Transfer market database
©TM/IMAGO
Football is the most followed sport in the world with an estimated 3.5 billion fans, and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was watched by over 5 billion. The most valuable players in the world are of course concentrated in the markets with the most capital – the five major European leagues and also financially strong countries such as Saudi Arabia and the USA. Nine of the ten most valuable players come from Europe, only the Brazilian Vinicius Junior breaks this ranks with 150 million euros according to the October updates. But which nations have the most valuable players overall? The picture is somewhat different – although the historical top dogs dominate here too.
Depending on the strength of the leagues in the respective countries, Transfermarkt awards market values across the board up to the fourth division. In the German regional leagues or the English League Two, for example, while in Austria the 2nd league is the highest with an assessment for each player. A selection from the TM database reveals: England has the most valuable collection of footballers in the world with a total market value of 5.15 billion euros divided among 1,675 players.
Although the motherland of football has not won a major international tournament for almost 60 years, all doors are open for national coach Thomas Tuchel to put together a powerful team. Four players alone have a market value of more than 100 million euros each, including Jude Bellingham (22) who is the most valuable at 180 million. The Brazilians, who are second in the ranking, even have over 1,000 more players who have a market value, but at 4.99 billion euros they are still well below the English. In Brazil itself there are already over 1,000 professionals with a market value, but the five-time world champion also holds this title when it comes to exports. Hardly any other country has so many players spread around the world – from North and South America to Europe, Asia at both ends to Australia (for an overview) or South Africa (for an overview). Spain around the most valuable footballer in the world, Lamine Yamal (18), completes the podium.
However, the world champion in terms of players with a market value is Italy, where the three-pronged Serie C and the Serie D with nine seasons are also subject to analysis. 4,879 Italians currently have a market value. With a total of 2.82 billion euros, Sandro Tonali and Co. are also in seventh place behind Germany, where 3,080 players have a total value of around 3 billion euros. With a market value of 140 million euros, Jamal Musiala is the most valuable German professional in history. While Switzerland is in 28th place with 470 players and 637 million euros, Austria narrowly misses the top 30 with 504 million euros and 646 footballers (33rd). The Swiss are between Ukraine (644 million euros) and Ecuador (549 million euros), the Austrians between Ghana (516 million euros) and the Czech Republic (484 million euros).