By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will head to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cote d’ivoire as the most expensive National team.
Currently, the team is specifically placed 12th globally, with a total value of €465.90 million.
This followed the latest financial rankings of various countries’ senior football team by transfermarket for end of the year via its website.
Upward Movement
In the latest ranking, the Nigerian team moved up one step from 13th previously placed position in October at a market value of €451.60m.
This means the Nigerian squad’s value witnessed an increase of €14.3m.
Individual Players’ Value
The inclusion of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Nathan Tella and the recent outstanding performances of some of the Super Eagles players for their various club sides contributed to the massive rise in the squad market value.
Tella, who made his debut for the national team against Zimbabwe, has a market value of €23m.
Newly crowned Africa Player of The Year, Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s most expensive player, is valued at €120m.
Bayer Leverkusen sensation Victor Boniface, the team’s second most expensive player, is worth €40m, while Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman, has a market value of €30m as he is ranked the third most valuable player in the squad.
Injury to Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi saw the player’s value drop from €30m to €28m, the same value as Fulham star, Alex Iwobi, with both players ranking as Eagles’ joint fourth most expensive player.
While Samuel Chukwueze and Terem Moffi maintained their €25m valuation, players like Moses Simon, Calvin Bassey, Ola Aina, Jordan Torunarigha and Frank Onyeka saw little rise in their market values.
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is the only shot stopper that reached the million valuation with a market value of €2m while Francis Uzoho and Adebayo Adeleye have €500,000 and €400,000 valuations respectively.
Another Super Eagles goalkeeper Ojo Olorunleke has no valuation.
Other Continental Placements
Morocco moved from a previous €326.05m valuation to €350.80m to cement their position as the second most expensive team in Africa and 13th in the world.
Cote d’Ivoire are third in Africa and 15th globally with a value of €340.58m, a €25.5m increase from their previous €315.08m.
Senegal remain fourth on the continent with a value of €266m but a drop in Algeria’s squad value saw Ghana (€285m) climb above the North Africans to fifth position.
England Squad Still Ruling The World
Despite the drop in their value, England retain their position as the most financially valuable team in the world with a market value of €1.15bn compared to their previous €1.37bn, while Brazil climbed to second position with €1.09bn squad value.
France (€1.05bn), Portugal (€922m) and Spain (€837m) complete the top five most valuable national teams in the world.
Argentina and Belgium are also ranked top.
