Barcelona of 2005-2013 won 6 League titles, 3 European cup/Champions league, 2 Copa Del Reys, 2 Super Cups and 2 Intercontinental cups. Best eleven Valdes, Puyol, Pique, Mascherano, Dani Alves, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldinho and Eto’o. Many of these stars combined with Real Madrid stars to make the Spanish the best in the world.
So the contenders are Real Madrid’s Galacticos of 1954-1965, Ajax total football side of 1966-1973, Bayern’s all conquering Germans of 1966-1976, the mighty Rossoneri of AC Milan 1988-1996, and the great Barca of Guardiola’s 2005-2013 competing against the Liverpool side from 1976-1986.
The star names of Puskas, Di Stefano or Gullitt and van Basten may sound better or more glamourous than Rush, Dalglish, Souness et al, but I think the Liverpool side just edge it. The reasons are:
Real Madrid dominated the European Cup/Champions League in the late 50’s, it had just been conceived and was no where near the tournament it is today. In the first year English clubs refused to participate and initially teams were invited. They dominated the Spanish league but only won the Copa Del Rey once.
Ajax were a formidable force with Cruyff in the side, however the argument against them are that the Dutch league is not as strong as the others. Okay, Feyenoord won the European cup/Champions league the year before Ajax dominated, but the Eredivisie was practically a two horse race until PSV upped their game and therefore they were almost guaranteed European football every year.
Bayern certainly play in a strong league and many of the same players won international honours with West Germany, however they did not dominate domestically like Liverpool did, they only won 13 trophy’s in ten years and therefore cannot be considered the best.
The problem with AC Milan’s claim is that they were top of the European football summit when English clubs were banned. English teams had been ruling the European cup/Champions league, winning six years on the trot in the late 70’s early 80’s and I strongly believe the Liverpool side of Beardsley, Barnes and Aldridge would have been there or thereabouts in the European cup/Champions league.
Barcelona, probably the best side of recent years and great to watch, as good as they were under Guardiola, have the best rival claim. But they play in a league which gives them and Real Madrid a significantly larger portion of TV money, they didn’t really dominate in Europe quite as much as the others. They never managed to defend their European cup/Champions league title and therefore lose out for that reason.
Liverpool, dominated games from start to finish, they didn’t have the massive cash advantage in the league that the Spanish giants have. They played in a tougher league that is harder to dominate. I personally believe that if not for the horrors of Heysel in 1985, they would have beaten Juventus and brought the trophy back to Anfield again.
They would not have been banned and undoubtedly would have won more European cup/Champions league titles. Dalglish’s double winning side of 1986 would have grown stronger and prevented teams like PSV and Porto becoming European champions in the late 80’s. We will never know have good Dalglish’s Liverpool were, but the Liverpool side of 1976-1986 are the best club side Europe has produced and to back up my point you just need to look at the record books. In that 10 year period Liverpool won 19 major titles. The Galactico’s won only 16 in same time frame.
Source: DSG
