Most Expensive Football Players: Due to the pandemic, the transfer market has seriously sunk lately, but the most expensive players in the world in 2022 are still worth a fortune. Today, at the top of the rankings, you will no longer see Ronaldo or Messi, but these two geniuses have been replaced by a worthy generation, which is now valued at solid sums.
The change in the price of football players is directly affected by their performances for the club and the national team, and the results in the strongest tournaments are especially valued (Champions League, LE, World Cup, European Championship, Copa America). For example, after Euro 2020 (2021), the cost of many players has increased significantly, although some people have lost ground in this regard.
There is also a direct relationship between price and age, the younger the player, the more expensive he is, as there is a career growth prospect. It is also worth noting that players with the role of forwarding or midfielder are more expensive than defenders and goalkeepers.
Probably enough extra information from you, and now let’s move specifically to the rating. Data were taken from transfermakt.com.
Top10 Most Expensive Football Players in The World At The Moment
| No. | Football Player | Price (Million €) | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Kylian Mbappe | 160 million | France | PSG |
| 2 | Erling Holland | 150 million | Norway | Borussia D |
| 3 | Vinicius Junior | 100 million | Brazil | Real Madrid |
| 4 | Harry Kane | 100 million | England | Tottenham |
| 5 | Mohammed Salah | 100 million | Egypt | Liverpool |
| 6 | Romelu Lukaku | 100 million | Belgium | Inter |
| 7 | Kevin De Bruyne | 90 million | Belgium | Man city |
| 8 | Bruno Fernandes | 90 million | Portugal | Manchester United |
| 9 | Neymar | 90 million | Brazil | PSG |
| 10 | Phil Foden | 85 million | England | Man city |
If not for the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic and the accompanying financial problems for clubs, the value of many players would definitely have been higher. Just remember 2017, when Neymar moved to Barcelona for a record €222,000,000. Now there are several players who are not worse than his level at that time, but due to financial difficulties, no one will pay that much!
Several players claim 10th place in the list of the most expensive football players in the world at once, but only the midfielder of Manchester United and the Portuguese national team Bruno Fernandes is listed in the table, as an authoritative source indicates.
Please note that not a single player from the Italian national team, which won the UEFA EURO 2020 (2021), entered the TOP 10. Moreover, no one from Squadra Azzurra even made it to the TOP-20 of this rating.
The Most Expensive Football Player in The World – Kylian Mbappe
Kilian has been pleasing football fans for several years in a row with a stable and elegant game. The young Frenchman today is one of the best football players on the planet, who demonstrated incredible talent and skill at the 2018 World Cup by winning the trophy with the tricolors.
After the triumphant World Cup, Kylian Mbappe continued his career growth, although some experts believe that the striker will not become such a big star as Messi or Ronaldo.
Kilian has yet to win the Ballon d’Or despite his excellent performance and many goals scored. Perhaps, in order to become the best in the world, the Frenchman will have to change his club registration and go, for example, to Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Mbappe is valued at 160 million euros and has held the top spot for the highest transfer fee for quite some time. Mbappe is a real TOP, which in the near future should realize its enormous potential to 100%.
2nd Place – Erling Holland (Norway)
A guy who many football experts consider even more talented than Kylian Mbappe. Despite his young age, Erling Holland demonstrates the highest level of football and is one of the best center forwards of our time. The tall, athletic Norwegian stands out for his excellent performance, he is always aimed at the goal and intimidates even the most experienced defenders.
After a successful 2020/2021 season with Borussia Dortmund, Holland’s transfer fees have skyrocketed and he is now the second most expensive player in the world. The Norwegian goalkeeper is ready for new challenges, he is able to play at a high level in one of the top clubs in Europe and at the same time compete for the title of the best on the planet.
The Most Expensive Goalkeepers in The World
| No. | Football player | Price (million €) | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Jan Oblak | 70 million | Slovenia | Atlético |
| 2 | Gianluigi Donnarumma | 65 million | Italy | PSG |
| 3 | Thibaut Courtois | 60 million | Belgium | Real Madrid |
| 4 | Alisson | 60 million | Brazil | Liverpool |
| 5 | Ter Stegen | 55 million | Germany | Barcelona |
| 6 | Ederson | 50 million | Brazil | Man city |
| 7 | Emiliano Martinez | 35 million | Argentina | Aston Villa |
| 8 | Edward Mendy | 30 million | Senegal | Chelsea |
| 9 | Mike Menyan | 25 million | France | Milan |
| 10 | Jordan Pickford | 25 million | England | Everton |
Of the players of all roles, goalkeepers are valued the least. Even for the best goalkeeper now, no one will pay €100 million, although in 2019 Chelsea acquired Kepa Arrizabalaga for a record €80,000,000, although in the end, the transfer turned out to be a failure.
