Cristiano Ronaldo fails to make it to top-10 in the latest CIES list of most valuable footballers. The Portuguese forward is placed at 24th with the valuation of €103.4m.
World’s leading football observatory CIES published the renewed list of most valuable footballers in the world on June 1. England’s captain and Tottenham Hotspur’s forward Harry Kane has topped the list with the valuation of €201.2m. However, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t find a place in the top-10. CIES uses complex algorithm to calculate player values, and have taken into consideration approximately 5,000 transfers between June 2011 to June 2018 in making this list.
Here are the Top 10 footballers from the list:
10: Romelu Lukaku (Belgium and Manchester United) : €163.4 million
Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United in the summer of 2017, and enjoyed a decent debut season with the Reds. Lukaku scored 27 goals in 51 appearances for United, and joined the club for a transfer fee of £75 million from Everton. Lukaku’s value, however, has dropped from December 2017. He was valued at €170.5 million last year.
9: Paulo Dybala (Juventus and Argentina): €164.2 million
The Argentine forward has been a revelation for Juventus this season, scoring 22 goals in the Serie A. His value has dropped drastically though due to his inconsistent form with Argentina. The forward is yet to score his first goal for Argentina in his 12 appearances. He is, although, in the Argentina squad for the World Cup.
8: Antoine Griezmann (France and Atletico Madrid): €164.5 million
The French forward is in the headlines this season as he is heavily linked with FC Barcelona. Griezmann played a key role in Atletico Madrid’s campaign in La Liga this season, where they finished 2nd. Atletico Madrid also won the Europa League, where Griezmann scored a brace in the final. Due to his impressive performances with both club and country, his value has increased significantly this time. He was valued at €148 million in December 2017.
7: Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium and Manchester City): €167.2 million
The Belgian midfielder has been central to Manchester City’s successful Premier League campaign this season. Kevin de Bruyne registered 16 assists throughout the league season, scoring 8 goals. Guardian also ranked the 26-year old as the 4th best footballer in their 2017 list.
6: Dele Alli (England and Tottenham Hotspur): €171 million
Dele Alli has impressed the Tottenham faithful with his consistent performances in the Premier League this season.The 22-year old will play an important role in England’s midfield as the Three Lions aim for world cup glory in Russia. However, his valuation has dropped significantly this time, as he was valued at €180.2 million in December 2017.
5: Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool): €171.3 million
Mohamed Salah has been a revelation in the footballing world this season. The Egyptian forward broke Ronaldo’s record to score the most number of goals in a single Premier League season (in the PL era). Salah drew comparisons from players like Ronaldo and Messi due to his consistent performances in domestic and European fixtures. The Egyptian’s valuation has increased drastically, as he was valued at €121 million in December 2017.
4: Lionel Messi (Argentina and FC Barcelona): €184.2 million
The Barcelona star hardly needs any introduction. Messi led the scoring charts in La Liga this season, with 34 goals and 12 assists. He played a crucial role in securing the domestic double for Barcelona this season. Messi will be the main man for Argentina in the World Cup in Russia. However, his valuation has decreased by €23 million from December 2017.
3: Kylian Mbappe (France and Paris Saint Germain): €186.5 million
The French youngster joined Paris Saint Germain from AS Monaco in the 2017-18 season, and built a formidable partnership with Neymar and Edinson Cavani in the attack. The 19-year old scored 13 goals and registered 8 assists in 27 matches for Paris Saint Germain.
2: Neymar Junior (Brazil and Paris Saint Germain): €195.7 million
Neymar’s injury in February has led to a big downfall in his valuation in the latest CIES rankings. The Brazilian star was valued at €215.7 million in December 2017. However, his record before the injury for PSG has been impressive, as he registered 28 goals in 29 games for the French club.
1: Harry Kane (England and Tottenham Hotspur): €201.2 million
Harry Kane scored 30 goals in 35 games for Tottenham this season, and was awarded with captaincy of England for the world cup in Russia. He scored 44 goals for the North London club throughout the season. He was valued at €183.7 million in December 2017.
