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#3 Virgil Van Dijk (€55 Million)
Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk remains one of the world’s best in his position this season. The 30-year-old Netherlands captain suffered a serious knee injury after a horrible tackle by Jordan Pickford in October 2020 during the Merseyside Derby.
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The Dutchman made his return from injury at the start of the 2021-22 season, and many envisaged that he would not be the same player he was before the injury. Van Dijk has proven them all wrong with his performances on the pitch for the Reds as he continues to impress.
Van Dijk's reading of the game, composure and athleticism are almost unmatched in football today by any defender. His experience and quality have made him stand out among his fellow central defenders.
Van Dijk was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year in 2019, some months before his injury. The towering central defender is currently valued at €55 million, a handsome valuation for a defender that cost €90 million almost four years ago.
#2 Lionel Messi (€60 Million)
Only two months ago, Lionel Messi claimed a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or crown as the best footballer on the planet. Messi moved from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in the summer after the Spanish club ran into financial trouble, ending his 17-year association with the club.
The Argentina captain has never cost a penny in transfer fees in his career as he spent the entirety of his senior career at Barcelona until 2021. At 34, it was expected that he will be coming to the end of his career, but Messi has continued to dazzle fans all over the world.
The forward made the three-man shortlist for the 2021 FIFA 'The Best Men's Player' award. Messi is the oldest player on this list by a distance, and is worth €60 million at present.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (€90 Million)
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne has performed at such a consistently high level under Pep Guardiola that he has won almost every trophy at club level. The Belgian playmaker has been a major driving force in each of Manchester City's most successful campaigns over the past five years.
The 30-year-old is valued at €90 million, a whopping amount considering his age and experience. De Bruyne is clearly one of the best midfielders of his generation and has an unbelievable array of skills in his arsenal.
He recently finished a respectable 8th in the Ballon d'Or rankings, and was the second best player in Europe in 2021. Despite being 30 already De Bruyne remains one of the most valuable players in world football.
