• Ranked 19th most expensive team in the world
Joe Apu
Nigeria’s Super Eagles to the Russia 2018 World Cup is valued at $154 million which is in the region of N5.5 billion. This is according to a recent survey carried out on the 32 teams at this summer’s World Cup, which starts on Thursday in Moscow.
Using data from football data site Transfermarkt, analysts at Dutch bank ING have calculated that around £9 billion ($12 billion) will be on show at the tournament, with Spain being the most valuable team — it’s worth more than £900 million ($1.2 billion).
Though, Nigeria is the third highest valued team on the African continent, the Eagles are placed 19th according to the data with Egypt and Senegal valued at $231.4 million (17th) and $331.6 million (11th) respectively.
Big European and South American sides dominate the upper echelons of player worth, while minnows like Panama and Saudi Arabia dwell at the bottom end of the charts.
In fact, the world’s top three players — Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo — are worth more than the nine least valuable teams combined, ING calculated.
“Some say the football market is highly inflated — and it’s certainly astonishing to see the significant increase in team values from the last World Cup,” Ian Bright, a senior economist at ING said. “But whether you truly get value for money is a question that only fans can answer.”
Below is how much every squad at the World Cup is worth.
1. Spain Squad value: £910.8 million ($1.21 billion)
Most valuable player: Sergio Busquets – £70.3 million ($94 million)
2. France Squad value: £907.7 million ($1.215 billion)
Most valuable player: Kylian Mbappe – £105.5 million ($141 million)
3. Brazil Squad value: £808.01 million ($1.08 billion)
Most valuable player: Neymar – £158.2 million ($212 million)
4. Germany Squad value: £771.8 million ($1.03 billion)
Most valuable player: Toni Kroos – £70.3 million ($94.1 billion)
5. England Squad value: £769.1 million ($1.02 billion)
Most valuable player: Harry Kane – £131.9 million ($176.7 million)
6. Belgium Squad value: £660.9 million ($884.6 million)
Most valuable player: Kevin De Bruyne – £131.9 million ($176.5 million)
7. Argentina Squad value: £614.2 million ($822 million)
Most valuable player: Lionel Messi – £158.2 million ($211.7 million)
8. Portugal Squad value: £411.04 million ($550 million)
Most valuable player: Cristiano Ronaldo – £87.9 million ($117.7 million)
9. Uruguay Squad value: £323.4 million ($432.8 million)
Most valuable player: Luis Suarez – £61.5 million ($82.3 million)
10. Croatia Squad value: £302.5 million ($405 million)
Most valuable player: Ivan Rakitic – £44 million ($59 million)
11. Senegal Squad value: £247.8 million ($331.6 million)
12. Poland Squad value: £230.3 million ($308.2 million)
13. Colombia Squad value: £223.8 million ($299.5 million)
14. Denmark Squad value: £223.6 million ($299.2 million)
15. Serbia Squad value: £211.2 million ($282.6 million)
16. Switzerland Squad value: £187.1 million ($250.4 million)
17. Egypt Squad value: £172.9 million ($231.4 million)
18. Mexico Squad value: £129.4 million ($173.2 million)
19. Nigeria Squad value: £115.1 million ($154 million)
20. Morocco Squad value: £105.5 million ($141.2 million)
21. Russia Squad value: £104.6 million ($140 million)
22. Sweden Squad value: £103.4 million ($138.4 million)
23. South Korea Squad value: £74.2 million ($96.9 million)
24. Iceland Squad value: £65.1 million ($87.1 million)
25. Japan Squad value: £61.5 million ($82.3 million)
26. Tunisia Squad value: £46.2 million ($61.8 million)
27. Australia Squad value: £43.6 million ($58.4 million)
28. Iran Squad value: £37.4 million ($50 million)
29. Costa Rica Squad value: £37.02 million ($49.5 million)
30. Peru Squad value: £32.6 million ($43.6 million)
31. Saudi Arabia Squad value: £15.1 million ($20.2 million)
32. Panama Squad value: £8.7 million ($11.7 million)