Top 10 Best South American Football Clubs: So Paulo Futebol Clube, also known as Sao Paulo FC, is without a doubt the best Latin American football club of all time. As of 2022, this club had won 22 domestic league titles. This club has also won six Brasileiro titles and three Copa Libertadores. Club Atlético Independiente of Argentina and Atlético Nacional of Columbia both deserve to be mentioned among the best South American football clubs.
It may not have the power and prestige of European clubs, but it is a hotbed of talent and has served as a constant source of talent for the world's elite clubs. The best South American football clubs are listed here.
Best South American Football Clubs | 2023 Updates
The average viewer is more interested in the competition than in the quality of football played. South America may be the location of some of the most competitive football.
10. Santos
Santos from Brazil is ranked number ten in the top ten best South American football clubs. Santos is one of Brazil's most successful and historic clubs, having won the domestic title eight times, the Copa Libertadores three times, and the Copa de Brasil once.
Not only that, but it has given birth to some of the greatest football players of all time, including Pele, Robinho, and Neymar. Even though Neymar has left for Barcelona, the team still has enough young talent to compete with the best in Brazil.
9. Corinthians
Corinthians of Brazil is ranked ninth among the top ten best South American football clubs. Corinthians is now the largest club in Brazil as well. And they certainly have the silverware to prove it in their cabinet.
This club has won seven Brasileirao titles, four Libertadores titles, and the FIFA World Club Cup (by defeating Chelsea). Many famous players have worn these colours, including Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Javier Mascherano, and Socrates.
8. River Plate
River Plate of Argentina is ranked eighth among the top 10 best South American football clubs. River Plate is the most successful club in Latin America in terms of titles won, with 36 league titles and four Libertadores, but they have not had much success in the last decade.
River Plate is now a fallen giant that has provided many good players to Europe, such as Ortega, Saviola, Crespo, and others, but it was di Stefano who began his career here and went on to become a household name worldwide.
7. Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors of Argentina is ranked seventh among the top 10 best South American football clubs. Boca Juniors' impressive title tally may pale in comparison to River's 33 league titles, but it is at the continental level where they have shone with four Libertadores.
They have been named the best South American club of the twenty-first century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. Burdisso, Tevez, Palacio, and the great Maradona have all come from here over the years.
6. Penarol
Penarol from Uruguay is ranked sixth among the top ten best South American football clubs. Penarol has been a dominant force in Uruguayan football, winning 50 league titles and five Copa Libertadores.
Despite their long history, Penarol has not won a continental title since 1987 (finishing second to Santos in 2011), so they are currently in a slump.
Ghiggia, who scored the game-winning goal against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup to knock them out, is undoubtedly the most famous player associated with Penarol.
5. Colo-Colo
Colo-Colo from Chile is ranked fifth among the top ten best South American football clubs. Thirty-two league titles, 11 cups, and one Libertadores victory are all testaments to Colo-Colo's illustrious history, and the club is regarded as one of Chile's best.
Colo-Colo, a club to be reckoned with that plays Chile's style of fast and attacking football, has been instrumental in developing a lot of local talent for the national side.
4. Olimpia
Olimpia of Paraguay is ranked fourth among the top ten best South American football clubs. Olimpia, like the other teams on the list, has an illustrious history. It has 43 league titles and three Libertadores to its name.
The club reached its pinnacle of success in 1979, when it won the quadruple League, Libertadores, Copa Interamerica, and Intercontinental Cup.
Its most famous export is Roque Santa Cruz, the current captain of the national team and the Paraguayan team's leading scorer.
3. Atletico Nacional
Atletico Nacional of Colombia is ranked third among the top ten best South American football clubs. Their recent surge in performance has resulted in seven league titles in the last decade.
And it elevated the club to the ranks of Latin football's major powers. The club is best known as the birthplace of legendary goalkeeper Rene Higuita, who was known for his sweeping style and dribbling despite being a goalkeeper.
2. Independiente
Independiente from Argentina is ranked second among the top ten best South American football clubs. It is one of Argentina's most historic clubs, having won 16 Primera titles and 9 National Cups. They also won seven Copa Libertadores (a record number of times and the only club to win it four times in a row).
Independiente won the Copa Interamericana three times, the Supercopa Sudamericana twice, the Intercontinental Cup twice, and the Recopa Sudamericana once. Its silverware alone makes it Argentina's most important club.
However, it has recently declined to the point of relegation but has since recovered under Hugo Moyano. And it's starting to look as menacing as it did in its glory days.
1. Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo from Brazil is ranked first among the top ten best South American football clubs. When it comes to Latin football, Sao Paolo is the absolute powerhouse.
It is also one of the five Brazilian clubs that have never been relegated. It has 22 league titles, six Brasileirao titles, three Copa Libertadores titles, and one Copa Sudamericana title.
They also won one Libertadores Supercopa, one FIFA World Club Cup, two intercontinental cups, and one Copa CONMEBOL. This club won two Recopa Sudamericana and one Copa Masters CONMEBOL. Apart from such trophies, it is also the second most financially valuable team in Brazil.
Best South American Football Clubs
FAQs Regarding Best South American Soccer Clubs
Q 1. Which South American team has had the most success?
Boca Juniors and Atlético Independiente are Argentina's most successful CONMEBOL teams, with 18 trophies each. Independence has the most Copa Libertadores trophies (seven), followed by So Paulo (12) and River Plate (12).
Q 2. Is there South American football?
The South American Football Confederation oversees and administers a large portion of South American association football (CONMEBOL). Each CONMEBOL member association has its own league system. There is an ongoing competition to determine the country's club champion throughout the top-level leagues.
Q 3. What is the biggest club in South America?
Flamengo is South America's largest club. Flamengo of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, had 44 million fans as of mid-2021, making it South America's most popular soccer club. The Brazilian SC Corinthians Paulista came in second, with 39 million fans.
Q 4. What is it about soccer that makes it so popular in Spain?
Football is the national sport of Spain and the most popular spectator sport in the country. When compared to Italian and English fans, Spaniards are among the most ardent football supporters in Europe. Because of the population's love of football, almost every town has a football field.
