The ‘best’ is always a very subjective matter, but according to Opta Power Ratings, there is one clear winner when it comes to the top league in global football.
The spending power of the Saudi Pro League over the summer months has dominated the football landscape as deep pocketed Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and co. have acquired the likes of Neymar, Kante, Otavio, Mahrez, Bono, Henderson and even emerging talents such as Spain’s Gabri Veiga who turned down the chance of Champions League football with Serie A champions Napoli in favour of a move to Jeddah based Al Ahli.
Despite its emerging power the Roshn Saudi League is still some way off the pace when it comes to the best in the world and according to the latest figures from Opta, the SPL is ranked at 27 in the Top 30. This showing will inevitably change with future reports with the Saudi government determined to create a league that is talked about in the same conversation as existing elite European competitions such as the Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A.
The Premier League is the dominant league globally and in recent years, the English top-flight has begun to pull away from their rival European leagues due to the vast riches of the league and subsequently clubs. That dominance has been seen in European competitions in recent years. In five of the last six seasons, there has been an English side competing in the Champions League final with three English winners. Manchester City won the competition for the first time ever last season and are probably the strongest side in Europe right now. Meanwhile, West Ham United won the Europa Conference League last campaign.
It’s not LaLiga who comes second in the ranking but the German Bundesliga which ranks as the second strongest league based on the average rating of their clubs in the Opta Power Rankings. Bayern Munich are leading the way with the reigning German champions ranked second, but RB Leipzig (seventh) and Borussia Dortmund (10th) also rank within the top 10 to help boost the Bundesliga.
Spain’s top flight do secure the bronze medal with an overall average team rating in the Opta Power Rankings of (84.1) which trails the Bundesliga with (85.4) with the highest rated La Liga club being Real Madrid’s (93.2).
Opta’s Power Rankings is a global team ranking system that assigns an ability score to nearly 13,500 domestic football teams on a scale between zero and 100, where zero is the worst-ranked team in the world and 100 is the best team in the world. The Power Rankings are updated daily and currently rank teams from 183 different countries and 413 unique domestic leagues, providing a truly global rating system in men’s football.
Opta Power Rankings: Top Leagues (September 2023)
1 English Premier League 87.66
2 German Bundesliga 84.04
3 Italian Serie A 83.46
4 Spanish La Liga 83.43
5 French Ligue 1 81.41
6 English Championship 78.58
7 Dutch Eredivisie 77.24
8 Portuguese Primeira Liga 77.20
9 Belgian Pro League 77.19
10 Brazilian Serie A 76.43
11 Swiss Super League 75.72
12 Turkish Super Lig 75.65
13 Russian Premier Liga 75.08
14 Danish Superliga 75.00
15 MLS 74.77
16 Austrian Bundesliga 74.76
17 Spanish La Liga 2 74.42
18 Polish Ekstraklasa 73.88
19 Argentine Liga Prodessional 73.66
20 German 2. Bundesliga 73.62
21 Croatian HNL 73.45
22 Mexican Liga MX 73.20
23 Cypriot First Division 72.47
24 Swedish Allsvenskan 72.30
25 Japanese J1 League 72.16
26 South Korean K League 1 72.09
27 Saudi Pro League 71.94
28 Israeli Premier League 71.56
29 Romanian Liga I 71.40
30 Norwegian Eliteserien 71.33
It was widely accepted that MLS teams were the dominant force in the recent Leagues Cup competition which saw a Leo Messi inspired beat Nashville SC in the final. Mexican sides underperformed with many south of the border complaining about excessive travel (Monterrey alone clocked up more than 11,000 miles throughout the tournament) and questionable refereeing decisions going the way of the US teams. Rayados and Queretaro flew the flag for Liga MX but exited the competition in the semi-final and quarter-final stage respectively.
Incidentally, only one Mexican club is placed inside the top 100 of the Opta Power Rankings, with Monterrey in 95th. The Union are MLS’s highest ranked club clocking in at 160th place.
Femzy1991
0
MLS is on 15th while Camel League is on 27th. Some pathetic Cr fans were saying, MLS is behind Saudi Pro League
So you only believe things you see online? Wake up man.
Femzy1991
0
CR7 went to Saudi and Old players nearing retirement followed while young players move to MLS to kick start their careers with hopes of someday playing in europe. saudi bought names not talents!
