10 Best Soccer Leagues in the World: 2023 Edition
G'day tribe! I had fun writing this one and I'm sure there'll be some contention across my top 10. So, what are the best soccer leagues in the world? We take a look at the quality of play, competitiveness, the players and more to determine the top ten.
10. Major League Soccer (United States)
Major League Soccer isn't the Premier League yet, but it's making major strides and fast becoming one of the best soccer leagues in the world. The league has greater crowd average attendances than the Dutch Eredivisie, Mexican Liga MX and the Scottish Premiership, and the league has expanded from 12 teams in 2005 to a 28th team joining the league in 2022.
Some of the best MLS players of all time includes superstars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Villa, Frank Lampard, Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney and of course, David Beckham.
While there's still a long way to go for Major League Soccer to match the top European and South American leagues, the Homegrown Player program and the requirement for all MLS teams to have an academy has created a pathway for youth development to make the league stronger into the future.
https://twitter.com/MLS/status/1623377691205373997?t=NgYzPaCbrkdaEOH6g_4buw&s=19
9. Liga MX (Mexico)
Liga MX is Mexico's top division of soccer and features North America's most successful teams including Club America, Cruz Azul, Monterrey and Tigres UANL. The league is one of the most exciting to watch in the world, with a high amount of goals scored from the free flowing attacking play, technical ability and even the higher altitudes of some stadiums.
Some of the most passionate and enthusiastic soccer fans in the world support Liga MX teams. The strong supporter culture, the passion and energy from fans has served as inspiration for Major League Soccer and North American soccer fans as a whole
Like the MLS the league also operates a strong youth system, and some of the best players in league history include Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Jared Borgetti and Hugo Sanchez.
https://twitter.com/Borboa/status/1620536062698463233?s=20
8. Serie A (Brazil)
Brazil's Serie A is one of the best soccer leagues in the world. It's the premier domestic soccer competition of South America with one of the fastest paced and skillful leagues on the planet. Fans are extremely loyal and offer a vibrant atmosphere, cheering some of the most iconic clubs in the world such as Sao Paulo, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, Flamengo and Santos FC.
Many young superstars began their careers in the Brazilian Serie A including Pele, Ronaldo, Romario, Ronaldinho, Zico and Neymar. The league's youth academies also have a particular focus on technical skill and creativity over strength, speed and physicality.
Adding to the excitement and drama of the Serie A is that unlike most other leagues, the seasons champions are crowned following a knockout tournament between the top four teams at the end of the league season.
https://twitter.com/sportbible/status/1489908831509487618?s=20
7. Primeira Liga (Portugal)
Portugal's Primeira Liga isn't as physical as some of the other top leagues in Europe. There's an emphasis on player technical skill, and teams often use possession-heavy tactics with a focus on movement and passing.
Some of Europe's most successful clubs play in the Primeira Liga including Porto, Benfica and Sporting CP. Through their academies they've produced some of the European soccers most dominant players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Rui Costa.
Despite not being as financially lucrative as other leagues in Europe, the Primeira Liga teams still make an impact in Europe, Porto's Champions League titles in 1987 and 2004 being the league's crowning achievements.
https://twitter.com/AlbicelesteTalk/status/1620107190983073792?s=20
6. Eredivisie (Netherlands)
The Eredivisie is one of the best soccer leagues in the world and is known for its free flowing attack and high scoring games. As exciting as the game play is, its the development of homegrown talent which sets the league apart from many others.
Exports of the Eredivisie include global superstars such as Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten, and one of Arsenal's greatest ever players Dennis Bergkamp. More recently stars such as Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Virgil van Dijk have moved onto Europe's biggest clubs after developing in the league.
The youth academies of the Eredivisie have long had a reputation for producing some of the best youngsters in the world especially those of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord. Not only do academies focus strongly on technical skills and tactical awareness, but a hyper focused emphasis on strong worth ethic and discipline has made the Netherlands one of the best places in the world for youth players to develop.
https://twitter.com/JenHasSocksOn/status/1619709043001663489?t=isoaPOWx_u4xagHZI7iGAw&s=19
5. Ligue 1 (France)
In recent years France's Ligue 1 has raced up the rankings of the best soccer leagues in the world. Heavy investment in the league, particularly with Paris Saint-Germain, has seen the league become one of the most exciting to watch. Despite an emphasis on possession and well organised defences, the technicality and physicality has made it exciting to watch.
Two of the best players of all time in Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini started their careers in Ligue 1. More recently, superstars including Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Messi have starred in the competition for PSG.
