Biggest club in the world

[User removed 4]

Man Utd always lay claim to this title, but I for one think the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona , AC Milan Or Juventus are bigger. Considering all the criteria , honours won , worldwide fanbase etc who do you think hold the title of biggest club in the world.

 

[strings]

I always thought it would have been a straight fight between the two big Spanish teams. Although, with a few more European titles, Manchester United could be right up there.

I guess commercially speaking Manchester United have been the biggest club in the world over the last 15 years (although Barca and Real are challenging in this area too).

 

[Easy 10]

Its an impossible argument to pin down, because everybody has a different opinion on what criteria is the most important.
Personally I'd say Barcelona are the most universally revered club in the world. And they have the biggest stadium on the continent. But they've only won the EC twice, whch for a club of their stature is quite surprising.
*edit*
3 times. Still would've thought they'd have more under their belts by now.

If you pushed me into a corner, pulled down my trousers and smeared my buttocks with Sun-Pat Crunchy Peanut Butter then I would HAVE to say Barcelona. But its still questionable.

 

[drew]

Worldwide fan base is probably Man Utd. In terms of turnover, Man Utd are probably in the top 2. Where they fall down in comparison to Juve, Real and Barca is their European trophies.

Having just checked the Deloitte figures, Real are the biggest in terms of turnover followed by Manure and Barca.

Barca and Manure have only won the EC twice each were as Real have won it at least 5 times if not more.

 

[bigbadbonkingbob]

I'm afraid that Man U, Barcelona and Juventus can't be considered as none of them have successfully defended the European Cup.

 

[Simster]

Real Madrid tick all the boxes. Absolutely massive stadium which is full every week, more domestic titles than any Spanish team, more European Cups than every other team, more money spent on players than anyone of the "biggest clubs" contenders.

Man Utd run them close I suppose, but they don't have anything like the same level of success behind them, and have actually lost two players at their peak to Real Madrid in the fairly recent past. It's impossible to imagine the equivalent of Cristiano Ronaldo or David Beckham walking out on RM to join United for purely footballing reasons.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm afraid that Man U, Barcelona and Juventus can't be considered as none of them have successfully defended the European Cup.

So by that criteria, Nottingham Forest are a bigger club than Man U, Barcelona and Juventus ?

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Madrid for me. Then Barca, Milan, Man Utd, Juve.

 

[bigbadbonkingbob]

So by that criteria, Nottingham Forest are a bigger club than Man U, Barcelona and Juventus ?

Correct.

 

[JJ McClure]

1. Real Madrid
2. Man utd
3. Barca

Juve aren't even close on the world stage

 

[keaton]

Real Madrid, far and away

 

[coventrygull]

Its between Man Utd and Real madrid

 

[Common as Mook]

If honours is the most thing then Liverpool must surely be up there. They would have been classified as THE biggest club in the world 20 years ago.

 

[Marc]

Asia loves Man Utd, China loves Man Utd, two pretty massive areas so I voted for them!

 

[Superphil]

This is a non question. Go to China, Japan, London, anywhere in the Med other than Spain, Anywhere in Asia, Australia, Ireland, USA and see the proportion of Man U shirts to all the others listed, 10 to 1, if not 100 to 1. Whether you like it or not, Man U are everywhere, and are revered by many more than Real Madrid or Barcelona.

I doubt that any Spaniards go on holiday to Africa, Thailand, China, etc and are met with comments like "Ah Spanish, like Amancio and Ferenc Puskás" yet if you are English it is all "Bobby Chalton, George Best, David Beckham"

 

[keaton]

If honours is the most thing then Liverpool must surely be up there. They would have been classified as THE biggest club in the world 20 years ago.

Up there but well behind Real Madrid

Liverpool: 18 league titles, 7 domestic cups, 5 European Cups, 3 Uefa

Real Madrid: 31 league titles, 17 domestic cups, 9 European Cups, 2 Uefa

 

[champion7]

For me it has to AC MILAN.

SERIE A CHAMPS
1901,1906,1907,1950,1951,1955,1957,1959,1962,1967,1979,1988,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1999,2004,2009.

SERIE B CHAMPS.
1980-1981,1982-1983.

COPPA ITALIA.
1967,1972,1973,1077,2003.

ITALIAN SUPER CUP.
1988,1992,1993,1994,2004.

EUROPE.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
1962,1968,1969,1989,1990,1994,2003,2007.

SUPER CUP.
1989,1990,2003,2007.

CUP WINNERS CUP.
1968,1073.

LATIN CUP.
1951,1956.

MITROPA CUP.
1982.

INTERNATIONAL CUP.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP.
2007.

INTERCONTINENTAL CUP.
1969,1989,1990.

 

[keaton]

Also the Rossoneri is a incredibly flair sounding nickname

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

i'd say the two spanish clubs are the biggest really


they're HUGE!

plus real madrid have recently signed beckham and ronaldo from united, and think of how many other big names they've taken from other supposed 'big clubs' (zidane from juventus, ronaldo from inter, figo from barcelona etc)........this speaks for itself really

 

[User removed 4]

This is a non question. Go to China, Japan, London, anywhere in the Med other than Spain, Anywhere in Asia, Australia, Ireland, USA and see the proportion of Man U shirts to all the others listed, 10 to 1, if not 100 to 1. Whether you like it or not, Man U are everywhere, and are revered by many more than Real Madrid or Barcelona.

I doubt that any Spaniards go on holiday to Africa, Thailand, China, etc and are met with comments like "Ah Spanish, like Amancio and Ferenc Puskás" yet if you are English it is all "Bobby Chalton, George Best, David Beckham"

but i'd say this is a relatively recent phenomenon, the other clubs have been consistently huge.