Football captivates audiences around the world because of the chaos it brings. From non-league promotions, EFL sides producing giant killings every season and the best clubs in the world playing the greatest football ever seen, there is always something for everyone.

Naturally, the more successful teams bring in higher audiences. It’s what most people want to watch as the world’s best midfielders create chances effortlessly and the greatest strikers guide a header into the net without even thinking about it. However, if you support a team playing in one of the major competitions, there’s a good chance you’ve never seen them win it.

The sport isn’t all about trophies, despite what some may suggest, but everyone still wants to win. It’s a natural part of life. Yet finding the consistency, drive and often luck to win the biggest trophies in the world isn’t easy. It takes everything to fall into place for it to happen, which is when the most experienced players step up. Due to this, we’ve ranked the 12 hardest competitions to win in the world, taking into consideration the factors below.

Ranking Factors

• Level of Competition – how strong the teams are across the field/perceived quality of the league.
• Consistency – whether it’s a competition which requires strong performances all campaign or just in a cup competition.
• Pressure – whether all the matches come under high pressure, as often seen at major tournaments.

12

Championship

Under first impression, the Championship is only the second tier of English football and it can’t be that hard to win it, but it’s called the “greatest league in the world” by some for a reason. It takes unpredictability to another level, so much so that fans have become accustomed to predicting the unexpected.

Every team competing is physical and fights for their life, often making it hard to play free-flowing football easily. Teams with major budgets over the years have struggled to gain promotion at the first time of asking, epitomising the competition’s challenge in search of Premier League football. What’s more, the play-off to get into the English top flight is dubbed ‘richest game in football’ as there is so much money on the line, adding to the huge pressure of the competition.

11

Europa League

The Europa League is only the second tier of UEFA’s prestigious competitions, but it is incredibly challenging to win in its own unique ways. However, in recent years, it has become easier to win, as Champions League teams no longer drop into the competition after the group stages.

Indeed, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hostpur have been able to win the competition in the past two seasons, without having to play any elite sides who would have slipped down into the Europa League under the old format. That said, it’s still packed full of brilliant sides from all across Europe, making it no easy feat to go all the way.

10

Bundesliga

Typically in the Bundesliga, it has been a one-horse race, preventing any team other than Bayern Munich from winning the title. However, during the 2023/24 campaign, Bayer Leverkusen defied the odds to win the competition, even going unbeaten in the process. Xabi Alonso, now considered one of the best managers in the world, had led his team to greatness — and it showed beating Bayern could be done.

However, naturally, you have to be at your very best to even think about beating the German giants over the course of the season, which is no easy feat. Indeed, this has been proven with Bayern bouncing back to win the league in the two seasons since Leverkusen​​​​​​’s triumph.

9

Ligue 1

The story in Ligue 1 is similar to the message in Germany. It’s typically called a ‘farmer’s league’ by fans in England, who see the title race as a one-horse battle with Paris Saint-Germain. To be honest, the second part of that has been correct over the years; the state-funded club have dominated proceedings in France with one of the most exciting teams in the world.

Naturally, it means that it’s a challenge for any other club to win the trophy, knowing PSG rarely slip up domestically. In the past 10 years, only Lille and Monaco have claimed the prize ahead of them, epitomising the logic behind this ranking. The Parisian giants have proven to be the best team in the world over the past few seasons, winning the Champions League twice, so perhaps the failings of the rest of Ligue 1 are now viewed by fans of rival leagues with a little more grace.

8

African Cup of Nations

A string of major international tournaments feature in this, as – naturally – they require teams to be at their best to win. The African Cup of Nations is often one of the most chaotic competitions in the world. Taking place midway through the European season, the players are typically tired and they are forced to play in challenging African conditions.

There are several world-class players always featuring, making victory harder, but there have been underdog stories over the years. Zambia won it in 2012, whilst Algeria, despite qualifying for other major tournaments, surprised everyone by winning it in 2019. It’s what stops it from being higher on the list. Proving just how hard it is to win the thing, Senegal beat Morocco in the latest final, but were later stripped of their title, and it’s still not entirely clear who the 2025 champions really are.

7

Copa America

Alongside the African Cup of Nations, the Copa America also captivates the whole of South America. Taking place every four years, although that has changed recently, it has seen Lionel Messi‘s Argentina always walk in as one of the favourites, but the greatest player of all time has only won it twice — and that speaks volumes about how challenging it is.

It forces players to be at their physical, mental and technical best to even think about walking away with the trophy, whilst smaller teams, who are often physical, will always present a challenge. It epitomises the state of football in South America.

6

Serie A

What separates Serie A from the likes of La Liga and the Bundesliga is that there are more teams that can realistically win the competition every year. Indeed, there have been four different winners since 2020, with Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli all getting their hands on the Scudetto.

It’s also worth noting that while the league isn’t quite what it once was, in the 1990s, many viewed it as the best football division in the world. Paul Ince claimed just a few years ago:

5

La Liga

In the 21st century, starting with Deportivo de La Coruna title in 2000, there have been five different teams to win La Liga. Beyond Deportivo single success, Valencia and Atletico Madrid have won it twice each, but the rest have been shared between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Those two giants of Spanish football have also dominated Europe in that time frame, winning 12 of the 26 Champions League titles on offer. As such, it’s impressive that three other teams have been able to win La Liga over the past 26 years, making it one of the most difficult competitions in the world, packed with elite players.

4

Champions League

The Champions League – a place where players walk onto the pitch, but legends walk off it. History can be made, legacies written and fanbases united in seconds. Very few even get to experience that feeling, symbolising how challenging it is to win it. Manchester City have dominated the Premier League for years, but the state-owned club always seemed to fall at the final hurdle in UEFA’s prestigious competition.

