Soccer is played all over the world, so it should come as no surprise that several different countries are extremely excited about being around the sport.
What are the best countries out there for soccer? Not only do the 25 countries listed below put out their own top players, but they support soccer like no other.
25. Japan
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 1 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
Domestic League: J1 League (Ranked 29 In The World)
Japanese soccer has been on the rise in the last few years, as both the men’s and women’s teams have made big splashes internationally. They have had more success on the women’s side, but both teams combine to be the most prominent force in Asian soccer right now.
The best result for the men has happened three times at the World Cup, as they’ve made the Round of 16. They have yet to win a match in the knockout stage, but that could be occurring sooner rather than later. Their women did win the 2011 World Cup, which was a huge deal in the country.
24. Colombia
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Categoría Primera A (Ranked 32nd In The World)
Colombian soccer gets overlooked at times in South America, let alone the world. However, they have been a pretty consistent player over the years, despite never making it past the quarterfinals in the World Cup.
Not only do they have top players playing internationally, but they continue to not back down in the big international matches.
If they can get their women’s team to the same level as their men’s, they could go up on this list. For now, they deserve mention in the top 25, but they are looking for a bit more of a breakthrough at some point.
23. Denmark
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
Denmark often gets overlooked by a lot of other countries in Europe, but they have held their own despite being relatively small in size.
Most recently, their 2018 FIFA World Cup team had a really good showing before ultimately being eliminated by Croatia. They won the 1982 European Championship, and have consistently been a top 20 team for a while now.
The Danish Super League doesn’t always attract the best of the best, but it’s still a competitive league. They have players playing all around Europe at the highest level to represent the nation as well.
22. Switzerland
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
Switzerland surprised a lot of soccer fans when they made it to the Round of 16 in the 2018 World Cup. They had a consistent squad that will not back down, and they figure to be a prominent challenger for the next few big tournaments as well.
With players littering some of the top leagues in Europe, the Swiss Super League has received a bit of a hit in performance. However, they still bring in top domestic talent, and some international players as well to make them competitive.
21. United States
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 4 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 3 |
Not everyone is fully convinced that the United States cares about soccer like the rest of the world, but it is growing in popularity. Couple that with the fact that it is one of the largest countries in the world, and they are worthy of a top 25 ranking.
There’s still a lot of work to do to get to a truly competitive stage internationally on the men’s side, but they are making a push for now. With that said, the US has still produced some world-class players, here are the greatest players ever from the United States.
The women’s team has won multiple World Cups, but the game is getting a lot more competitive on that side. Couple that with the fact that is one of the largest countries in the world, and they are worthy of a top 25 ranking.
20. Portugal
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
It is impossible to talk about soccer in Portugal without mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo. The star player has been a fixture on the national team for quite a long time, and he’s an international star that gives them a lot of credibilities. There have been some other great players in the past for Portugal, but no one is better than Ronaldo.
Internationally, they did have a third-place finish in 1966 at the World Cup. They also won the European Championship in 2016, which is their most recent outstanding result.
With a few domestic teams making a splash around Europe as well, they are a consistent country that can pull off a few surprises here and there.
19. Croatia
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 1 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 2 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Prva HNL (Ranked 29th In The World)
A surprising run to the World Cup Finals has solidified Croatia’s position as one of the 25 best soccer countries in the world. They’ve never done particularly well in the European Championships, but with Luca Modric being the face of the country, they should be competitive for a few more years.
As far as domestic leagues are concerned, they are still looking to build something up that could possibly keep some of the best players home instead of going to other countries to get a big payday. That might be a while away, but a lot of interest in soccer has started thanks to recent success.
18. Chile
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Primera División de Chile (Ranked 37nd In The World)
Like Colombia, Chile never seems to get the same type of respect as some of the other South American countries.
Part of that is because their best showing at the World Cup came way back in 1962, when they hosted the tournament. They were able to finish third that year, but they are still looking for a push in modern times.
One thing hurting Chile is that their women’s national team is not exactly killing it just yet. There is some hope for the future, but they are currently catching up with the rest of the world.
17. Austria
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
Austria is the first of two countries back-to-back on his list who are mostly remembered for what they have done in the past. Their only two semifinal appearances of the World Cup came in 1938 in 1950, and they haven’t made a World Cup in almost two decades.
There are still a few talented players to come out of Austria and contribute in the biggest domestic leagues, but soccer isn’t as dominant as it was in the past.
16. Hungary
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 2 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Nemzeti Bajnokság I (Ranked 39 In The World)
Soccer in Hungary was at its peak over half a century ago. They were finalists in the 1938 and 1954 World Cup, but recent struggles have knocked them down lists like this for quite a while.
They have failed to make a World Cup since 1986, and that drought seems to be going on with no end in sight. There are some promising young players with a chance to help them turn the corner at some point. Whether it actually happens remains to be seen.
15. Mexico
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Liga MX (Ranked 21st In The World)
Mexican soccer has been a pretty consistent performer in the last few years. They take a little bit of advantage of being in a weaker region for qualification, but they are almost always in the World Cup.
Not only do they make appearances, but they have decent showings in almost every World Cup. They have made the Round of 16 several years in a row, but getting past that quarterfinals hump has been tough for them.
They have only made the quarterfinals twice and lost both times. Their women’s national team is on the rise, but still a ways away from actually competing.
14. Poland
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 2 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Ekstraklasa (Ranked 33rd In The World)
Poland in the 1970s and 1980s was one of the best countries consistently internationally. They’ve dipped a bit since then, but they do have some strong players who have made a big impact on domestic leagues.
A couple of third-place finishes at World Cups have helped them keep their position, but they need to do something more recently to really keep up.