How many young talented players were signed to the MLS league since Messi started playing there?
rumemruz
0
kids go to saudi Arabia camel league 27 while elders go to MLS
Laliga Rank 4th because of varca they’re useless in ucl all they know is hyping players
jeffseth75
0
pointless statement 🤣🤣
if saudi bought talents, ask how many players have ever been bought from saudi to europe😂
jeffseth75
0
if age was the main factor then Messi wouldn't be relevant or Ronaldo wouldn't be sprinting pass players in their 20s you just talk things you hear those players who are now in Saudi can still play at the highest level Ronaldo still better than most players half his age Jordan Henderson as well experience beat youth every time
if they were so good, then why didn't they get offers from europe before moving to saudi? messi is a class above all of them and there's why he is still amongst ballon d'or nominees
Yauceimtyz
1
play
D-Maestreo
0
Stats you people never want to talk about😳🐐🫡
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All thanks to Penalties 🙏
Kezaluyz
0
And the pain went straight to @Joyng01 again [Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
MITOCHONDRIA
1
even womens league are better than Bendesliga
Olyrr77
0
Serbian league
LeoM17
0
Ronaldo fans should go slow when commenting because this shows that they are enemies of truth. How can you say that Saudi Pro League is better than MLS? If you cannot accept the ope truth, who will believe your arguments concerning Messi/Ronaldo debate. This shows that you even know that Messi is the GOAT but you will never accept
since WC they already knew who the GOAT is, but like their idol, they just want to blow their trumpet
PlayerChel
0
This is so laughable
Seainruz
0
old players nearing retirement followed him there to get cash. upcoming stars are moving to mls to begin their career with dreams of someday playing in europe
if age was the main factor then Messi wouldn't be relevant or Ronaldo wouldn't be sprinting pass players in their 20s you just talk things you hear those players who are now in Saudi can still play at the highest level Ronaldo still better than most players half his age Jordan Henderson as well experience beat youth every time
marquesking
0
This is one big Joke.. the strongest league in the world is La Liga and they've proven that year in, year out.. Premier League then, Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and then League 1 in that other.. how can a normal person even rate Bundesliga and Serie A above La Liga
vahbinors
1
CR7 went to Saudi and Old players nearing retirement followed while young players move to MLS to kick start their careers with hopes of someday playing in europe. saudi bought names not talents!
pointless statement 🤣🤣
JamesCallagher
0
And Madrid answered all the questions
that's what you don't understand Madrid alone can't rise laliga rating other teams needs to be like Madrid to rise laliga rating read the article first and you will understand how the rating works
JamesCallagher
0
Y’all claim la liga is only for two teams yet still they dominate more than the so called giant leagues teams
that is what you don't understand and you will understand it soon EPL having 7 different teams that won the CL is better than Laliga having only 2 cl winners Having 2 of the best club in the world is different from having the best league in the world read the article and understand how the rating works and for the past 5 years EPL have dominated more than Laliga
jeffseth75
5
CR7 went to Saudi and Old players nearing retirement followed while young players move to MLS to kick start their careers with hopes of someday playing in europe. saudi bought names not talents!
MkE7
1
MLS what a joke
jeffseth75
0
Cristiano Ronaldo left Europe for Saudi 👌 Europe then followed Cristiano to Saudi 🤣 CR7 influence🐐🫡🇵🇹❤️ 🔥🔥🔥
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old players nearing retirement followed him there to get cash. upcoming stars are moving to mls to begin their career with dreams of someday playing in europe
Brightd
2
The owner of this app and the creator of this info are all Messi's fans This is rubbish MLS is no where close to Saudi pro league meanwhile, Laliga is far better than Bundesliga and serial A
Ovadem
1
it's about laliga as a whole not just real Madrid
Y’all claim la liga is only for two teams yet still they dominate more than the so called giant leagues teams
Ovadem
0
it's about laliga as a whole not just real Madrid
And Madrid answered all the questions
hibbcdimns
2
EPL is like WWF to me, creating fake hype with British media power. Laliga and Bundesliga are real top league beautiful football.
rakaceimyz
0
this opta is rubbish...when was the last time a bundesliga or seria A team even reach a semi final stage of the Europa league?, also which European teams have dominated the both champions league and Europa league in the last 20 years!!?, if not either laLiga teams or premier league teams....so why the heck putting bundesliga and seria A above the almighty Laliga in the ranking here!!! on what basis really! Even if we talk about financial spendings and indivually teams capabilities, or individual playets rating in the past years, Spanish league is above the two aforementioned leagues..so why arranging em upside-down!!!
