Now that we are well and truly into 2012 it seems a better time than any to look back over the last year and really look at who were the best teams in Football in 2011.
Some teams you may not have heard of, some are already legends, but all have provided something that made 2011 very special indeed.
So who do you think will be number one? Will this countdown look anything like yours would do? Make sure you leave a comment below.
Here is our list for the top 10 teams of 2011.
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10: Huddersfield
Trophies won: None
Star Player: James Rhodes
Manager: Simon Grayson
Best result: 4-0 against Exeter City in the league
Did you know: Huddersfield went 41 league games unbeaten in 2011.
Well Huddersfield might not have won any trophies over the year but they went about the year having an absolutely awesome 2011. They only lost five games and played a staggering 53 throughout the whole year!
James Rhodes is a player who should be playing for a team much higher than League one and plays an exciting brand of football that works against most teams. They might not be the most glamorous of teams but they get the job done.
Unfortunately they just missed out on promotion to the Championship, losing in the play-off finals to Peterborough, so for now they’ll have to settle for a place within our prestigious Top 10 Teams of 2011!
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Click next page to see who else has made our Top Football Teams of 2011!
9: FC Basel
Trophies won: Swiss Super League and Uhren Cup
Star Player: Alexander Friel
Manager: Heiko Vogel
Best Result: Beating Manchester United 2-1 to progress in the Chapions Leauge
Did you know: The whole team could be bought for less than Wayne Rooney.
FC Basel has been able to do what no team has ever done before – they knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League at the first round! For that alone they are a great team – unless you’re a Man U fan of course!
They also have the most loyal fan base in the world, which you can see when they go crazy for their team . You might not know much about the team, and few would make the Premiership, however they play with heart and desire.
They are also the first Swiss team to progress in the Champions League, and for breaking these records alone they deserve a place in our Top Ten.
PS. It’s also a very nice holiday destination.
Click next page to see who else has made our Top Football Teams of 2011!
8: Newcastle
Trophies won: None
Star Player: Demba Ba
Best Result: Beating Manchester United 3-0 in the league
Manager: Alan Pardew
Did you know: The last major trophy Newcastle won was a European cup in 1969.
Tipped twice for relegation Newcastle has been defying the pundits throughout 2011, even hitting the dizzying heights of fourth in the Premiership.
Alan Pardew has built up a cheap but deadly team. Krul, in goal, able to stop anything and Demba Ba knocking in goals left right and center. Newcastle was even able to dent the run of Manchester United with a 2-0 win just after Christmas.
This all happened with some of the most crazy fans in the world in a place that eats, sleeps and drinks football.
Number 7 in the list is only a next page away!
7: Stoke
Trophies won: None
Star Player: Rory Delap
Best Result: Beating Thun 4-1 to reach the first round of the Europa League.
Manager: Tony Pulis
Did you know: 2011 was the first time Stoke reached further than the first round of a European cup.
Being a new team to the Premiership, you would think Stoke would be near the relegation. Well they certainly bucked that trend over 2011.
Not only did they stay in the Premier League by quite a margin, they also reached the final of the FA cup and progressed to the Europa league knock out stages.
What really helps Stoke is their attack from set pieces. They are by far the best in the Premier League at these and definatly win more games than they lose with it. Throw-in extraordinaire, Rory Delap could find a place in most teams around the world, but with a quiet efficiency that gets him barely noticed.
With only three seasons of top flight football under them, to finish the year in 8th with such a full schedule of games is why I believe them to make 7th on the list.
Who is the best of the rest? Find out on the next page!
6: Tottenham
Trophies won: None
Star Player: Ledley King
Best Result: Beating AC Milan 1-0 to reach the last 8 of the Champions League
Manager: Harry Rednapp
Did you know: Tottenham’s first choice 11 has 9 different Nationalities in it.
Tottenham has been extremely busy over the 2011. They tried to break the top four monopoly of English football whilst also attempting to progress in the Champions League beating the likes of Inter and AC Milan along the way.
Now in the 2011/2012 season they are hot on the heels of both Manchester clubs to win the Premier League! They have been the best shock of the year.
Harry Rednapp has brought together a diverse bunch of players and gets the best out of them each week. Almost any player can score well, while they have one of the strongest defences in the Premier League.
