In football, as with most things in life, change is constant. Many football national teams or clubs who were previously on a lower pedestal are now doing great and are probably on their way to becoming one of the elite sides in world football.
There are a number of football teams on the rise today. After falling from grace, and being regarded as minnows, or average teams, these football teams are now gradually experiencing an upturn in their performances.
Here are seven football teams that are currently on the rise.
1. FC Union Berlin
FC Union Berlin are a German football club that currently competes in the German Bundesliga.
Union Berlin have experienced tremendous progress in a short period of time.
From 2009 to 2019, the club played in the 2. Bundesliga, the second division of German football. Union won promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019 — the first time in the club’s history and finished in 11th place in the 2019–20 season.
In Union Berlin’s second Bundesliga season, they qualified for the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League after finishing in 7th position. Their first European campaign in 20 years.
In the 2022/23 season, the club are currently in the UEFA Europa League knockout stages and are also third in the Bundesliga table, ahead of Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, and RB Leipzig.
The head coach of Union Berlin is Urs Fischer, who has been at the helm since 2018.
2. Georgia national football team
Although the Georgian national team have not qualified for any major tournament since their history, they are definitely on the rise, and a European qualification is not far off.
The Georgia national football team began in 1990 and played their first match when the country was still part of the Soviet Union.
In 2016, Georgia beat the former European champions Spain 1–0 in a friendly.
The Georgians almost qualified for the UEFA Euros 2020 but suffered a devastating home defeat to North Macedonia in the crucial match, and we’re unable to finally make their debut in a major competition.
However, the Georgian national team are still on the rise. They claimed a shock 2-0 win over Sweden at the 2022 World Cup qualification on November 2021.
Georgia have also produced talented young football players who play in many of the top European clubs.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has taken Europe by storm this season, but he is just one of the many serious talents that Georgia are producing.
Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Georges Mikautadze (Metz), Zuriko Davitashvili (Bordeaux), and Irakli Azarovi (Red Star Belgrade) are just some of the talented Georgian youngsters.
3. RB Leipzig
Leipzig has come a long way in the 13 short years since its creation in 2009.
The Red Bull-sponsored club has climbed fast through the various German football divisions to now establish itself as an elite club in the Bundesliga.
RBL got promoted to the top-tier German league in 2016 and finished impressively in second place.
Since their debut in the Bundesliga, they have only finished outside the top 4 once and have become a regular team in the UEFA Champions League.
Red Bull Leipzig have also won a trophy, the DFB-Pokal, in the 2021/2022 season.
4. Atalanta
Since their return to the Italian Serie A in 2011, the Black and Blues have steadily continued to improve and, in recent seasons, have consistently finished in the top 6.
Under head coach Gian Gasperini, La Dea have transformed from also-rans to genuine contenders.
Over the past couple of seasons, Atalanta has finished 3rd in the league on two occasions.
They have also done fairly well in the UEFA Champions League, getting as far as the quarterfinals in the 2019/2020 season.
During this period, they also came close to winning their second Coppa Italia trophy losing 2-0 to Lazio in the final in 2019.
Although they failed to qualify for any European competition in the 2021/222 season, Atalanta have been in great form in the ongoing Serie A campaign and are one of the title contenders.
5. Newcastle United
The new Saudi owners of the club seem to have invigorated the Tyneside team, who have steadily posted impressive results since the takeover of the club last season.
Newcastle was able to finish in the 11th position in the last campaign despite a disastrous start that left them in the relegation spots for the first few weeks of the 2021/2022 English Premier League season.
The Magpies have started well in this campaign and are currently battling for the top 7 positions.
The anticipated improvements to the squad in the next couple of years should see Newcastle United strong enough to challenge the bigger teams for titles.
6. Napoli
The Naples club, in recent years, has often flattered to deceive, but things could be finally falling into place going by their recent performances in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.
The Italian club looks like they could be league contenders in this year’s Scudetto campaign, and their swashbuckling displays in the group stage of the Champions League make them unlikely dark horses.
Napoli are the major contenders to win the Italian Serie A this season and are currently one of the unbeaten teams in the European Leagues so far.
7. Arsenal
The current Gunners are still a long way from the Invincible Arsenal side of the mid-2000s, but recent results in the league show the good times might just be coming back to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta has shown Arsenal fans why they should trust his process.
He has built a formidable team that are playing good football and producing results.
The North Londoners are currently top of the table in the Premier League, and with how they are performing in the UEFA Europa League, their 29-year wait for a European title might soon end.
