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Who's topping the world stage right now?

Welcome to a new Goal.com feature: the Top 10 Clubs of the Month!

As the name suggests, here we rank the ten teams across the world making waves in the club world. The list is unashamedly discursive, but does operate under the assumption that winning teams deserve recognition. It's also true that, the bigger the stage, the higher the rewards - yet at the same time clubs who beat all put in front of them will have a day in the sun as a result.

Here are the top ten club sides across the world over the past month as judged by Goal.com's Ewan Macdonald...

10. Real Madrid (Spain)

That Real Madrid oust rivals Barcelona from the list may have something to do with the fact that, unlike Barca, they didn't suffer a Copa del Rey defeat. (They're already out.) But it's been a fine month for the Blancos - despite a draw with Osasuna, Madrid have thrashed Zaragoza, edged Valencia, and beat Mallorca with ease. Still not top yet, though...

9. Sydney FC (Australia)

The Australian season is drawing to a close, and Sydney stand on the verge of ending the regular season in pole position. That's because of a watertight defence that's gone the whole month without conceding.


8. Al-Qadsia (Kuwait)

A fine start to the Kuwaiti season for the Royals, who are defending their championship. Forward ace Khalaf Salama has had a particularly fine time of it.

7. Atletico Madrid (Spain)

Their record in the Liga of late is comparable to that of Barcelona and the aforementioned Blancos, but the fact that Atleti have had to leap up from depths unimaginable makes their run somewhat more commendable. The Rojiblancos are finally starting to look like a team again under Quique Sanchez Flores, a 4-0 win over Valladolid paying testament to that.


6. Cotonsport (Cameroon)

A full seven points clear at the top of the league, Cotonsport just can't stop winning, their latest triumph coming in the form of a 5-2 win over Fovu. The perfect way to open the mid-season break for the Garoua outfit.

5. Rangers (Scotland)

All financial troubles aside, it's been a very merry Christmas at Ibrox. A 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in the Old Firm derby saw the Gers maintain their lead at the top of the SPL; wins over Motherwell, Hibernian and Dundee United brought 17 goals between them.

4. Manchester City (England)

The Blues are now in the Champions League zone after enjoying a new lease of life under recently-installed coach Roberto Mancini. More importantly, they have a real scoring touch at the City of Manchester Stadium, as shown by the 4-1 win over Blackburn. Look out for another Carlos Tevez surge...

3. Panathinaikos (Greece)

Another fine month for the boys in Green, who have barely skipped a beat since replacing Henk Ten Cate with Nikos Nioplias in the manager's office. With just over half the Greek games played, they're five points clear at the top, and looking good in the Europa League to boot.


2. Napoli (Italy)

Since installing Walter Mazzarri as coach, the Neapolitans have been a revelation, rising up to the Champions league positions apace. An unbeaten month, complete with a fantastic performance against Sampdoria, means they're true European contenders.

1. Arsenal (England)

Detractors will point to their recent draw with Everton, but the fact remains that Arsenal have turned the Premier League into a three-horse race. The Gunners haven't failed to score in the last month and are beginning to look comfortable on their travels, too. Just ask Liverpool...


Can Arsenal hang on to top spot for another month, or will the likes of Madrid surge up the ranking? In fact, are our rankings correct? Let us know your thoughts.

Ewan Macdonald, Chief Editor @ Goal.com International