Stat Nerds: Chelsea now world’s best club

They may be out of the Champions League, fourth in the Premier League and without a full-time manager, but Chelsea are also currently the best football club in the world.
Well at least that is according to the latest rankings published by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
The group was founded in 1984 in Germany with the blessing of FIFA and have produced their monthly club world rankings since 1991.
The ranking "takes into consideration the results of twelve months of continental and intercontinental competitions, national league matches (including play-offs) and the most important national cup (excluding points won before the round of 16)."
However, the latest ranking has sprung up more than its share of surprising results with previous leaders Barcelona having dropped from first to fifth.
Chelsea are the new leaders ahead of Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munch and World Club Champions Corinthians.
Premier League leaders Manchester United are only 19th on the list below Swiss club FC Basel and level with Paraguayan outfit Libertad Asuncion.
The IFFHS also names the "world most popular footballer" based on an online poll each year and that has also produced some odd outcomes.
Last year's the award did not go to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo but rather Borussia Monchengladbach's Venezuelan midfielder Juan Arango.
In 2011 the award went to Eduardo Vargas of Chile while the 2010 honour was bestowed upon Farhad Majidi of Iran.
The IFFHS has no affiliation with FIFA but do received 'logistical support' from world football's governing body.see list after cut....


IFFHS current top 20 clubs in the world (Top 400 here)
1. Chelsea (England)
2. Atletico Madrid (Spain)
3. Bayern Munich (Germany)
4. Corinthians (Brazil)
5. Barcelona (Spain)
6. Boca Juniors (Argentina)
7. Real Madrid (Spain)
8. Juventus (Italy)
9. Internazionale (Italy)
10. Sao Paulo (Brazil)
11. Universidad de Chile Santiago (Chile)
12. Fluminense (Brazil)
13. FC Basel (Switzerland)
T14. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
T14. Lazio (Italy)
16. Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
17. Lyon (France)
18. Paris St Germain (France)
T19. Manchester United (England)
T19. Club Libertad Asunción (Paraguay)
T19. Celtic (Scotland)