The European Super League misadventure and subsequent fan protests provided a grim reminder that football clubs are huge business ventures whose sole motive is profit maximisation. Over the past few decades, more and more clubs have been listed on stock exchanges worldwide, an idea that was pioneered by Tottenham Hotspur way back in 1983.While other football clubs were apprehensive of the idea in the 80s, Manchester United eventually followed suit in 1991. By the turn of the century, over twenty clubs were listed in stock exchanges.Money has become an increasingly important factor on the football pitch as well. Cash-rich Premier League clubs and the top teams of Germany and Spain have dominated European football in the past few decades.Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five most valuable football club brands in 2021, as per Brand Finance’s Football 50 report.#5 Bayern Munich | $1.25 billionFC Bayern Munich are one of the richest football clubs in the world.Bayern Munich are the most successful club in the history of German football; they recently claimed a record-extending ninth consecutive Bundesliga title.With a tally of 31 Bundesliga titles and six in the Champions League, it is no surprise Bayern Munich are the most valuable sports club in Germany. Bayern Munich are also one of the most valuable football clubs globally; they are in the top ten in the 2021 Forbes World’s Most Valuable Sports Teams list.Bayern Munich were among the top earners in the 2019-20 financial year, registering their highest figures in commercial and broadcasting revenues. Their revenues have roughly doubled over the past decade, thanks to lucrative deals with corporate global giants like Adidas, Allianz, Audi, Deutsche Telekom and SAP, to name a few.A great overview by @SPORTBILD of @FCBayern financialshttp://t.co/H64UJcQlS7 pic.twitter.com/4QykoBgs9Y— Mats Rydland (@MatsRy) November 28, 2014Moreover, the German powerhouse also have sponsorship deals with the likes of Qatar Airways, Coca-Cola and Konami, among others. According to some estimates, Bayern Munich’s commercial deals alone generated €360.5 million during the last FY.#4 Manchester City | $1.31 billionManchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarek with Spurs Chairman, Daniel LevyManchester City have sealed their third Premier League title in four years as they have emerged as England’s most successful club in the past decade.The Cityzens have won their fifth Premier League title in the last ten years, including the sensational 2011-12 triumph, which ended their long 44-year wait for a league title. After several ownership changes and tumultuous spells over the years, the Manchester-based club has seen a massive turnaround in fortunes, both on and off the pitch, since 2008.The turning point was Manchester City’s takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group, headed by Sheikh Mansour, who has a personal wealth of over £17 billion and a family fortune of over $1 trillion. Since then, Manchester City have become one of the best financially and administratively-run sports clubs in the world. They were ranked 13th in the 2021 Forbes World’s most valuable sports team list.Manchester City saw an 11% decrease in total revenue last year due to a decrease in Matchday and broadcasting revenue. But the losses were reduced due to new deals with PUMA and Marathonbet. 🧠How good a business was done by Manchester City during the Pandemic?🙌🏼#ManCity pic.twitter.com/TzOg10pZsD— Superpower Football (@SuperpowerFb) April 16, 2021Like most football clubs worldwide, Manchester City suffered a loss in the 2019-20 financial year; they registered an 11% decline in revenue from the previous year. However, Manchester City have witnessed an increase in commercial revenue, thanks to sponsorship deals with Etihad Airways, PUMA, Nissan and EA Sports, to name a few.