To the winners (only) go the spoils

Get your rotten tomatoes and cabbage ready -- it's the time of year where we rearrange the Rankings and reward the trophy-winners (and those teams still in contention) throughout the power spots of world football. No silverware equals no spoils, and that means that even though teams like Liverpool, Sevilla and AC Milan finished the season strong, they get left out for going home empty-handed. Qualifying for next season's revamped Champions League is a nice consolation prize, but it's hard to keep taking satisfaction in that if your team can't deliver a trophy. Know what I mean, Arsenal fans?

Our rundown below is sure to be controversial, but let's be clear about this: You play the game to win. There's no trophy for second place. This will be it for us in Rankingsville for a while as we take a summer break to enjoy some international play and Confederations Cup for the next month. Stay tuned for my reports from Chicago as the U.S. takes on Honduras on Saturday, and then the triumphant return of our own Grant Wahl, reporting from South Africa in a couple of weeks.

Note: All rankings, records and statistics are through May 31.

World Soccer Power Rankings