Meet the football club with the most valuable squad
In most European leagues, champions have already been crowned, but the finals of the three UEFA club competitions, the battle for international qualification spots, and the Premier League run-in still promise plenty of excitement for football enthusiasts. The latest update of the Football Benchmark Player Valuation platform reveals which squad currently holds the highest value in the world and who is the most valuable player on the market.
Manchester England-England
The May update of the Football Benchmark Player Valuation platform highlights numerous intriguing insights and novelties, but some aspects remain constant. A prime example is the hierarchy of average player values across global football leagues.
In the English Premier League, the average player value stands at €26.6 million, nearly double that of the second-placed German Bundesliga at €14 million. Notably, seventy more players from the English top tier were assessed in this evaluation.
The only non-European competition in the top 10 by aggregate league market value is Brazil’s top tier, where footballers are valued at €2.7 million on average.
The only second division league featured on the list is the EFL Championship, with an average player value of €3.6 million.
Examining the top 10 list of the world’s most valuable squads reveals the Premier League’s dominant presence: six of the ten teams compete in the English top flight.
At the top of the list are the two contenders for the Premier League title this season, Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC. They are followed by Real Madrid CF, vying for their 15th UEFA Champions League (UCL) victory, who eliminated FC Bayern München (ranked fourth) in the UCL semi-finals. Paris Saint-Germain FC are “only” in seventh place, mainly due to Kylian Mbappé’s contract expiration, which currently values the player at €0, according to the Football Benchmark methodology. More on this here.
Hey Jude
Regarding Mbappé, the French World Cup winner is expected to become the world’s most valuable player once he signs for a new club. However, currently, this title belongs to English prodigy Jude Bellingham, who is preparing for his first Champions League final and is valued at €187.8 million. Two of Bellingham’s teammates also made it to the top 10 list: Vinícius Júnior in third place and Rodrygo in eighth.
Since February, three of the top 10 players have significantly increased their value: Phil Foden, Vinícius Júnior, and Florian Wirtz. All three are performing exceptionally for their respective teams; Vini Jr. has already secured the LaLiga title this year and could win the Champions League, Foden is aiming for Premier League and FA Cup titles with Manchester City FC, and Wirtz is preparing for an unprecedented “invincible” treble with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Beyond Manchester City FC and Real Madrid CF, Arsenal FC contribute two players to the list (Saka and Rice), while FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen contribute one player each (Musiala and Wirtz).
Notably, Rodri, at 27, is the oldest player on the list, with all others aged 25 or younger.
If the international elite weren’t already youthful, consider the top 10 list of players born after January 1, 2004. Players needed a minimum valuation of €44 million to make this list, a threshold narrowly met by Manchester City FC’s young talent Rico Lewis.
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Since February, three of the top 10 players have significantly increased their value: Phil Foden, Vinícius Júnior, and Florian Wirtz. All three are performing exceptionally for their respective teams; Vini Jr. has already secured the LaLiga title this year and could win the Champions League, Foden is aiming for Premier League and FA Cup titles with Manchester City FC, and Wirtz is preparing for an unprecedented “invincible” treble with Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Beyond Manchester City FC and Real Madrid CF, Arsenal FC contribute two players to the list (Saka and Rice), while FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen contribute one player each (Musiala and Wirtz).
Notably, Rodri, at 27, is the oldest player on the list, with all others aged 25 or younger.
If the international elite weren’t already youthful, consider the top 10 list of players born after January 1, 2004. Players needed a minimum valuation of €44 million to make this list, a threshold narrowly met by Manchester City FC’s young talent Rico Lewis.
Topping the list of players with the greatest increase in value is the in-form Cole Palmer, whose worth has surged by over €20 million since February.
Unsurprisingly, Viktor Gyökeres also appears on the list. A newly crowned Portuguese champion, Gyökeres is a potential star of the upcoming summer transfer window and is on the radar of several top European clubs. His value has risen by €15.5 million since February and now stands at €63.5 million.
End of an era
As is well known, UEFA club competitions will undergo a major renewal starting next season, introducing a new format. This makes this year’s finals particularly special, as they mark the end of an era.
Surprisingly, none of the six finalists are English teams. However, Olympiakos CFP will represent a league outside the Big Five in the finals. This is the first time in 53 years that a Greek club made it to a European club competition final.
In all three matchups, there is a significant disparity in squad values: Real Madrid CF’s squad is almost exactly twice as valuable as Borussia Dortmund’s, Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s squad is valued at €323 million more than Atalanta BC’s, and ACF Fiorentina enters the UECL final with a squad €168 million more valuable than Olympiakos CFP’s.
