Arsenal sit atop the world as Opta’s numbers ruffle the elite

You can argue the toss all day about who’s “best in the world”, but when Opta wheel out an Elo model built on 2.5 million-plus results, even the pub lawyers tend to pipe down. Their latest Power Rankings, updated 09/11/2025, have done exactly what good rankings should: sparked debate, ruffled feathers, and put a few sacred cows on notice.

How Opta’s model sorts the wheat from the chaff

The science bit: Opta’s rating weighs up who you beat, where you beat them, and how strong their league, country and continent are. It’s a rolling algorithm, not a vibes machine. The upshot? You can compare Benfica to Brighton without needing a crystal ball.

Fancy testing your own hunches? Our guide to the best betting sites is a handy companion – but remember, rankings aren’t results and football loves an upset.

Is the Premier League really the best in the world?

The top end is undeniably Euro-centric, but it’s the depth of English clubs inside the top 20 that catches the eye. The Premier League’s middle class are no mugs – and Opta’s numbers back it up – yet the very summit still belongs to Europe’s serial winners and sharpest operators.

World’s Best Teams: 30th–21st

We start with Fulham at 30 (88.6) and Everton 29 (88.7) – steady risers who’ve put a marker down. Roma slot in at 28 (88.7), with Club Brugge 27 (88.8) and perennial Portuguese power Benfica 26 (88.8). Then it’s Atalanta at 25 (88.8) and RB Leipzig 24 (89.0), both capable of bloodying anyone’s nose on their day.

Sporting CP are 23 (89.1) and haven’t missed a beat despite a dugout change late last year. AC Milan, energised by Massimiliano Allegri, sit 22 (89.4) with a clear identity returning. Napoli at 21 (89.7) are jousting with the Rossoneri at the sharp end of Serie A – a proper two-horse race in the making.

World’s Best Teams: 20th–11th

Brentford lead this tranche at 20 (90.5), with Bayer Leverkusen 19 (90.6) and Manchester United 18 (90.9) under Ruben Amorim trying to string a consistent run together. Tottenham Hotspur are 17 (91.3) under Thomas Frank – Europa League winners last season, but still finding their feet after the managerial handover.

AFC Bournemouth at 16 (91.6) are quietly pulling up trees, while Brighton 15 (92.1) continue to overachieve versus the chequebook brigade. Borussia Dortmund 14 (92.1) began brightly but hit turbulence; Jobe Bellingham’s promise is clear, even if the England door isn’t swinging open just yet.

Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are 13 (92.2), stubborn as ever. Aston Villa’s surge puts them 12 (93.2) despite a wobble against the champions. Then comes Crystal Palace at 11 (93.3), buoyed by last season’s historic FA Cup triumph over Manchester City and a long unbeaten streak that finally snapped.

World’s Best Teams: The Top 10

Inter Milan kick off the elite at 10 (93.3) – back-to-back Champions League finals reached but heartbreak on both nights, including that 5-0 thumping by PSG in Munich. Newcastle United, revitalised by silverware at last – the 2024–25 Carabao Cup – sit 9 (93.5), though their current league position hasn’t matched the hype.

Chelsea are 8 (94.3) under Enzo Maresca: Conference League winners, then Club World Cup champions after FIFA’s facelift and hefty prize pot, but still capable of the odd banana skin. Barcelona at 7 (94.9) have Hansi Flick’s fingerprints all over a title-winning machine, with Lamine Yamal already frightening the life out of full-backs.

Real Madrid are 6 (95.2). The Bellingham–Mbappé blend misfired last season before clicking under Xabi Alonso this term. PSG, treble winners in 24/25 even after waving goodbye to Mbappé, are 5 (96.1) – still a heavyweight, still stacked.

Liverpool are 4 (97.1). Arne Slot has kept the Klopp fire burning, title in hand and a wobble corrected with statement wins over Villa and Real Madrid. Manchester City at 3 (97.5) are still the yardstick for many, but last season’s rare seven-game winless patch was a reality check even for Pep’s perfectionists.

Bayern Munich take silver at 2 (98.3). Vincent Kompany’s outfit reclaimed the Bundesliga and look ruthless again, with Harry Kane rattling in goals at a ridiculous clip. And top of the pile? Arsenal, a perfect 100. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have been humming for three straight seasons; no major pot last term, but the performances and underlying numbers scream “best of the best” right now.

What it tells us – and what it doesn’t

Make no mistake: this is a form-and-strength barometer, not a trophy cabinet audit. It rewards consistency, league difficulty and results against quality. The Premier League’s depth shines, but the absolute summit remains a rotating cast of Europe’s finest. And as ever, one bad month or an injury crisis can send even the greats sliding.

All rankings courtesy of Opta (The Analyst), correct as of 09/11/2025.