SANTIAGO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Chilean soccer club Universidad de Chile, well known as "La U", are the third best club in the world behind Spain's Barcelona and Real Madrid, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) on Wednesday.

The Chilean club, coached by Argentine Jorge Sampaoli, climbed one position to the No. 3 spot in the list of the Top 400.

La U, champions of the 2011 Opening and Closing tournament and of the 2011 Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana, began the current season with the same intensity and effective play they showed last year.

La U now lead Chile's domestic tournament and are a favorite to win the 2012 Copa Libertadores.