Eventually, Pep Guardiola’s side won it in 2023 against Inter Milan, but it took them far longer than expected. The same can be said of PSG, who have now won it twice, but didn’t get their hands on it until 2024. The likes of Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are among the biggest clubs to never win the prize, showing just how difficult it is to go all the way in the Champions League

3

Euros

International tournaments, as previously mentioned, could not be more challenging if they tried. A country’s legacy is decided in the space of a month, knowing they could have the title of ‘champions’ for the next four years if they succeed. The Euros are not as challenging as the World Cup, purely because it only covers one continent, but there are countless world-class teams competing.

The likes of Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Germany and England all go into the tournament dreaming of glory every time. Naturally, only one can walk away victorious, making it tougher than ever. This is best exemplified by Three Lions, who despite winning a World Cup, remain without ever claiming the title of European champions. Spain claimed that honour most recently, beating England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final.

Tottenham are considering their options in the defensive line once again, as Sportsboom reports that a young centre-back is on the club’s radar this summer.

The Spurs backline is the area where the most change is expected, with Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi already making their move to the Lilywhites, while Jan Paul van Hecke is edging closer towards a deal, joining from Brighton.

As a result, an exit is expected for club captain Cristian Romero, while Radu Dragusin could follow him in a transfer away from the club in the coming weeks.

Then there are doubts over the future of Luka Vuskovic, as Brighton have made an offer to sign the young defender as he searches for some assurances over his game time when he returns to Tottenham from his loan with Hamburg.

While a potential exit for the 19-year-old may be on the cards, recent links have suggested that Roberto De Zerbi is keen on another defender to join the North London club.

Tottenham Want Ismaelo Ganiou

Benoit Tessier Via Reuters

As Tottenham face the prospect of losing Vuskovic, they could replace him with another wonderkid centre-back, as Sportsboom claims RC Lens youngster Ismaelo Ganiou is on their radar this summer.

The France youth international enjoyed a breakthrough campaign for his side last campaign, making 23 appearances in Ligue Un, putting in some “very impressive” performances in the process.

The report claims that Spurs are joined by Crystal Palace and Paris Saint-Germain in their admiration of Ganiou, with all three beginning talks with Lens to discover the terms of a possible deal.

A valuation in the range of €35-40 million (£30.2-34.5 million) has been set, with his current contract set to enter the final two years this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham would be willing to enter the market at that price, but the report claims that it is well within the club’s financial means.

Tottenham’s Long-Term Plan

Part of Tottenham’s rebuild has already begun with the acquisition of young talent that will have a high ceiling, but may take time to reach that level.

There has always been a long-term view to the squad building, but more recent focus has switched to adding experience and quality for the here and now.

Even with that change in approach, there must be some future-proofing in place, and that means having youngsters in position who could become first-team regulars.

Vuskovic fits into that category, but his rapid rise may have come at a difficult time for Tottenham to promise the game time that he will be wanting.

As a result, his exit may make sense for all parties, but there must still be a long-term view to the centre-back positions, making the Ganiou interest entirely possible.

It remains to be seen whether things could change, or if Vuskovic will be shown a clear plan moving forward that could keep him for the foreseeable future.

Liverpool lead Manchester United in a transfer race as they look to bolster their options this summer, as TEAMtalk reports that another Ivory Coast international after Yan Diomande is on their shortlist.

Liverpool and Man United are in need of some fresh faces in attack, with the former requiring an injection of pace and trickery to get opposition defences on the backfoot again.

Diomande remains a top target this summer, as Liverpool continue talks with the RB Leipzig star over a possible switch to the club, while Bradley Barcola has emerged as another option if he is free to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

The Reds are monitoring other options too, with another Ivorian star seemingly on the club’s radar.

Liverpool Want Bazoumana Toure

Ulrik Pedersen/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA

According to reports from TeamTalk, Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure has emerged as an option for Liverpool in the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that the Reds are leading their rivals Manchester United in the race to land the 20-year-old, who has impressed in a breakout season in the Bundesliga.

Liverpool have formally registered their interest with Hoffenheim, following a campaign that saw Toure pick up five goals and 12 assists across all competitions.

The forward, who already has six appearances for the Ivory Coast national team, is viewed as a long-term option for the Reds, but Man United remain in the battle for his signature.

An asking price of up to £43.1 million has been set by Hoffenheim, as Premier League clubs start to line up to seal a potential deal this summer, having been tipped as a “future Ballon d’Or contender.

Aston Villa, Newcastle, Brighton, and Brentford also join Liverpool and Man United in the race, while Arsenal and Bayern Munich have also been linked elsewhere.

It remains to be seen whether the Reds will be able to put forward an offer that can tempt the player, in what would be another huge move in the forward areas.

Liverpool’s Left-Wing Conundrum

While Toure would prove to be a promising option for Liverpool, he has largely featured on the left wing in his time playing for Hoffenheim so far.

That means, should he move to Anfield, then he will likely be competing with Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha on that flank for the foreseeable future.

With three players, particularly the youngsters, competing for that place, there may be a reduction in opportunities for them to shine as much as they can.

Both Ngumoha and Toure will need minutes and experience under their belts to improve and become the players they could be in the future.

An exit for Gakpo could help provide that space for the pair, but then there’d be a lack of experience in there to potentially raise the levels for the short-term.

It remains to be seen how Liverpool continue to build out their squad, but there are some challenges ahead, regardless of who they land.