The CIES Football Observatory’s research team is pleased to present the results of a survey conducted among our newsletter subscribers on the actions considered necessary in terms of the governance of men’s club soccer. In total, we received 1,424 responses.

For each question asked, we present the proportion of respondents who rated the urgency of taking further action in the relevant area as at least four on a scale of five. The percentages range from 84.9% of respondents calling for measures to combat money laundering through football to just 16.4% who consider it urgent to adopt new rules to deal with excessive goal celebrations.

More information is available upon request.

>>> Survey findings

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect : Ayyoub Bouaddi

The CIES Football Observatory is pleased to present a video analysing the relationship between the distance covered by players during a match and the ambient temperature. Data collected in partnership with SkillCorner from 35 leagues around the world indicates a significant decrease in the distance covered as temperatures rise.

On average, a player covers 10.1 km during 90 minutes of play if the temperature does not exceed 15°C ; this distance decreases by about one kilometre when the temperature rises to 30°C or higher.

Leagues located in the hottest regions are particularly affected by this heat stress, including the Pro League in the United Arab Emirates, the K League in South Korea, the Chinese Super League, La Liga in Spain, and the Brazilian Serie A. With the World Cup underway, MLS data also shows the negative impact of high temperatures on the distances covered.

>>> More about SkillCorner

>>> Full video

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Yan Diomandé

Based on the estimated transfer values* of the selected players, three national teams look like the main favourites to win the 2026 World Cup. England top the ranking with a total squad value of €1.454 billion. They are followed by France (€1.436 billion) and Spain (€1.407 billion). The values of all qualified teams are listed in the 550th Weekly Post of the CIES Football Observatory.

With inflation and a larger number of participating teams, the estimated total value of all squads in the competition reaches €18.1 billion. This is €3.1 billion more than at the 2022 World Cup. As noted last week, the statistical model of the CIES Football Observatory currently values only two players at more than €200 million : Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Norway’s Erling Haaland.

At the other end of the ranking, Iran is the qualified team with the lowest total transfer value, at only €12 million. It is followed by Iraq (€13 million) and Jordan (€15 million). However, strong performances in the competition could still help some players from these teams secure a transfer to much more competitive clubs.

* According to CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model

>>> Full data

The 549th Weekly Post presents the 100 players in the world with the highest estimated transfer value, as calculated from the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model. FC Barcelona’s young Spanish prodigy, Lamine Yamal, crushes the competition with a valuation of €358 million. Ahead of Manchester City’s Norwegian striker Erling Haaland (€227 million).

No other player is valued at over €200 million, with Kylian Mbappé in third place (€166 million). The following players are at the top of the list for the other positions : Gianluigi Donnarumma (goalkeepers), Pau Cubarsí (centre backs), Nico O’Reilly (wide backs), Pedri González (central midfielders) and Arda Güler (attacking midfielders).

Compared with last January, the largest increase was recorded for Yan Diomandé (+€75 million to €119 million), whilst the largest decrease was for Alexander Isak (-€54 million to €41 million). Compared with June’s 2025 ranking, the largest changes were registered again for Yan Diomandé on the positive side (+€116 million) and Jude Bellingham on the negative one (-€113 million).

>>> Top 100

Top valued player per club in 7⃣0⃣ leagues 👉 https://football-observatory.com/Tool-Value

New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Lucas Herrington

The 548th Weekly Post from the CIES Football Observatory ranks clubs worldwide according to their number of followers on the main social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X). Two clubs stand out: Real Madrid (488 million followers) and Barcelona (442 million). England’s Manchester United complete the top three (239 million), ahead of Paris Saint-Germain (208 million).

Among teams ranked in the top 10 positions, German side Bayern Munich recorded the strongest growth over the past year both in absolute (+16.1 million followers) and relative terms (+11%). Clubs in the top 10 have a combined total of 2.36 billion followers, up 3.8% on last year, broken down as follows among the platforms selected: Instagram (31%), Facebook (31%), TikTok (17%), X (16%) and YouTube (5%).

Twenty-six countries from every continent except Oceania are represented in the top 100, with the highest number of clubs located in the following three nations: Spain (21 teams, often with a large following on TikTok), England (16) and Brazil (11). Outside Europe, the top three are Brazil’s Flamengo (€71.6 million), Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr FC (€66.0 million) and Egypt’s Al-Ahly SC (€60.1 million).

>>> Top 100

The 547th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the Team of the Season (4-2-1-3) for 34 leagues reaching their conclusion. The selection was made by taking into account players’ performances (eight game areas for outfield players and the difference between goals expected goals and conceded for goalkeepers ; Impect data), the results of matches in which players’ participated, and playing time.

At big-5 league level, the following goalkeepers are part of the Best XIs : David Raya (Arsenal), Joan García (Barcelona), Hervé Koffi (Angers), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart), and Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta). At the forefront of the attack are the top scorers : Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Estéban Lepaul (Stade Rennais), Harry Kane (Bayern), and Lautaro Martínez (Inter).

The CIES Football Observatory Team of the Season in the Premier League is made up of five Arsenal players (Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and Rice), three from Manchester City (Cherki, Haaland and Doku), two from Manchester United (Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes), as well as Adrien Truffert from Bournemouth. More information about the method used is available here.

>>> All Best XIs

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Pedro Zarza

The 546th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 50 nations worldwide with the highest number of expatriates* currently playing in 135 professional leagues across the globe. As last year, Brazil remains the leading exporter (1,455 players abroad, +37), but is being hotly pursued by France (1,275, +86), with reigning world champions Argentina in third place (1,016, +27).

