Among the major criteria often looked at when judging the importance of a player is his market value. The most valuable football players on the planet can be found in the top European leagues like the English Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and the Bundesliga.
A player’s market value is determined by various factors like age, potential, skills/talent, experience, achievements, contract duration, position, brand (commercial value), league, and even nationality.
In some cases, Super football agents also play indirect roles in influencing the market value of their clients.
In recent years, the transfer fees paid by football clubs for their players have sky-rocketed. In 1975, Guiseppe Savoldi was signed by Napoli for a then-world record fee of £1.2m — making him the first-ever million-pound player in football history.
In 2017, PSG signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record €222m (£199m), showing how rapidly the market value of football players has risen.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo used to be the most valued footballers on the planet, but their value has drastically dropped due to age.
It’s not straightforward to ascertain the exact market value of a player as clubs sometimes sell players well or below their release clauses (if there is any).
One of the most reliable sources used to measure the current market value of football is the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), which uses a good algorithm to measure the value of players.
But for this article, TOP SOCCER BLOG will use players’ values from the German-based website, Transfermarkt.
Estimated player values on Transfermarkt are usually updated every few months; considering how the association football market works, these estimates might be slightly lower or higher than a player’s current form and, therefore, the current value might suggest.
1. Kylian Mbappé (PSG)
Age: 23
Market value: €160m
Unsurprisingly, Kylian Mbappe is the most valuable football player in the world in 2022. The French forward has been in phenomenal form yet again this season as he scored 39 goals and made 26 assists in 46 appearances in all competitions.
The 23-year-old was a subject of a huge transfer battle between PSG and Real Madrid as his contract ended this season. But the Parisian club eventually triumphed by offering Mbappe astronomical fees and huge control in the club.
2. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Age: 21
Market value: €150m
Haaland is one of the hottest properties in football as almost every top club in Europe wanted him. English Premier League champions Manchester City eventually won the race for the Norwegian’s signature.
It’s not surprising that Haaland commands a hefty market value as the striker scored 29 goals and made 8 assists in just 30 games in all competitions this season.
3. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Age: 21
Market value: €100m
Vinicius Junior has eventually come of age this season. The Brazilian attacker was in mesmerising form throughout the season as he made 51 appearances, scored 21 goals, and made 20 appearances in all competitions.
His heroics led Real Madrid to the La Liga and Supercopa titles. The UEFA Champions League awaits as Vinicius and Real face Liverpool.
4. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Age: 29
Market value: €100m
Salah took his performances to a whole new level this season, scoring 31 goals and providing 16 assists in 51 appearances. Salah’s performance earned Liverpool the League Cup and FA Cup trophies.
5. Harry Kane ( Tottenham Hotspur)
Age: 28
Market value: €100m
Manchester City’s €100m bid for Harry Kane was rejected by Tottenham last summer. Although his performances have not been extraordinary this season, the Englishman still managed 27 goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions. According to the CIES Football Observatory algorithm, Harry Kane is the world most expensive player from a transfer value perspective.
6. Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Age: 21
Market value: €90m
Foden is Manchester City’s future jewel. Despite his age, he already has 4 Premier League titles, among other trophies.
The midfielder continues to improve rapidly and plays in a way that belies his age. Due to his age and potential, he is among the top 10 most valuable players in the world.
Foden scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions in 2021/22.
7. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Age: 27
Market value: €90m
Since joining Man United, Bruno Fernandes has been their best player. The Red Devils really flopped this season, and it had an impact on Bruno’s performances.
His performances will have been more appreciated in another top team as he created the most chances in the Premier League in 2021/22
Fernandes scored 10 goals and made 14 assists in 46 appearances in all competitions this season.
8. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Age: 30
Market value: €90m
Kevin De Bruyne deservedly won the Premier League Player of the Season award for his outstanding contributions to Man City’s title victory.
The Belgian continues showing that he is among the best players in the world. De Bruyne scored 19 goals and made 14 assists in 45 appearances this term.
9. Neymar (PSG)
Age: 30
Market value: €90m
Neymar still remains the most expensive footballer in history, having joined PSG from Barcelona in a €222m deal in 2017.
Although he hasn’t performed up to expectations in France, and his performances in recent seasons have been below par, he still commands a huge market value. The Brazilian can still pull in huge commercial revenues as a brand.
Neymar scored 13 goals and provided 8 assists in 28 games in all competitions this season.
10. Dušan Vlahović (Juventus)
Age: 22
Market value: €85m
Vlahović has been a huge revelation this season as he sparkled throughout. The Serbian striker’s performances earned him a transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus in January, and he fit in at the top level seamlessly.
Due to his relatively young age, he has a huge market value.
Vlahović scored 29 goals and made 6 assists in 45 matches this season.