Other strong teams in Ligue 1 include 1993 Champions League winners Olympique de Marseille, 2004 Champions League finalists AS Monaco and 1976 European Cup finalists AS Saint-Etienne.
https://twitter.com/_Stats24/status/1623245255251316737?s=20
4. Serie A (Italy)
Italy's Serie A features some of the most popular teams in the world including Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan. Superstars that have starred in the league include Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Francesco Totti, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Italian fans are known to create some electric atmospheres and the rivalries are fierce. They've got plenty to cheer about, as Italian teams have had huge success in the European Cup and Champions League.
Serie A youth academies focus heavily on the technical side of the game, which is reflected in the game play of the league. The league is very strategic and there's a very strong emphasis on defending, with the Serie A being known to have a lower goal ratio per game compared to other leagues.
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1614024148929347586?s=20
3. La Liga (Spain)
La Liga is home to El Clasico, the biggest derby in football between Real Madrid and Barcelona and is one of the best soccer leagues in the world. Both teams are among the best and most popular teams in the world, and the league has been able to attract the best players in the world.
The league is known for its technical excellence with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominating Europe while playing in La Liga. Other superstars such as Ferenc Puskas, Johan Cruyff and Ronaldinho have also helped to elevate La Liga into elite status.
La Liga has dominated European competition, with Real Madrid the most successful team and winning their 14th Champions League crown in 2022. Barcelona has also won the Champions League, and Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla have all been finalists.
https://twitter.com/thefootyarena/status/1614575378005200897?s=20
2. Bundesliga (Germany)
The Bundesliga is one of the best soccer leagues in the world and just behind the Premier League. Youth development has always been a strength of the Bundesliga and teams are able to scout and attract the best youth players from around the world.
Bayern Munich's youth academy in particular is one of the best in the world, with alumni including Philipp Lahm, Thomas Muller, David Alaba, Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger. What makes the Bundesliga so great is the emphasis on attacking soccer and a combination of tactical innovation which often leads to exciting, dynamic and high scoring games.
A product of the leagues style of play has seen some of the most exciting wingers in the world develop into superstars in the league, including Jadon Sancho, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman and Judge Bellingham.
The Bundesliga has some of the most passionate fans in the world and in the past has drawn the highest average attendances. German teams have also done consistently well in European competition, with Bayern Munich winning the European Cup and Champions League six times.
https://twitter.com/FCBRebel01/status/1622557588477906944?s=20
1. Premier League (England)
There's no doubting that the English Premier League is the best soccer league in the world. When you watch other leagues and compare it to the game play of the Premier League, other leagues seem boring in comparison to its fast-paced and physical style of play.
The enormous financial resources the league has from its £4.8 billion TV rights deal has helped Premier League clubs attract the best players in the world. Teams can also afford to invest in state-of-the-art stadiums and training facilities that will attract the best youth prospects across the globe.
Clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City are among the most popular teams in the world and they're all able to consistently compete in the Champions League. The passion of English supporters is also evident in high quality broadcasting coverage, and the high level of competition makes it the best soccer league in the world.
https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1626854218089766912?s=20
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Wolfgang Sport started in 2017 as a way to connect my passion for American and British sports. Today it's evolved into a blockchain sports blog pushing the boundaries into the crypto world and embracing Web3 technologies.
Soccer clubs in Europe are in the central focus, and the reason is that being the most popular and nationalistic sport. Soccer was born in UK and traditionally that evolved as the fast paced, trendy, short term fun and thrilling a sport - which attracted fans and spectators from all the globe.
I think, thats the main reason for having 5/10 top national domestic leagues as your best collectiions. La liga, Bundesliga, EPL, Serie A, Ligue 1, remarkably more watched than the rest .
Premiere leagues in such criteria lifted out of just being a lucrative sport. Its a form of money,revenue, business, transfer commerces, casino and betting what not?
Yep Europe has more soccer/football culturally. They live and breathe it. Plus Europe is all very close so very easy to cross borders and watch your team play
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I've never doubted that the premier league is the toughest and most exciting league amongst the leagues.
I've noticed that even when you watch the smaller teams play premier and then you watch the smaller teams in maybe spain or germany you easily get bored at the spain and germany one. You only feel the excitement when they are facing each other. But even a brentford vs villa match in the premier league has a lot of excitement and fun.
Yeh so true and very good point. The bottom teams in the EPL can be competitive in any other league I feel. Alot of money goes into all teams because of the TV rights money at play