What puts them high on the list, however, is that the club don’t spend on big player names. Each player, instead, plays with heart and a conviction that they can beat anyone at any time – and right now that belief seems to be based on truth!
Click next page to see who else has made our Top Football Teams of 2011!
5: Porto
Trophies won: League trophy, Portuguese cup, Europa League and Portuguese Super Cup.
Star Player: Hulk
Best Result: Being underdogs but still beating Villarreal 5-1 in the Europa League Semi Finals
Manager: Vitor Pereria
Did you know: Porto went the whole of the 2011 season unbeaten in the league and Europe.
It’s not often a team goes the whole season unbeaten in both league and cups but that’s exactly what Porto did in 2011. They were tactical geniuses and thanks to their manager, Andre-Villas Boas (remember him?), the team could outmanoeuvre any opposition.
The skill with the ball was not that bad either, playing a brand of flowing football that only the very best teams are capable of. For a team of players that you would struggle to name they have not done that badly at all, you would have to agree.
PS one of their players is called Hulk – surely having a Superhero in your ranks deserves a place in the Top Ten alone!
Click next page to see who else has made our Top Football Teams of 2011!
4: Manchester City
Trophies won: F.A. Cup
Star Player: Joe Hart
Best Result: Beating Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford in the League.
Manager: Roberto Manchini
Did you know: the FA cup was the first trophy Manchester City won in 36 years.
Manchester City have definitely been splashing the cash over the last few years. However its only in 2011 that any results showed. Winning their first trophy for a very long time, they have now made massive strides and ended the year second in the league table.
They deserve their place high up the list from astute signings that have been made over the summer, a manager who keeps the players focused and a team that can leave you breathless during games.
The team know how to pass, score and defend, just look at the result at Old Trafford this year where they trashed the champions 6-1. I honestly believe that 2012 will be bigger for them and may even see them climb the best team lists.
Who is the second best Spanish football team of 2011? The next page reveals all!
3: Real Madrid
Trophies won: Copa Del Ray
Star Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Result: Beating Almeria a whopping 8-0 in the league
Manager: Jose Mourinho
Did you know: Real Madrid has always been in the top Spanish division, which is also the longest (110 years).
Real Madrid has an amazing team, brimming with talent and playing football as it is meant to be played.
Whenever Real Madrid take to the field the feeling is electric, anyone can achieve anything in that team. For individual talent Christiano Ronaldo is regarded the second best player in the world and can certainly bamboozle anyone with his football tricks, however to buy him for your team will cost around £90,000,000!
The reason they are not second in the list is the solitary trophy won by Real Madrid, compared to more by others – and a lot of that is simply due to the brilliance of the team sitting at the top of our list.
Who almost made top of the list, but only just missed out? Find out now!
2: Manchester United
Trophies won: Premier League and Community Shield
Star Player: Wayne Rooney
Best Result: Demolishing Arsenal 8-2 early in the season.
Manager: Alex Ferguson
Did you know: Alex Ferguson has been managing Manchester United since 1986 (a massive 25 years)
The greatest English team in 2011 can’t be argued much beyond Manchester City. While the city rivals are spending big Manchester United are loudly going about their usual business.
A rock solid defence that you try, but fail, to break and an attack that makes goalkeepers shake. Anyone would want a Wayne Rooney in their squad and any player wants to be managed by the best there is, Alex Ferguson.
After moulding the team for generations Alex Ferguson has got a team that could be considered the best in the last 10 years, bettered only by one other team globally.
The moment has arrived for you to find out the top football team of 2011! Just click next page.
1: Barcelona
Trophies won: La Liga, Spanish Super Cup, Champions League, World Club Championship and European Super Cup.
Star Player: Lionel Messi
Best Result: Beating Santos 4-0 in the World Club Championship.
Manager: Josep Guardiola
Did you know: The Barcelona stadium has a capacity of 100,000!
If I had three words to describe the Barcelona team of 2011 it would be Best Team Ever! That’s how most people would describe the Barcelona team as well.
Lionel Messi has now won footballer of the year three times running and how do you argue the winners of the world club championship are not the best team in the world? From 1 to 11 every player works for the team and helps each other out, they set the world alight with their skill and work load, while not letting hype get in the way.
You would want any player from Barcelona in your team, and it’s not bad to admit that!
