The CIES Football Observatory has released an updated list of the world’s most valuable players, with Cristiano Ronaldo pipped to second place by Premier League Player of the Year Eden Hazard…
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The calculations are based on ability, age, contract length and markability.
Below, we’ve listed the top 20, offering our own insights into their stated values.
20) Karim Benzema – Real Madrid – €44-49m
The French striker has been consistently linked (like here in the Daily Star…) but really, there’s no chance of him arriving this summer.
19) Oscar – Chelsea – €47-52m
We’re just chuffed to see Chelsea’s Brazilian playmaker valued below our own superior one…
18) Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea – €50-55m
The only keeper on the list, Chelsea’s Belgian is valued so highly because of his age, as he’s not a better stopper than Manuel Neuer.
17) Coutinho – Liverpool – €50-55m
It’s fantastic to see Coutinho ranked so highly, although even if someone did come in with this kind of offer, we’d tell them where to stick it. He’s ours, and he’s going nowhere!
16) Gareth Bale – Real Madrid – €51-56m
Bale, the most expensive player in history, has seen his value drop as a result of his poor calendar year.
15) Harry Kane – Tottenham – €53-58m
The second highest rated Englishman on the list behind one of our own, Kane plundered 31 goals for Spurs last term, winning his first international cap in the process.
14) Isco – Real Madrid – €57-62m
Isco’s got two of the best and most creative feet in the game, and it’s insane to think he’s not even an automatic starter in Madrid.
13) Cesc Fabregas – Chelsea – €58-64m
Fabregas cost Chelsea roughly £27m last summer (via Telegraph) so his value represents the Blues’ title winning season and the role he played in it.
12) Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid – €59-64m
The French striker has performed brilliantly since switching from Real Sociedad last summer, and his potential price-tag has rocketed as a result. We wish we’d gone in for him back then, when we had the cash and the offer of Champions League football.
11) Luis Suarez – Barcelona – €60-66m
Suarez recently bagged the decisive goal in the Champions League final, justifying his personal motivation for a move away from Anfield last summer. We hold no grudges, and are just grateful we got to see him give his all for us. It’d be nice to see him back, mind!
10) James Rodriguez – Real Madrid – €62-68m
The second highest valued Real Madrid player, James has got it all – and it’s frightening to think how good he’ll be when he reaches his peak.
9) Alexis Sanchez – Barcelona – €67-74m
Another player we wished we’d snapped up last summer. Sanchez joined Arsenal of course instead, and enjoyed a phenomenal debut season – winning the FA Cup and bagging 25 goals from the wing.
8) Diego Costa – Chelsea – €69-76m
A truly detestable chap, Costa. We think the Spanish forward is valued too highly here, considering the fact that he spends a large amount of time on the treatment table.
7) Paul Pogba – Juventus – €70-77m
Probably the best central midfielder in the world. Surely Sir Alex Ferguson’s biggest mistake was to allow Pogba to join Juventus on a free transfer from Manchester United… What on earth was he thinking?
6) Raheem Sterling – Liverpool – €73-78m
Remarkably, our wantaway winger is ranked as the world’s sixth most valuable player. Sterling wants to join a club in London (via Daily Star), but if he is to leave this summer, it’s going to cost any potential suitors a truly enormous fee. If nothing arrives, we should keep hold of him.
5) Sergio Aguero – Manchester City – €78-86m
A truly brilliant centre-forward, and for us, the best player in the Premier League. He notches 30 goals a season while missing multiple games with injury, and the Mirror are linking him with a potentially enormous move to Real Madrid.
4) Neymar – Barcelona – €89-98m
When Ronaldo and Messi move on, Neymar’s a practical shoe-in for the tag of ‘best player in the world’ isn’t he…? The Brazilian smashed 39 goals for all-dominating Barcelona this term, forming one third of arguably the best front-line ever collated in club football.
3) Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid – €113-124m
Ronaldo’s down to no.3 behind Eden Hazard. This is partly because he’s in his thirties now, and partly because his form very slightly tailed off in 2015.
2) Eden Hazard – Chelsea – €135-148m
Hazard is only 24-years-old, so is yet to enter his footballing peak – but he’s already won multiple club and individual awards. A Premier League Player of the Year award this term outlined his excellent form, but we still wouldn’t swap him for Coutinho!
1) Lionel Messi – Barcelona – €255-280m
Messi is valued at almost double the next best player in the world, and it’s probably deserved… The Argentine is fresh off the back of perhaps his best ever season, which culminated in a Barcelona treble. He’s notched 412 club goals in total, and he’s still only 27-years-old. Absolutely outrageous!
