The "Top 7" remain unchanged !
Juventus FC Torino - the World's Club Team of the Month foJanuary 2012
The "Top 7" remained unchanged in the month of January despite a change in the points totals. Those in the "Top 50" who were able to maintain also theirs places in the Club World Ranking with regard the final ranking of 2011 are: FC Twente Enschede, CR Vasco da Gama Rio de Janeiro, Olympique Lyonnais and CF Monterrey. Those most clearly improving among the "Top 50" were SS Lazio Roma (by 14 places) and CA Peñarol Montevideo (by 13 places).
For years FC do Porto was the best-placed Portuguese team in the Club World Ranking. Now Sport Lisboa e Benfica has taken over that role. And never previously have two Chilean clubs been placed among the "Top 8", nor has the Republic of Korea had two clubs among the "Top 47" until now. In January 2012, unusually many matches were played in Western and Central Asia, so many clubs from these countries were able to improve in the Club World Ranking, while a top clubs from Saudi Arabia (Al-Ittihad Club Jeddah), at the same time, lost much ground.
So that clubs in countries are not penalised by different match days at the month end, matches which take place in programmes over two days, are added to the new month. So the Club World Ranking for this month ends on the 30th January and all matches that took place worldwide on 31st January are added to the month of February.
The World’s Club Team of the Month for December is Juventus FC Torino ahead of FC Barcelona. The team from Torino remained unbeaten in the Italian championship from the start of the season for 20 match days and is the leader the Serie A table at this point, and reached the semi-finals of the "Coppa Italia". Although "Barça" achieved more points in the month of January, it is only 2nd in the table and is no longer undefeated in the Spanish championship. Also, Milan achieved 36 points in January, but lost a league match.
In the "Top 100" there are clubs from 38 countries: 68 clubs from the UEFA, 22 from the CONMEBOL, four from the CAF, four from the AFC, two from the CONCACAF, and none from the OFC. The following leagues are represented by the most clubs in the "Top 100": England (7), Brazil (7), Spain (6), France (5), Italy (5), Russia (5), Portugal (4), Germany (4), Argentina (4), Belgium (4) and the Netherland (4). The "Top 10" for each of the four football continents - South America, Africa, Asia and CONCACAF - are as follows: