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Market value is arguably the most important metric in football. It takes the form, fitness, and contract length of a player into account, giving us a near-perfect picture of a player.
Of course, determining the market value of a player is not a task for simpler minds, it is a task best left to the professionals.
Fortunately, the sharpest minds at CIES Football Observatory have taken it upon themselves to do the heavy lifting and give us a simple list of the most highly-valued footballers.
In the list below, we will check out their latest top-five rankings and try to look at the factors that have contributed to their valuations. Now, without further ado, let’s get to it.
Stats via: CIES Football Observatory
#5 Jude Bellingham (England and Borussia Dortmund) - €133.7 million
Carrying a valuation of €133.7 million, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is the most highly-valued English footballer in the world right now.
The 18-year-old exudes unmatched confidence, demonstrates excellent decision-making, possesses excellent vision, and pops up with goal contributions regularly.
The aforementioned qualities, and more, make him one of the most sought-after young footballers in the world right now.
Bellingham, who joined Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020, was the German club’s standout midfielder in the recently concluded 2021-22 season.
Bellingham featured in 44 games across competitions for BVB, recording six goals and 14 assists.
He is currently travelling with Gareth Southgate’s England and is expected to play a key role in the Three Lions' 2022-23 Nations League campaign.
#4 Pedri (Spain and Barcelona) - €135.1 million
Valued at a staggering €135.1 million, Barcelona youngster Pedri is the most valuable midfielder in the world at the moment.
Barcelona signed the 19-year-old from Las Palmas in 2019 and immediately loaned him back to them for a year. He permanently moved to the Camp Nou in July 2020 and has not looked back since.
Pedri has all it takes to become the next big midfield star in football. He is smart in possession, is an excellent passer, works tirelessly, and has a knack for finding the back of the net as well.
With the Spaniard on song, both Barcelona and Spain look a lot more comfortable, organized, and even threatening on the ball.
Unfortunately, Pedri missed a lot of football in the 2021-22 season due to niggling injuries. The midfield star made only 12 appearances for Barca in La Liga, scoring three goals.
His match-winning, outside-the-box strike against Sevilla was chosen as the best goal of the season by La Liga.
#3 Erling Haaland (Norway and Borussia Dortmund) - €152.6 million
Erling Haaland is the most highly-rated and highly-valued striker in the world right now.
The Borussia Dortmund star, who is on the verge of joining Manchester City in the coming days (personal agreement pending), is valued at €152.6 million, and we can’t say it’s not justified.
The 21-year-old has had a meteoric rise in the world of football over the last three years. In January 2019, he left Molde to join RB Salzburg. He featured in only 27 games for the Austrian side across competitions, recording 29 goals and seven assists.
A blistering year later, Borussia Dortmund lapped him up for a €20 million fee in January 2020. Since his transfer to Germany, he has played in 89 games for the Bundesliga outfit, scoring 86 times and providing 23 assists.
He has also been in scorching form for his country, Norway, scoring 17 times in only 19 appearances.
In May, Manchester City agreed terms with Dortmund for the transfer of the player. The transfer will be made official after personal terms are finalized with the Norwegian.
Expect Haaland to dominate the Premier League next season.
#2 Vinicius Junior (Brazil and Real Madrid) - €185.3 million
With a valuation of a whopping €185.3 million, Real Madrid left-winger Vinicius Junior is by far the most valuable player on his team.
The 21-year-old, who joined the Whites from Flamengo in 2018, has become an undroppable player, thanks to his match-winning performances and indomitable fighting spirit.
The Brazilian winger was arguably the most-improved player in Europe last season. Under Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius improved his decision-making in front of goal and emerged as the club's second-most influential forward, only behind Karim Benzema.
Over the course of the 2021-22 campaign, the youngster scored 22 times and provided 20 assists in 52 games across competitions.
His most notable contribution came against Liverpool in the Champions League final, with him scoring the game's only goal to help Los Blancos to a 1-0 win in Paris.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (France and Paris Saint-Germain) — €205.6 million
Thanks to his new, record-breaking three-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe sits pretty at the top of the list of most valuable footballers.
The French superstar, who is now valued at €205.6 million, was close to leaving the Parisians to ply his trade at Real Madrid, but ultimately decided against it.
Since moving to the Parc des Princes from Monaco in the summer of 2017, The 23-year-old has gradually emerged as one of the world’s best players.
He won the World Cup with France in 2018, helped Paris Saint-Germain reach their first Champions League final in 2020, and also won the Ligue 1 POTY award in the 2018-19 season.
In the 2021-22 campaign, the five-time French champion outshone both his superstar teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar, emerging as Ligue 1's best player.
He scored 28 goals and provided 17 assists, finishing the campaign as the division’s top scorer and highest assist provider.
Also Read: Ranking the top 6 favorites to win the 2021-22 PFA Players' Player of the Year award
