Teams, regardless of talent, will forever be judged based on trophies. This is perhaps unfair, given the sheer volume of teams and relative dearth of possible accolades, but it does serve as a good way of differentiating between numerous fantastic lineups.
With this list, unique teams were emphasized – the kind that broke records or became a blueprint for others. Barcelona's 2014-15 team, for example, was a revolutionary squad for its sheer talent in attack.
However, it was also dominant because it passed out from defense so quickly, utilizing a natural midfielder as a center back to aid the transition game. Another example is 2011-12 Borussia Dortmund. While it didn’t rack up the most points, it was the year that Jurgen Klopp introduced his “gegenpress,” an aggressive defensive style that teams have tried to adapt and use every year since.
Here are the 10 teams that had the biggest impact on the game over the last 10 years.
2014-15 Barcelona
This Barca team is arguably the most dominant. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar looked their best, combining for 122 goals. While their numbers on attack jump off the page, they could also defend, conceding only 38 goals. Barcelona won the Spanish League, Champions League and Spanish Cup, rolling through every competition.
2012-13 Bayern Munich
Munich was a defensive stalwart in 2012-13, losing three games all season. Its true strength was in the midfield, with the duo of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez regularly shutting down opponents. Meanwhile, Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben created from the wings. Incredibly well balanced, the Bavarians won the German League, Champions League and German Cup.
2016-17 Real Madrid
This team marched through the Champions League, beating Juventus 4-1 in the final. It also knocked Barcelona off the top of the Spanish league, racking up 93 points and taking home the title. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 42 goals and added 11 assists, arguably his finest season in a Madrid shirt.
2017-18 Manchester City
Manchester City was surprisingly average in Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge, but it rebounded in a big way the year after. The owners poured money into rebuilding the team, with the club spending $330 million on new talent. Thanks to the new faces and genius of Guardiola, the Citizens racked up a Premier League-record 100 points.
2010-11 Barcelona
Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson dubbed this version of Barcelona “the best team he’s ever faced.” And with good reason. Behind 53 goals in 55 games from Messi, Barcelona won 44 of its 60 games. It dominated the Spanish League, totaling 96 points and famously beating rival Real Madrid 5-0 in El Clasico.
2018-19 Manchester City
It’s strange that a team can rack up 98 points in the Premier League and somehow do worse than the season before. This squad faced a seven-point deficit in January but rallied to edge out Liverpool by one point for the title. It also won the FA Cup and League Cup.
2016-17 Chelsea
Chelsea’s 93 points in the Premier League was impressive. More so was its system that no one could quite decipher. Coach Antonio Conte played a 3-4-3 formation, making the team incredibly difficult to match up against. The three center backs formed a sturdy platform on defense, while N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic held down the midfield. Meanwhile, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard tore up the Premier League, combining for 36 goals. This was an unorthodox yet excellent team.
2018-19 Liverpool
Liverpool led the English league for most of the season and lost one game — 2-1 to eventual champion Manchester City. The real achievements, however, came in the Champions League. The team stormed through the competition, beating Barcelona in the semifinals before toppling Tottenham in the final — winning the trophy for the sixth time. Virgil Van Djik was dominant as a center back, winning the PFA player of the year award, given to the best player in English soccer.
2013-14 Bayern Munich
To follow up on a Champions League winning season, Bayern Munich hired Guardiola and became even better. With the Spaniard at the helm, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery made the most of their primes and asserted themselves as two of the world's best wingers. Bayern won 29 out of its 34 league games and clinching the title with seven games remaining. The only shortcoming was defending the Champions League. It was knocked out by a dominant Real Madrid team in the semifinal.
2011-12 Borussia Dortmund
This version of Dortmund was so difficult to beat solely based on how unique they were. Klopp introduced his signature “gegenpress,” a strategy emphasizing winning the ball back immediately after losing it. The tactic worked a charm for Dortmund, as it stormed through the German League, playing at a blistering pace. It didn’t lose a domestic game after Sept. 24, and although they underperformed in the Champions League, Klopp’s style resonated throughout Europe, with the rest of soccer adapting his high-energy system.
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Best of the decade: 10 greatest soccer teams - USA TODAY
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