The top leagues in European football are pitted against one another in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. It is the only time we see the best teams from each country go head-to-head.
There is no definitive answer when looking at the best leagues in Europe, but how teams have fared in continental competition gives us a decent idea.
We would also note the importance of competitiveness in each league, along with the depth of talent. Those outside the top seven or eight places don’t compete in UEFA competitions, though, so it becomes more of a subjective endeavour.
UEFA’s coefficients are not always useful for rankings of this ilk. On this occasion, though, Ligue 1 being a distant fifth aligns with our thinking. The French topflight is only narrowly ahead of the Primeira Liga and Eredivisie.
Only two French clubs have played in European finals since 2004. Just one French team made it to the round of 16 in the Europa League in 2023-24. You have to go all the way back to PSG in the Cup Winners’ Cup for the last time a Ligue 1 outfit lifted continental silverware.
PSG’s star power has covered up how far Ligue 1 is behind the top four leagues.
Two Champions League semi-finalists (including Borussia Dortmund making the final) tempted us to nudge the Bundesliga into the top three. A disappointing 2022-23 showing in the continent’s premier competition is still pretty fresh in the memory, though, and German clubs are yet to make any noise in the Conference League.
Bayer Leverkusen’s spectacular 2023-24 campaign could indicate the Bundesliga is more competitive than La Liga. We need to see more before we can really believe that, however, as there are still only two champions of Germany across the last decade.
Bayern Munich are the only German team to win a European competition since 1997.
Real Madrid have won two of the last three Champions Leagues, so perhaps its harsh to have La Liga third on this list. Barcelona, though, have only made it to the quarters of the Champions League once since 2019-20, and Atletico Madrid are not the force they were.
Atleti elevated La Liga’s standing considerably. They were legitimate challengers for the domestic title and were consistently among the frontrunners for the Champions League.
Only one La Liga side reached the knockout phase of the 2023-24 Europa League. There wasn’t a Spanish team in the last 16 of the Conference League.
Spain’s Clasico duo remain powerhouses of the European game, but La Liga is no better than Europe’s third-best league.
The 2023-24 season didn’t go as hoped for Italian clubs in the Champions League. All four were out before the quarters. Inter made the final in 2022-23, however, and Milan were semi-finalists.
Two Serie A sides have reached the Europa League semi-finals in each of the last two years. Roma lost the final in 2023. Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen in 2024. Fiorentina were Conference League finalists in 2024.
Serie A gets bonus marks for its competitiveness. Since the end of Juventus’ reign in 2021, there have been three different champions in four seasons, with no team going back-to-back.
Napoli going from runaway champions to 10th illustrates how well-matched the top Italian teams are. It’s less predictable than any of the other top five leagues.
Five of the last seven Champions League finals have featured a Premier League club. There have been two all-English finals in that period.
The 2014-15 season was the last time no English team reached the last eight of the Europa League. Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea have played in finals of the competition since then, with West Ham and Wolves making it to the semis and quarters, respectively.
The Hammers, of course, also won the Conference League in 2022-23. Aston Villa were semi-finalists a year later.
Manchester City’s dominance domestically means the Premier League is not as competitive as Serie A. English teams, too, have not been able to replicate Real Madrid’s Champions League glories.
Yet, the depth of the Premier League is unmatched on the European stage. The league’s quality from top to bottom is far clear of any other domestic competition.
