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Closing a chapter (cont.)

Posted: Thursday May 18, 2006 11:20AM; Updated: Thursday May 18, 2006 4:59PM
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Note: All rankings, records and statistics are through May 17.

One housekeeping note: The World Power Rankings are going on hiatus until the conclusion of the World Cup. Stay tuned next week for weekly World Cup Power Rankings.

World Soccer Power Rankings
Rank Prev. Team
1 1 One of the few things that really pained me about the Champions League final was watching the normally unflappable Ronaldinho struggle. He muffed two free kicks, misplayed the ball on several possessions and looked lost. But the man with the million-dollar smile will take it. One match doesn't take away from his phenomenal year. Raise your hand if you can't wait to see Brazil in action in a few weeks.
2 4 This is what we were talking about when we opined that Chelsea's one-trophy repeat was a curse for the haters. Pushing 30, Michael Ballack is going to make an obscene amount of money (hard to justify that one), and if you think Andriy Shevchenko won't be wearing blue next season, you're in a quickly shrinking minority. If not Sheva up front, then maybe Carlos Tévez or Samuel Eto'o. The Galáctico school of empire-building has just shifted about 800 miles north-northeast.
3 3 Pity poor Le Mans. Lyon decided to put on one final show for the home fans with nothing on the line. The result was a whupping to end all whuppings: an 8-1 whitewash featuring a hat trick from Fred, a typically pretty Juninho free-kick strike and two completely unnecessary goals in the final four minutes. You wonder if the players are trying to tell club chairman Jean-Michel Aulas they really don't want Ruud van Nistelrooy as a teammate next season.
4 8 Are you sensing a theme here? A Liverpool team is outplayed for most of the match, then somehow gets a few lucky bounces mixed in with some awesome individual efforts. All of a sudden, the 'Pudlian faithful are going nuts as their team grabs victory at the last conceivable second. Wonder how many heart problems the Reds have contributed to along the Merseyside over the past two seasons. Those pies and scouse stew can't help. Congrats to the FA Cup champs.
5 5 It's hard to believe this is the same side that started the English Premier League season gasping for air. The young Gunners grew up before our eyes and finished the season on an amazing run that saw them clinch a spot in next season's Champions League on the final day of the season and nearly lift the European Cup for the first time. With or without Thierry Henry, in a couple of seasons this group may very well be the next European powerhouse for years to come.
6 9 Bayern moves up after finally clinching the Bundesliga title -- and for a merciful end to the Ballack saga. The booing at Allianz Arena wasn't good for anyone and alluded to more than meets the eye, according to this story from The Guardian. Maybe Ballack leaving is best for all parties involved. Bayern should now focus on replacing its man in the middle. My vote goes to a guy already in the fold: Paraguayan Julio Dos Santos.
7 --
FC Porto
Dragons fan Joe Senos of Boston wanted to know where his boys have been on these Rankings. We hear your pleas, Joe. Porto went wire-to-wire to win its 21st SuperLiga title and 13th Portuguese Cup, doing the double for the first time since some slick-talking dude in an Armani and a scarf coached this team. The Dragões would have been here more often if they hadn't disappeared (and that's letting them off easy) in a gimme of a Champions League group earlier in the season.
8 10 Congratulations to the Xeneizes, who have come full-circle from their recent dark days and are again an Argentine dynasty. Credit manager Alfio Basile for guiding the team to two straight titles and four trophies over a year's span. Boca will be more than eager to get back into regional competitions when the Copa Sudamericana kicks off in August.
9 --
Internacional de Porto Alegre
Finally, O Colorado makes its debut after knocking on the door for months. Internacional hadn't lost in 27 matches until it fell 2-1 to Liga de Quito in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal. We'll excuse that one, because: a) that's one heck of an impressive streak, and b) at 9,200 feet, LDU might have the most daunting home field advantage in the Western Hemisphere outside of the Azteca.
10 6
São Paulo
How ridiculous is it that CONMEBOL scheduled the second legs of the Libertadores quarterfinals after the World Cup? Here's a word for the South American suits to learn: continuidad. Then again, the defending world champs could probably use a break. The Tricolor dropped a tough first leg to Brazilian-killers Estudiantes la Plata after being reduced to nine men. Then they lost a heartbreaker of an away match to Internacional in a battle for the top of the Brazilian table.
Honorable mentions: Sevilla, Werder Bremen, Santos (Brazil), Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax Amsterdam, Olympiakos, Liga de Quito
Dropped off: AC Milan, Juventus

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