A number of former elite teams from
major European leagues have been miserably stuck in the lower tiers.
Being among the elite at football’s
top level is certainly beneficial. It gives them an advantage to gain more
revenues from the continual opportunities in the continental competition, huge
sponsors, packed stadiums, global fans, and most importantly, chances for
silverware. However, staying among the elites also requires consistency and
quality in all departments of the club, from sports to finance.
In the past few years, football has
seen how giants can lose their elite status. Chelsea, Barcelona, and recently,
Ajax Amsterdam, are just a few examples. They are still in the top flight but
are currently struggling to bounce back and regain their top badges on the
continent.
In reality, other former elite sides
have been a disgrace. They have been unable to return to the level they once
were. Some managed to get promoted to the top tier but spent most of their
campaign avoiding relegation before dropping back down, while others have been
simply stuck in the second tier for too long. Here are the miserable former
elites who are still competing in the lower division.
Leeds United
The Whites might only be struggling
to survive in the top flight since their return three years ago. but they
belonged to the elite in two eras: the 1970s and the early 1990s and 2000s. In
the former era, during Don Revie’s tenure, they became the runners-up in the
UEFA Champions Cup 1975 (formerly known as the European Cup) and Cup Winners
Cup 1973 (the second tier of European competition, similar to the Europa League
today). They also won the league twice, in 1969 and 1974, and were runners-up
consecutively from 1970 to 1973.
In the latter period, Leeds won
their top-flight silverware in 1991, with Eric Cantona as their star. They
constantly finished in the top five from 1994 to 2002, with the exception of
1996 and 1997. A number of star players joined the Whites during that period,
such as Ghana’s Anthony Yeboah, the Swedish forward in the 1994 FIFA World Cup,
Tomas Brolin, or two Australian stars, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell, They
reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League 2001 and UEFA Cup 2000 (the old name of
the Europa League). Their decline began in 2003, and they were eventually
relegated a year later. due to the financial crisis, which instantly eliminated
their elite status.
They are now in the Championship and
sit second behind the league leader, Leicester City. Daniel Farke's men could
return to the Premier League next season, but they are unlikely to compete in
the top five again in the near future.
Parma
Parma probably has the most tragic
story, from hero to zero. In the 1990s until early 2000s, they were the elite
side. Parma constantly finished in the top five, was involved in the title race
in 1993, 1995, and 1997, and won three European titles, one Cup Winners Cup and two UEFA Cups in 1993, 1995, and 2000 respectively. The
squad included world-class players such as Gianfranco Zola, Tomas Brolin,
Hernan Crespo, Nestor Sensini, Juan Veron, and Lilian Thuram. However, they
went bankrupt, which resulted in their relegation in 2008. They did manage to
bounce back in 2010, but never saw their glorious years again. In fact, Parma
fell into the same hole of bankruptcy and relegation in 2015. Now, they are
leading the Serie B table and the frontrunner in Serie A promotion after
another relegation in 2021.
Sampdoria
Il Samp had their glorious years
from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Roberto Mancini and Co. were able to win
their first and only Serie A title in 1991, lift a trophy in a European
second-tier competition, the Winners Cup 1990, after being the runner-up in
1989, and be UCL finalists in 1992. Sampdoria, led by Vujadin Boskov,
consistently finished in the top five during that era. Such attracted a number
of world stars to join them, including England's 1990 World Cup hero, David
Platt, the late Sinisa Mihajlovic, two Argentina talismans, Juan Veron and
Ariel Ortega, Clarence Seedorf, and Cristian Karembeu. Their decline began
after dropping to Serie B in 1999. Despite bouncing back to the top flight in
2003, they no longer competed for a European place. In fact, they went down
again twice, in 2012 and 2022.
St.Etienne
St.Etienne was an elite side in
French football in the past. They won 10 Ligue 1 titles, eight of which were
clinched in the 1960s and 1970s, plus six domestic cups in the same decades.
They also managed to reach the final of the 1976 European Cup, the old version
of the UEFA Champions League. Led by Robert Harbin, St.Etienne were able to
knock out USSR giants Dynamo Kiev and PSV Eindhoven. Dominique Rocheteau and
Co. even almost frustrated their opposition in the final, the reigning
champions, Bayer Munich, before Die Roten broke the deadlock in the 57th
minute as Franz Roth scored their winning goal.
Saint Etienne’s last league title
was in 1981, led by the French legend and former UEFA President, Michel Platini,
as the skipper, whereas their last silverware was the French League Cup in
2013. The former Lille and PSG boss, Christophe Galtier, was the one who guided
them to lift their first trophy in more than 30 years. Unfortunately, this
turned out to be their last hurrah instead of the new beginning of their glory.
The club went down a declining path before their eventual relegation in 2022.
They are now sitting seventh on the table after 24 games.
Schalke 04
The German outfit, which was one of
the Bundesliga elites from 2000 to 2019, was on the opposite end of the
standings. Their rise began in 1997, when Jens Lehmann and Co. surprisingly
snatched the UEFA Cup (the old name of the Europa League) title after beating
Inter Milan. Schalke earned their elite status as they consistently stayed at
the top table, even managing to finish second in 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2018.
They also won the DFB Pokal in 2001, 2002, and 2011, and reached the
semi-finals of the UCL in 2011. They have had a number of stars, including
Jefferson Farfan, Raul Gonzales, Klas Jan Huntelaar, and Kevin Prince Boateng,
as well as local talent like Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka. Their decline was
triggered by the financial crisis and COVID-19 in 2019, resulting in their
relegation in 2021. Schalke did return to the top flight instantly in 2022,
only to go down again in summer 2023. The Gelsenkirchen side is currently
sitting in the lower table of Bundesliga 2.
Hamburg SV
They are probably the most
unfortunate former elite club. Hamburg SV was Bayern’s strong contender in the
late 1970s and 1980s. They won three Bundesliga titles (1979, 1982, and 1983). became
the runners-up in 1976, 1980, 1981, 1984, and 1987. Hamburg also snatched the Champions Cup trophy in 1983, and lost in the 1980 final plus the 1982 Winners Cup final. The German outfit then turned into regular mid-table teams with
occasional European campaigns in the following decades before losing their
top-flight status entirely in 2018. Hamburg has never been able to make their
return to the Bundesliga ever since, despite constantly securing a place in the
promotion playoffs in the past few seasons.
Deportivo La Coruna
La Coruna currently competes in the
third tier, but they were among the top clubs from 1993 to 2004. During their
peak years in the early 2000s, they won their first La Liga title in 2000,
followed by the Copa Del Rey in 2002 and the Champions League semifinals in 2004. La Coruna
finished in the top three in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 2001–2004. Their
decline began in 2005, and they lost their elite status from 2006 onwards, when
legendary manager Javier Irrureta resigned. Unfortunately, the club has
gradually declined from being promoted and relegated frequently to their
current position in the third tier. It is quite surprising because their squad
was filled with stars in their golden era, with the likes of Bebeto and
Nourredine Naybet, Mauro Silva, 1998 and 2002 World Cup stars, Rivaldo,
Dutchman forward Roy Makaay and the current Argentina boss, Lionel Scaloni.
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