Posted in News on Mar 18, 2002.
The Federation of International Football Statistics (IFFS) ranks Manchester United 25th in their monthly ratings while their traditional rivals Liverpool heads the standings with a total haul of 4346 points accrued over the period of February.
But while United and its followers must be red with anger at the position occupied by their favourite club, South African side Sundowns are placed 97th in the world and heads the standings in Africa.
Sundowns are rated number one in Africa, followed by Kaizer Chiefs in what many followers will probably describe as a slight bias towards the South African clubs, taking into account the dominance of North African clubs on
the continent.
Esperance of Tunisia and third, followed by Zamalek of Egypt on fourth while another Tunisian side - Etoile du Sahel - are rated fifth and Africa's club of the century Al Ahly are not even mentioned among the top 300 clubs.
How on earth the people who compiled this controversial list managed to rank lightweights Julius Berger of Nigeria above Al Ahly will surely beats all.
Ivorians ASEC Mimosa are ranked 174 ahead of such noted clubs as Everton from England, who occupy position 260, well bellow Santos of South Africa who are ranked 231!
Interestingly, both Sundowns and Chiefs occupy higher positions than English side Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish side Athletico Bilbao, including Standard Liege of Belgium.
Better still, the two South Africans teams are rated higher than such noted teams as Kilmarnock of Scotland, St GSallen of Switzerland, Spartak Moscow, Colo Colo of Chile and Dutch giants Vitesse Arnhem and Heerenveen.
IFFS TOP 10 CLUBS
1. Liverpool (England)
2. Bayern Munich (Germany)
3. Real Madrid (Spain)
4. Deportivo La Coruna. (Spain)
5. Arsenal (England)
6. Gremio FC (Brazil)
7. Boca Juniors (Argentina)
8. Valencia (Spain)
9. Glasgow Celtic (Scotland)
10. Juventus (Italy)
97. Sundowns (South Africa)
106. Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)
