Less than a month ago, Vinicius Junior arrived there. He achieved what Neymar couldn’t and won the award for best in the world in FIFA’s election (The Best).
At the top of the list of the best footballers, the Brazilian is not at the top of another, that of players with the highest market value, produced by Cies (International Center for Sports Studies), a Swiss foundation created in 1995 by the Fifa-city of Neuchâtel tripod -University of Neuchâtel.
Two years ago, Vini Jr. was the most valuable player in the world in the Cies survey. In January 2022, it was worth 166.4 million euros, surpassing the Englishman Phil Foden (152.6 million) and the Norwegian Erling Haaland (142.5 million).
Since then, the Real Madrid striker has risen in value, becoming a star of the Spanish superteam, having won two Champions Leagues (2022 and 2024) and scoring a goal in each of these finals.
Currently, in a market that appears to be inflated, Cies values the number 7 at 205.7 million euros (R$ 1.279 billion), more than they are worth, according to a study published last year by the consultancy Sports Value, clubs like Santos, Grêmio, Cruzeiro, Botafogo and Vasco.
To establish the value of each player, the center uses a statistical model with a series of variables, including the importance of the team in which he plays and the results obtained, the duration of his contract and the time left to finish, the performance on the field (such as goals scored and minutes played), your characteristics (such as position and age) and recent participation in your country’s national team.
Two players were ahead of Vini Jr., 24, in this Cies study.
In first place is English attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham, 21, the Brazilian’s teammate at Real (251.4 million euros), and in second place is top scorer Haaland, 24, Manchester City center forward (221.5 million euros). ).
It is noticeable that age has a considerable impact on the overall result, as there is no player in the top 100 over 29 years old. In the top 10, the oldest is Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, another from Real, just turned 26, and the youngest, Spaniard Lamine Yamal, 17, from Barcelona.
Midfielder Rodri, from Manchester City and the Spanish national team, who won the Ballon d’Or for best player in 2024, only appears in 73rd place. He is 28 years old.
In the top 100, Brazil has, in addition to Vini Jr., ten players: Rodrygo (Real Madrid, 10th), Savinho (Man City, 13th), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, 28th), Endrick (Real Madrid, 43rd), Raphinha (Barcelona, 69th), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal, 70th), Evanilson (Bournemouth, 78th), Beraldo (PSG, 81st), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle, 91st) and João Pedro (Brighton, 94th).
Cies evaluated players from 65 leagues, the vast majority in Europe (44), nine in South America (including the Brazilian Series A Championship) and none in Africa.
The most valuable athletes playing in Brazil are Estêvão, 17, from Palmeiras, already negotiated with Chelsea (maximum value estimated at 49 million euros), Luiz Henrique, 24, from Botafogo (32 million), Yuri Alberto, 23, from Corinthians (23 million), Pedro, 27, from Flamengo (23 million), and Paulinho, 24, from Palmeiras (20 million).
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