Football
Best FIFA Club World Cup Teams: Real Madrid, Barcelona Ranked
The FIFA Club World Cup is the place where the best players from every continent of the planet meet, just like the FIFA World Cup, only at club level. Organized every four years, it brings together the champions of each continental confederation and the best teams from those continents. This tournament has moved to another format, this time more spectacular, a kind of Champions League of the Planet. Asians, Africans, Europeans, Americans and Oceanians gather in the competition that determines the world champion. Before this format existed, a handful of clubs stood out, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Corinthians, Bayern Munich and São Paulo.
Karim Benzema of Real Madrid lifts the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco
SB Market Index: How We Evaluate the Best Club World Cup Teams
This evaluation combines a statistical analysis of historical Club World Cup success (titles and final appearances) with expert perception to provide a comprehensive ranking.
Industry Insights
A curated analysis from top 10 football and sports media sources measures how prominently each club is featured in discussions of Club World Cup success and overall global standing.
| Source (Article) | Real Madrid | Barcelona | Corinthians | Bayern Munich | Liverpool |
| SportsAdda – “Best football clubs in the world” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Howzat – “Best Football Club in the World 2024” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FourFourTwo – “Biggest clubs in the world” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Sporting News – “Club rankings: Top 30” | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Sportsdunia – “Biggest club: Bayern spotlighted” | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Scorewaves – “5 of the best football clubs” | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Forbes (via Wikipedia) – “Most valuable clubs” | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| AS.com – “Barcelona sigue siendo el mejor del mundo” | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AS.com – “Corinthians last non-European Club-World Cup winners” | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| BavarianFootballWorks – “What makes Bayern tick” | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total Score | 6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
SB Score
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | SB Score |
| Barcelona | 3 | 1 | 0.740 |
| Real Madrid | 5 | 0 | 0.650 |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1 | 0.480 |
| Corinthians | 2 | 0 | 0.260 |
| Bayern Munich | 2 | 0 | 0.260 |
This score is calculated based on historical Club World Cup achievements: Number of Titles Won (65% weightage) and Runners-up finishes (35% weightage). The raw stats are used to calculate the final SB Score.
SB Market Index
| Rank | Club | SB Score | Industry Insights | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Barcelona | 0.740 | 6 | 4.948 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 0.650 | 6 | 4.930 |
| 3 | Bayern Munich | 0.260 | 6 | 4.852 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 0.480 | 4 | 3.296 |
| 5 | Corinthians | 0.260 | 2 | 1.652 |
Barcelona and Real Madrid: The Spanish Giants at the Top
When it comes to global club dominance, Barcelona and Real Madrid remain the top teams, and our SB Market Index shows it. Both clubs earn 6 mentions in our Industry Insights analysis, which shows us that they are considered influential clubs even in this competition, not just in the Champions League.
What puts Barcelona slightly ahead in our model is their higher SB score. With three titles won and a second place, Barça gets a statistical boost, thanks to our scoring method that rewards not only victories, but also the fact that they have always been competitive. The Catalans had a very golden era under Guardiola and managed to produce unreal football in those years, even on a global level.
Real Madrid, despite winning five Club World Cups, have never finished second, and this technical aspect affects their overall SB score in our model. However, these two bands together have had a major impact over the years.
Bayern Munich: The Consistent German Powerhouse
Bayern Munich may not have the same charm as the top teams in Spain, but they are always a consistent team that delivers top-quality football. The Germans are tied with Barcelona and Real Madrid with 6 mentions in the Industry Insights. They are seen as a model of consistency, a team that never misses the top spots, no matter how difficult their seasons are.
Statistically, their two Club World Cup titles place them just one step behind the leaders. Although they did not reach the final and lost (meaning they have no points to add to be second), it shows us one thing for sure, when Bayern reach a final, they also win the trophy.
Bayern is certainly a respected club in football at a global level, and this was also felt in the Club World Cup.
Liverpool and Corinthians: The Other Champions
Liverpool and Corinthians complete the top 5. Two different teams, but with great stories.
Liverpool boast a balanced record, a title and a second place, a team that has always fought up there. Their four mentions in Industry Insights show that the Anfield club is indeed very much loved worldwide. Although they are not as prolific in this tournament as others, their presence and consistent reputation elevates their position in our SB Market Index.
Corinthians, on the other hand, occupy a unique place in the history of the Club World Cup, being one of the few non-European teams to have won the tournament twice. Their victory in 2012 against Chelsea remains a historic moment for Brazilians, who remember that season as a very successful one. However, with only two mentions in Industry Insights, the Brazilian team fails to get closer to the podium.
Conclusion on Club World Cup Dominance
The race for the top spot in our Club World Cup rankings is extremely tight. Barcelona edge out Real Madrid by a very small margin, not due to the number of titles they have won, but rather because they have always been competitive, which puts their SB score slightly above their rivals. Both clubs dominate Industry Insights, which clearly shows us that both are globally recognised in terms of brand and reputation.
Just behind them, Bayern Munich are neck and neck with the Spanish giants in terms of reputation, but with the same number of mentions as both. Their two titles and impeccable record in finals solidify their last place on the podium.
Our model shows that European clubs have historically controlled the Club World Cup spotlight. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern and Liverpool are not in the top four for nothing, they are teams that have been extremely consistent in terms of performance and let's not forget that they did not get there for nothing, but thanks to the Champions League finals they won. It should also be noted that the Brazilians from Corinthians remain in the top 5 thanks to the two trophies they won.
With a strong background in journalism and years of experience in sports commentary, Dragoș Șoneriu has written about every aspect of sport, from match reports and features to tactical analyses and investigative pieces. A lifelong Arsenal fan, he dreams of seeing his beloved team lift the Premier League trophy. Outside of work, Dragoș collects anything football-related, from stickers and mugs to vintage shirts and scarves.