10 Greatest Sports Teams in History (Ranked)

Sports can change lives. Whether it’s by playing it or watching some of the greatest athletes of all time ply their elegant trade, it is always the centre of attention in every corner of the world. Without it, the globe would be a far worse place with very little entertainment.

Naturally, sports vary in rules and procedures. Football is completely different to rugby and baseball is the opposite of basketball. However, throughout every sport, there have been legends, cementing their place in history with their consistency, sometimes against the odds.

Due to this, we have decided to rank the nine greatest sports teams of all time. Trying to select this list was an immense challenge, and it highlights how competitive the world has been over the years. Every side on this list had a genuine argument to finish at the top as well; they were all world-class.

Ranking Factors

• Trophies/titles won – Only sides who won major honours have been included.
• Quality of athletes – Whether the athletes they had are now seen as legendary.
• Style of play – Whether they were exciting to watch in their particular sport.

Related

10 Greatest Captains in Sports History [Ranked]

There have been many great leaders in sports history, here are some of the very best.

10

Pittsburgh Steelers (1974–1980)

NFL

The NFL is always one of the biggest sports throughout the year. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched events. There’s very rarely dominance in the sport, but that was ignored during the 1970s when the Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped the entire discipline in a stranglehold.

They won an unrivalled four Super Bowls in six seasons, which no team has ever been able to match. The New England Patriots from 2001 to 2017 were world-class, but they never quite had as big of a dominance in a short spell of time. The same can be said for the San Francisco 49ers from 1981 to 1985.

9

Soviet Union (1981–1984)

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey has always been a two-horse race between the United States of America and the Soviet Union on the international scene. The two nations lived and breathed the sport, but it was the Soviet Union that excelled for a three-year period from 1981 to 1984.

The Red Army team went 94-4-9, winning an Olympic title and three straight world championships in the process. As part of this, they defeated a team of NHL All-Stars 8-1 in an exhibition. Often, the team’s success was attributed to the attacking trio of Vladimir Krutov, Igor Larionov, and Sergei Makarov, as well as goalkeeper Vladislav Tretyak.

Related

10 Dirtiest Stars in Sports History [Ranked]

From Roy Keane to Marty McSorley, here are the 10 dirtiest stars in sports history.

8

Chicago Bulls (1990-1998)

Basketball

One of two basketball dynasties to feature on this list, the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s transcended the sport, permeating into modern pop culture, with the likes of Michael Jordan appearing in Hollywood and Dennis Rodman entering the world of wrestling through WCW. Their talents on the court however, were unmatched. A big three of the aforementioned Jordan and Rodman, along with the defensive powerhouse Scottie Pippen, dominated the decade after years of getting beat down by the Detroit Pistons in the late 1980s.

The Bulls would win six championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats. Led by Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson, the team’s innovative triangle offence helped spur unparalleled success. Aside from their tremendous post-season success, the Bulls also became the first side to win over 70 games in the regular season, winning a whopping 72 in the 1995/1996 campaign.

7

Real Madrid (1955–1960)

Featuring four times on this list, football is the most popular sport in the world – and, from 1955 to 1960, Real Madrid became the team to beat. They won the European Cup five years in a row, with the only reason that it is ‘lower’ on this list being that the quality of the opposition was not as impressive.

Most notably, this included them winning the La Liga title and European Cup together for the first time together in 1957, thanks largely to Alfredo Di Stefano, one of the best strikers of all time. That year, they beat Benfica 1-0 in the European Cup final with a goal from Di Stefano. World-class.

6

Boston Celtics (1956–1969)

Basketball

Switching to basketball, the Boston Celtics’ success in the 1950s and 1960s was unparalleled. They won 11 titles in 13 seasons, including eight in a row. Their dominance started under coach Red Auerbach, who later served as the team’s general manager and president.

With a team that consisted of Frank Ramsey, Ed Macauley, Bill Sharman, ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn and dominating centre Bill Russell, all of whom featured in the Hall of Fame later on, it’s no surprise to see they were a level above everyone else. Most notably, Russell was named the league’s Most Valuable Player five times.

5

Ajax (1969–1972)

The dynamic of football changed in the early 1970s. “Total football” is now one of the most famous tactical ideas in the sport — and it was created by Ajax. It was an attacking style of play in which every outfield player was able to play in any position as required during the course of a game.

The Dutch giants perfected it, winning the league three times in four years whilst also tasting European glory for three years in a row. One of the best Dutch players ever, Johan Cruyff, was at the heart of it. “We played a kind of football that was not normal at that time in Europe,” Cruyff recalled later on. “We played our own style – something you did not see in other countries, and that drew attention in Europe.”

4

Brazil (1970)

International football is completely different to club football. Teams struggle to gel and it can become a challenge for nations to dominate so easily at a tournament. However, in 1970, Brazil went against the grain, becoming the greatest international side of all time in the process.

With Pele and Jairzinho – two of the best Brazilian players ever – effortlessly dominating matches in the final third, they were a joy to watch. They beat Italy 4-1 in the final, and – because it was their third World Cup triumph – they were allowed to keep the trophy. Mario Zagallo’s side deserved it after their domination.

3

New Zealand All Blacks (2011–2015)

Rugby Union

As the only rugby team on this list, New Zealand deserve all the plaudits possible. Famous for their iconic Haka, the All Blacks produced an unprecedented period of dominance in the sport during the 2010s. They became the first nation ever to win consecutive Rugby World Cups, amassing a 55-3-2 overall record from 2011 to 2015.

At the heart of it was Dan Carter, who – after missing most of the 2011 World Cup – dominated in 2015. He was named Player of the Tournament and was also crowned World Rugby Player of the Year. It’s why he’s now seen as one of the greatest rugby players of all time.

2

Barcelona (2008–2011)

Unstoppable at their best, unplayable at their worst. Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona became the greatest club side in football history from 2008 to 2011. They won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, beating Manchester United on both occasions.

Their ‘tiki-taka’ style was pleasing to the eye, whilst the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta — now all considered some of the greatest Barcelona players of all time — felt like a cheat code. They made football a pleasure to watch, with not a single ‘weak link’ as a side thriving like it was a walk in a park. The only downside is that it did not last longer, with Guardiola leaving in 2012.

Related

11 Biggest Wind-up Merchants in Sports History [Ranked]

From Jamie Vardy to the eccentric Conor McGregor, here are sports biggest wind-up merchants.

1

New York Yankees (1949–1954)

Baseball

Finally, the New York Yankees have been ranked as the greatest sports team of all time. They are the only team in baseball history to win five straight World Series titles, and – when they had a team consisting of star players Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle – it’s hardly surprising.

Berra was named Most Valuable Player in 1951, Phil Rizzuto won the award the year prior and even Gil McDougald was named Rookie of the Year in 1951. Everyone had their purpose, so it felt like an inevitability when they cruised to the title for five years in a row.