Luck. Unity. Talent. Determination. Team spirit. Never-say-die-attitude and an unparalleled will to win are characteristics synonymous with champions.
Great teams bring all these elements together over the course of a grueling campaign, and at the end of it, when the pretenders have fallen by the wayside, they stand tall with the title aloft.
Frank Arnesen, who won the Eredivisie six times with Ajax and PSV, believes the key to conquering the league is winning when you're playing badly.
"The teams who can get the most out of the weak periods are the ones who win titles," Hamburg's sporting director told FFT.
Can your team grind out a result? Can they stand up and be countered when the going gets tough?
Words of advice from Arnesen might help you fight for that extra inch....
Also see:
Frank Arnesen: Pre-match preparation
‘After Manchester City’s recent form, maybe they’re the underdogs against Manchester United!’ Former Red Devils defender on this weekend’s derby
‘Arteta, Alonso, Emery, me… none of us were physical players – we needed the understanding of the game. That probably helped us move into management’: Premier League boss reveals reasons for natural career progression
