Fansided

Barcelona, Real Madrid, FIFA headline latest Fandom 250 nominees

By Jake Walerius

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The world’s biggest soccer teams headline the latest nominees for FanSided’s Fandom 250.

FanSided is announcing the top 250 fandoms on the planet, from the world of sports, entertainment, pop culture and everything in between. This month, we’ll be announcing every fanbase that made the list, 10 at a time, with the full ranking to be published on December 6.

Today’s nominees include the biggest names in world soccer.

The Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo debate remains one of the most heated in the sport. Messi’s artistry is the perfect contrast to Ronaldo’s athleticism, but both are devastatingly effective on the pitch. Their teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, make the list as well. Barcelona have enjoyed more recent success, but will Real Madrid’s rich history give them the edge in our ranking?

Liverpool and Manchester United make up the third bitter rivalry among today’s nominees. The two most successful clubs in the history of English soccer have two of the largest fanbases in sports, despite declining performances in recent years, and two of the most iconic stadiums in the world.

Then there’s Bayern Munich, the undisputed giant of German soccer, and the only team in recent years to have toppled them, Borussia Dortmund. Bayern have a vast global reach, while Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion is renowned for being one of the most atmospheric stadiums in Europe. The last club on the list is A.C. Milan, winners of seven European Cups and 18 Serie A titles.

Rounding out today’s nominees is FIFA — no, not the universally unpopular governing body — one of the most universally beloved video games around, and a virtual venue for fans of all these teams to come together to humiliate one another.

Here’s the full list of nominees for November 8:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo
  • Lionel Messi
  • Barcelona
  • Real Madrid
  • Liverpool
  • A.C. Milan
  • Borussia Dortmund
  • Manchester United
  • Bayern Munich
  • FIFA (video game series)

For more information on the Fandom 250, stay tuned to FanSided as the rest of the list is unveiled over the course of the next month. The full rankings, which will crown the best fandom in the world, will be revealed on December 6.

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