'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
South American players are some of the most sought-after in the world. Countries from the continent absolutely love football. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay currently are three of the best national squads in the game, with all of them placed in the top ten in the FIFA rankings.
Ten most valuable South American players:
Players from the Southern hemisphere are some of the biggest stars in European football and have won a lot of trophies for their clubs. So, it is only natural that South American football players are some of the most valuable ones in the world at the moment.
On that note, we take a look at the ten most valuable South American players in the world currently.
(Transfer values courtesy transfermarkt).
#10 Jose Maria Gimenez | Uruguay | Atletico Madrid - €65 Million
One of only two defenders in this list, Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez plays for La Liga giants Atletico Madrid.
The 26-year-old defender joined them on a €900,000 transfer in the summer of 2013. The centre-back has been struggling with recurring injuries recently, but has been a rock at the back for Atletico Madrid over the years.
Thanks to his consistent performances at the heart of the defence for club and country, his market value has appreciated considerably over the last few seasons. Gimenez is currently estimated to be worth €65 million.
#9 Federico Valverde | Uruguay | Real Madrid - €70 million
Joining his compatriot at number nine in this list is Real Madrid's Federico Valverde.
The 22-year-old versatile midfielder had a breakthrough 2019-20 campaign for Los Blancos, winning the La Liga title. Valverde has also been a part of the Uruguay team since 2017 and is usually one of the first players on the team sheet for La Celeste.
He is currently enjoying the most productive campaign of his career in front of goal, despite making only 15 appearances in La Liga, with half of them coming from the bench.
Fede Valverde has three goals to his name. He is just 22 years old, and if he continues his current pace of development, he could become one of the top players in his position in the La Liga.
Currently, his market value is estimated to be €70 million.
#8 Marquinhos | Brazil | Paris Saint-Germain - €70 million
The second defender to make the list is Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos. He is also the first representative of the Brazilian contingent to feature in this list.
Marquinhos has been with the Ligue 1 giants since 2013, joining them from AS Roma for a massive fee of €31.4 million. Although he has proven himself worth every penny since, it was still an eye-raising amount for a player who was just 19 years old then.
The player showed his versatility for his side last term, playing as a defensive midfielder for the majority of the season. After Thiago Silva's departure in the summer, Marquinhos is now a key player in the PSG defensive ranks.
Currently, the 51-time capped Brazil international is valued at €70 million.
Also Read: 5 most supported football clubs in the world.
#7 Casemiro | Brazil | Real Madrid - €70 million
Defensive midfielders are some of the most overlooked players in football. But they play a pivotal role for teams. They are the ones who cover for the full-backs when they join the attack from the flanks and also help in winning back the ball in key areas.
Currently, Real Madrid's Casemiro is the best defensive midfielder in the world. He has been an outstanding player for them 2013, except for a season-long loan in the 2014-15 campaign with Porto.
Though he is not the most technically gifted or skilful player at the Santiago Bernabeu, his awareness, reading of the game, work rate and tackling prowess allow him to be a 'destroyer' in the middle of the park.
Casemiro is currently valued at €70 million and is only behind Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich in market value when it comes to defensive midfielders.
#6 Lautaro Martinez | Argentina | Inter Milan - €70 Million
The first player from Argentina to feature in this list is Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez. Interestingly, all the players from La Albiceleste in this list are attackers, which should not be surprising, as this nation has produced great attacking talent over the years.
Martinez has had a great start to life at the San Siro, and has already scored 30 goals in the Serie A for the Nerazzurri. The 23-year-old is often counted among the top attacking prospects in Europe.
He joined the Italian side in the summer of 2018 for a fee of €22.7 million, which does not seem too outrageous given the crazy valuations for players nowadays.
Martinez is likely to sign a new contract with Inter Milan, who will also get rid of his release clause of €111million. However, his market value - €70 million - is significantly less than his release clause.
#5 Paulo Dybala | Argentina | Juventus - €70 Million
Paulo Dybala has been tipped to arrive on the world stage for the last few seasons. But despite his talent, he has not yet delivered.
The forward has been inconsistent this season. After hitting double digits in goals and assists in the 2019-20 campaign, Dybala has got off to a slow start this term.
La Joya has been with Juventus since 2015. In 244 appearances across all competitions, the player has scored 98 goals and 40 assists for the club.
The player's transfer value has been dropping for the last two seasons, though. After an all-time high of €110 million in 2018, Dybala is currently valued at €70 million.
#4 Roberto Firmino | Brazil | Liverpool - €72 million
Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino is the first Premier League player in our list.
La Liga has been the preferred destination for most South American players, mainly due to no language factor. However, of late, more and more players from the continent play in England, given the quality of the Premier League.
Firmino, who won the Premier League title for Liverpool last season, has been touted as one of the key players at Anfield by head coach Jurgen Klopp, despite his low output in front of goal. Nevertheless, the player has made a name for himself for his selfless service to the duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Firmino joined the reigning Premier League champions in the summer of 2015, for roughly €33 million, a price that seems like a bargain deal now. He is currently valued at €72 million, which is fair, given that he will turn 30 later this year.
Also Read: The 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in the world.
#3 Alisson Becker | Brazil | Liverpool - €80 million
Goalkeepers are usually some of the most underrated players in any team, and that is reflected in their transfer values and weekly wages.
However, Liverpool No.1 Alisson is an aberration in this regard. He became the world's second-most-expensive goalkeeper in 2018 when he joined the Reds from Roma for €62.5million.
Thanks to his impressive performances, he won The Best FIFA Goalkeeper and was also the recipient of the inaugural Yashin Trophy in 2019. He has won The Premier League and the Champions League as well with the Merseyside club.
Alisson is currently valued at €80 million.
#2 Lionel Messi | Argentina | Barcelona - €80 million
Lionel Messi is one of the greatest players to have ever graced the game. Though he has lost some of his pace in recent years, he is still one of the best players out there, and ranks among the top goal-scorers in Europe.
Recently, the details of his lucrative contract with Barcelona were released by Spanish daily El Mundo, which caused a huge controversy. As per the report, Messi reportedly takes home €138 million every year.
Nevertheless, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner came third in the Best FIFA Men's Player award rankings this year, behind winner Robert Lewandowski and long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 33-year-old player is currently valued at €80 million, which is a significant drop.
#1 Neymar | Brazil | Paris Saint-Germain - €128 Million
Currently, the most valuable South American player in the world is Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar. His €222 million transfer from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 changed the transfer market and valuations forever.
Neymar has flourished with the Ligue 1 behemoth, scoring 83 goals and providing 46 assists in 102 appearances across all competitions.
Recurring injury spells have prevented him from unleashing his full potential. But the 2011 Puskas Award winner helped PSG reach their first-ever Champions League final last season.
Neymar has picked up an injury ahead of PSG's crucial Round-of-16 clash in the Champions League against his former club Barcelona.
Currently, valued at €128 million, Neymar is second only to his PSG teammate and 2018 FIFA World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe.
Also Read: 10 football players with the most fans in the world.