hibbcdimns
3
MLS 15 Saudi 27 case closed for now
Ovadem
1
I like how Laliga fans are mad with the ranking they still don't believe it even after seen how the ranking is conducted the truth is that laliga is relevant just because of Madrid and Barcelona unlike Premier league that has more than 5 relevant teams not only that laliga is far behind EPL but now it's going behind Serie A and German league Tebas is killing laliga gradually [Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
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Real Madrid conquered all the teams in Europe..what are u saying ...
MarcusDobson6
0
Premier league is , shall and will forever be the Best League in the World💯😎, No Doubt or Debate💯💯
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because of the money invested in there league other wise they aren't
piheklmoy
1
serie A the best league in the world
JamesCallagher
2
I like how Laliga fans are mad with the ranking they still don't believe it even after seen how the ranking is conducted the truth is that laliga is relevant just because of Madrid and Barcelona unlike Premier league that has more than 5 relevant teams not only that laliga is far behind EPL but now it's going behind Serie A and German league Tebas is killing laliga gradually [Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
kg-4991
0
MLS to saudi Arabia camel league respect you're elders
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If that's the case then English Championship teams should be better than Eredevise, Portuguese League and MLS. Isn't it?? Opta approval is only subject to the number of viewers. Which in turn corresponds to popularity. That's all.
wiseman450
0
MLS league know team as never go to relegation cos nothing like relegation in MLS Saudi Arabia league two team go to relegation every season so Saudi Arabia league is better than MLS
and 4 teams in saudi Arabia camel league are owned by the government the rest can't buy players, lol
JamesCallagher
0
people who follow la Liga know football
how?
Cidknrs
1
MLS 😆 🤣 😂 😹 😆 🤣 😂 😹 this is a joke
MumbaRk
0
MLS league know team as never go to relegation cos nothing like relegation in MLS Saudi Arabia league two team go to relegation every season so Saudi Arabia league is better than MLS
people who follow la Liga know football
Hetabdsy
0
What a nonsense ranking!!! Even 2023? I hope they were not on drugs when they were conducting the ranking.
surely they aren't into. maybe you
29082989(deleted)
0
Hahaha I like that, Backup with fact and copy it lol.
I swear AF is weird like that bro😂 u can post an outside article or drop news first on this app and then boom copy paste exactly what u say they use😂
momoh055
0
Crazy thing is i pulled these facts out two weeks ago and posted them first and this App stays copying me whenever I back my facts up
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Hahaha I like that, Backup with fact and copy it lol.
KALLON51990
1
What a nonsense ranking!!! Even 2023? I hope they were not on drugs when they were conducting the ranking.
CuccittiniX
0
Stats you people never want to talk about😳🐐🫡
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Impressive! Now we want to see his international golden ball 🤣
siwbdkmoyz
0
kids go to saudi Arabia camel league 27 while elders go to MLS
lol. [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][byebye][byebye][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
29082989(deleted)
2
Crazy thing is i pulled these facts out two weeks ago and posted them first and this App stays copying me whenever I back my facts up
29082989(deleted)
2
Makes me proud La liga Fans can finally wake up from their coma lol not everyone cares about spain nor rates it as much as u guys over there
29082989(deleted)
0
this opta business I think they are not normal
I love when la liga fans think votes = facts not how it works at all you ppl in spain are soo biased lmao u cant seem to except the reality that La Liga isn’t good anymore💀
bimcnpy
3
MLS league know team as never go to relegation cos nothing like relegation in MLS Saudi Arabia league two team go to relegation every season so Saudi Arabia league is better than MLS
konbckmpty
1
C’mon England 🏴 🥳👌🏾
Peaceking1234
3
Meanwhile The Best Midfield Duo😍 there have been in the World💯👇, Kante💪 alone was a Number 6 ,8 , 10 💯😂
mepiklmnpz
1
You can't just woke up one day and tell people such things. you needed a survey to confirm you suggestion. not this way
Stickle
0
English 2nd division is the 6th best league in the world and MLS is 15th? Trash! MLS should not even be on this list. It is a retirement league, and English 2nd division is a joke too.
Well, the Championship League should qualify for Champions and Europa Leagues then!