Now the most expensive goalkeepers in the world are Jan Oblak and Gianluigi Donnarumma. Slovenian Oblak has been excellently defending the goal frame of Atlético Madrid for many seasons and it is really very difficult for this guy to score.
And Donnarumma, after a successful performance at the Euro and receiving the title of “best player of the tournament”, has risen significantly in price.
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Immediately after the European Championship, Gianluigi, as a free agent, moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where high hopes are placed on the Italian. Donnarumma is very young, and if he continues to keep the bar high, then it is possible that he will become the most expensive goalkeeper in the world.
The Most Expensive Defenders in The World
| No | Football player | Price (million €) | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Alexander-Arnold | 75 million | England | Liverpool |
| 2 | Ruben Dias | 75 million | Portugal | man city |
| 3 | Marquinhos | 75 million | Brazil | PSG |
| 4 | Alphonso Davies | 70 million | Canada | Bavaria |
| 5 | Raphael Varane | 70 million | France | Real Madrid |
| 6 | Ashraf Hakimi | 70 million | Morocco | PSG |
| 7 | Matthijs de Ligt | 70 million | Netherlands | Juventus |
| 8 | Andrew Robertson | 65 million | Scotland | Liverpool |
| 9 | Jules Kunde | 60 million | France | Seville |
| 10 | Dayot Upamecano | 60 million | France | Bavaria |
A lot of talented promising guys broke into the TOP-10 of the list, most of which demonstrate adult football beyond their years. 4 players are in the first place in the ranking: Matthijs De Ligt, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marquinhos, and Ruben Dias. The first 3 have long proved their worth, but Ruben Dias has risen in price after a successful 2020-2021 season with Manchester City.
It was the reliable and confident play of the Portuguese center back that allowed the “citizens” to successfully survive in many matches, and as a result, Pep Guardiola’s team won the English Premier League and also reached the UEFA Champions League final.
The Most Expensive Midfielders in The World – TOP 10
| No. | Football player | Price (million €) | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Kevin De Bruyne | 100 million | Belgium | Man city |
| 2 | Frankie De Jong | 90 million | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 3 | Bruno Fernandes | 90 million | Portugal | Manchester United |
| 4 | Joshua Kimmich | 90 million | Germany | Bavaria |
| 5 | Pedri | 80 million | Spain | Barcelona |
| 6 | Marcos Llorente | 80 million | Spain | Atlético |
| 7 | Phil Foden | 80 million | England | man city |
| 8 | Mason Mount | 75 million | England | Chelsea |
| 9 | Declan Rice | 70 million | England | West Ham |
| 10 | Jude Bellingham | 70 million | England | Borussia D |
Midfielders are already worth a bit more than the previous two roles. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne currently tops the list with a net worth of €100 million. The midfielder is one of the best in the world – he is the brain of the attacks of MS and the Belgian national team, which is perfect in absolutely everything.
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If De Bruyne had performed better at the last European Championship, then the price tag for him would definitely have risen by a couple of tens of millions, and so the “Red Devils” left at the 1/4 final stage, and the player was left without a trophy and an individual award.
It is also worth noting that such world-class stars as Paul Pogba, Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante, and others did not make it into the top ten. These guys are losing their places at the top of the table to younger and progressive players.
The Most Expensive Strikers in The World
| No | Football player | Price (million €) | Nationality | Club |
| 1 | Kylian Mbappe | 160 million | France | PSG |
| 2 | Erling Holland | 150 million | Norway | Borussia D |
| 3 | Harry Kane | 120 million | England | Tottenham |
| 4 | Jack Grealish | 100 million | England | MS |
| 5 | Mohammed Salah | 100 million | Egypt | Liverpool |
| 6 | Romelu Lukaku | 100 million | Belgium | Belgium |
| 7 | Neymar | 100 million | Brazil | PSG |
| 8 | Jadon Sancho | 90 million | England | Manchester United |
| 9 | Raheem Sterling | 90 million | England | man city |
| 10 | Marcus Rashford | 85 million | England | England |
It is strange not to see one of the best goalscorers of our time, the Pole Robert Levandowski, in the TOP-10. The Bayern forward churns out goals at an incredible rate, but age does not make him more expensive, so younger guys took the first place in the ranking.
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The absolute leader in terms of price is Kylian Mbappe, who is not only the most expensive football player in the world but also the most expensive striker! Attacking geniuses Ronaldo and Messi did not make it into the top ten because of their age, but Neymar occupies a worthy place on the list, although many have not considered the Brazilian a really cool footballer for a long time.