13. Serbia
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Serbian Superligan (Ranked 35th In The World)
The Serbian National Team has done a good job in their short history of turning into a pretty solid power in Europe. They have yet to have any truly defining moment internationally just yet, but they certainly have the players to make a splash at some point.
Serbia does deserve a little bit of credit for what some of their players historically accomplished when playing for the Yugoslav team. As a smaller country trying to compete with big powers in Europe, they still hold their own.
12. Sweden
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 1 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 2 | Bronze: 3 |
- Domestic League: Allsvenskan (Ranked 27th In The World)
Making a run to the Final Eight at the 2018 World Cup put a lot of attention on the Swedish national team. It was their first time making it that far since 1984, and they seem to be poised for another run in the World Cup in 2022.
Their domestic league isn’t the best, but they have many players performing well for the clubs in other countries during the regular season.
Sweden’s women’s team is also a very tough squad looking to compete in every major tournament with the United States. They’ve been in the Top 5 on the women’s side for a while.
11. Russia
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
With its population, the Russian team should be better. They did make the quarterfinals at the 2018 World Cup, but their National Team has not been capable of keeping up with the biggest powers in Europe.
To make matters worse, the women’s National Team has not exactly come together or done anything that great either. The hope is that eventually, Russia will become a power, but right now, all they can count on is a few individuals who have had success.
10. Uruguay
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 2 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
- Domestic League: Uruguayan Primera División (Ranked 30th In The World)
Right when the World Cup started, Uruguay won a title in 1930 and 1950. Since then, they have not been able to do much, although they did make the semifinals in 2010.
They have some solid players to show the world that South America is not just about Brazil and Argentina, but it’s hard to build up consistency when the country is so small.
9. Belgium
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
Belgium now seems well on its way to becoming a permanent fixture in the top 10 as far as countries are concerned.
They’ve made the World Cup consistently, but they haven’t done much in the tournament itself. They did reach the semifinals in 1986, but with their talent, they should be accomplishing more.
8. Netherlands
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 0 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 3 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
The prime years for the Netherlands might be no longer, but they are still one of the most historically solid teams in soccer. They are always very competitive at the international level, and they produce a few stars that play in leagues throughout Europe as well.
On top of everything else, they have some teams that make their mark as the best domestic clubs in the world. The most recent example is Ajax, which has made a few pushes through the Champions League in the last decade. The Dutch are very proud of what they have accomplished.
7. France
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 2 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 2 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
As the reigning World Cup Champions, France has plenty of bragging rights at the moment. Not only are there a ton of top players, including Kylian Mbappe, but their domestic leagues are getting better and better as well.
Paris St. Germain might be the most talented team in the world right now, especially after signing Lionel Messi to a new contract.
Do not sleep on the women’s side of French soccer either. They are a top-five team in the rankings and are one of the strongest contenders in the next World Cup.
6. Spain
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 1 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
The Spaniards have gone through a golden era of soccer over the last couple of decades. They are a major player in virtually every international tournament, and they have a fanbase that is very supportive of their teams.
La Liga has evolved into one of the most competitive leagues in the world, headlined by the likes of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid.
5. Argentina
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 3 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 3 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 0 |
Argentina hasn’t had the same international success as some of these top countries listed, but they have all the stars anyone could ever ask for. Maradona and Lionel Messi are the most talked-about guys, and both have their own arguments to be the greatest soccer player of all time.
A couple of domestic teams do a pretty good job keeping talent at home, but the best players generally travel to Europe to play internationally. If they can win a World Cup soon, they could legitimately be in the discussion as the top soccer country in the world.
4. England
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 1 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 0 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 0 | Bronze: 1 |
Was soccer invented in England? While the origin story of the game itself isn’t etched in stone, many believe that this is where the game was created. Nevertheless, this is one of the countries that take the game extremely seriously.
Not only does England have a truly passionate fan base, but it is home to the Premier League as well. Many believe it is the best and most balanced domestic league in the world.
3 .Italy
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 4 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 2 | Silver: 0 |
| Bronze: 1 | Bronze: 0 |
The Italians are the envy of so many countries, simply by looking at their consistency. Decade after decade, they are always in the mix to be the best.
They have four World Cup trophies on the men’s side, and their women’s side is not bad either. Yes, things have not always been perfect, but they are still major players.
Their domestic league Serie A is also one of the best in the world. A few of the teams, from Juventus to AS Roma, are Champions League contenders every year.
2. Germany
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 4 | Gold: 2 |
| Silver: 4 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 4 | Bronze: 0 |
The workman-like approach to soccer is very much respected by the Germans. There are so many professional players coming from Germany, and they have been some of the most consistent performers in international play.
Their top league is dominated by Bayern Munich, but they have a few other teams that are competitive in international competition. They don’t have true individual superstars like some other top countries, but they always have a consistent crop of talent. They are also one of the most disciplined groups of soccer players out there.
Their women’s national team is also one of the best in the world currently. Could they hold both World Cup trophies simultaneously in the near future?
1. Brazil
| FIFA World Cup Medals (Men) | FIFA World Cup Medals (Women) |
|---|---|
| Gold: 5 | Gold: 0 |
| Silver: 2 | Silver: 1 |
| Bronze: 2 | Bronze: 1 |
It’s been a while since Brazil last won a World Cup, but they are still as passionate about soccer as ever. They also produce high-end talent, even if those players generally flock to Europe to get the best money.
With all the support comes very high expectations in the country. They are expected to win in every international match-up, and fans are left wondering what happened if it doesn’t come together.
South America has been a bit slower building up interest in women’s soccer, but Brazil is the best on the continent. Marta, considered to be the best female soccer player ever, plays a huge role in inspiring a country.
I listed the greatest Brazilian soccer players ever in this post.