Since 2021, the largest increase in absolute terms has been recorded for France (+332 expatriates), with a steady rise (+35% in five years). In relative terms, the sharpest growth among the top 10 exporting nations was observed for Portugal (+198 players abroad, +66%), Spain (+255, +60%) and Nigeria (+211, also +60%).

Only 9 of the top 50 exporting countries have seen a decline in the number of their nationals abroad since 2021, reflecting the general increase in international migration flows. The sharpest decline was recorded for Serbia (-53 expatriates, -12%). To find out the main foreign destinations for each country of origin, please consult our Migration Atlas.

* Origin is defined as the association where the player grew up and which he left following recruitment by a foreign club.

>>> Full data

>>> Video analysis of the evolution of origins in Europe’s big-5 over the past 20 years

The 545th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post shows that 65.2% of teams across 55 leagues worldwide have changed their head coach at least once over the past year. This proportion is close to that recorded on the same date last year (see here). This finding reflects chronic instability in most clubs.

By league, the figures range from 100% of clubs having changed their manager over the past 365 days in the Cyprus top division (14 out of 14) to just 18.8% in Norway’s top tier (3 clubs out of 16). These disparities reflect the existence of considerable differences in the way clubs are managed, which are also visible at player level in terms of squad stability (see our Demographic Atlas).

The Post also presents data on the age of coaches (in this case, excluding those currently serving in an interim capacity). The overall average is 49.5 years, with the highest average age in Bulgaria (55.6 years ; no coach under the age of 40) and the lowest in Sweden (43.5 years). With respect to age too, the geographical differences are striking.

>>> Full study

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect : Thomas Jörgensen

Dear subscribers,

Many of you have already taken part in our survey to share your views on various topics relating to men’s professional football. Thank you very much!

However, we would still like to expand the sample of respondents. That is why we are writing to you one last time to invite those who have not yet taken part to do so.

The results of the survey, which is completely anonymous, will be published ahead of the next World Cup. Please take three minutes at most to complete this questionnaire, thank you!

>>> TAKE PART

The CIES Football Observatory team

The 544th Weekly Post lists the 100 goalkeepers who did not yet turn 23 with the highest estimated transfer value, as calculated using the CIES Football Observatory statistical model. Topping the list with a value of €47 million is Mike Penders, the Belgian goalkeeper on loan from Chelsea to RC Strasbourg.

Two other big-5 league goalkeepers round off the top three : Jonas Urbig of Bayern Munich (€41 million) and Robin Risser of RC Lens (€35 million). In fourth place, AZ Alkmaar’s Dutchman Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro (€19m) is the highest-ranked player outside the big-5, whilst Chris Brady (Chicago Fire) outranks Jordan García (Club León) among U23 goalkeepers outside Europe.

Five underage goalkeepers feature in the top 100 : Dan Lauri (TPS Turku), Savo Radanović (Crvena Zvezda), Deniz Dönmezer (Kayserispor), Einar Fauskanger (FK Haugesund) and Lucca Brughmans (KRC Genk). The Post also presents the goalkeepers’ experience capital over the past year, a metric combining the number of minutes played in official senior matches, the games’ sporting level and results, according to this method.

>>> Top 100

>>> Top valued player per club in 70 leagues

>>> New video analysis Global mapping of big-5 league players (2005-2025)

The 543rd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the world’s most powerful football agencies. The ranking is based on the aggregate transfer value of the players represented by the companies or for whom the latter hold transfer negotiation rights, according to publicly available information*.

At the top of the list is an agency formed from the merger of several entities : CAA Stellar / Base. This US-controlled group represents the interests of no fewer than 84 players whose transfer value, according to the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model, exceeds €10 million, amounting to a total of €2.56 billion (up 14.5% on last year).

Gestifute (€1.86 billion, +12.6%) and The.Team (formerly Wasserman, €1.27 billion, -4.1%) round off the top three most influential agencies. Other international firms resulting from mergers rank from fourth to eighth place, whilst two entities linked to individuals also feature in the top 10 : Bertolucci Assessoria (Giuliano Bertolucci) and MS Foot (Moussa Sissoko).

* The analysis covers the 1,300 players worldwide whose transfer value currently exceeds €10 million, according to the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model.

>>> Full data

>>> New Prospect Sheet: Tarik Muharemovic

The 542nd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the U23 outfield players currently active in 67 leagues worldwide who have performed best over the last six months. The rankings have been compiled based on players’ performances across eight game areas (Impect data), the sporting level of matches played, results and playing time*.

The following footballers top the table in their respective position: Pau Cubarsí (centre backs), Warren Zaïre-Emery (wide backs), Aleksandar Pavlović (central midfielders), Kenan Yildiz (attacking midfielders), Lamine Yamal (wingers) and Vítor Roque (centre forwards). The three youngest players in the top 100 are Lennart Karl, Konstantinos Karetsas and Kerim Alajbegović.

The highest scores for players outside Europe’s big-5 were recorded for Mika Godts (Ajax), Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica) and Carlos Forbs (Bruges). The top three in South America are Vítor Roque (Palmeiras), Lautaro Di Lollo and Milton Delgado (both Boca Juniors). Armando González (Chivas) tops the table for North and Central America, and Musab Al-Juwayr (Al-Qadsiah) for Asia.

>>> Method

>>> Full data (top 20s per league)

>>> More about Impect

The 541st CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post highlights the clubs currently competing in 50 top divisions worldwide where footballers who had not yet turned 21 have played the highest percentage of minutes in domestic league matches over the last five years. Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland top the list with no less than 44.7% of minutes by U21s.

The Slovakian side MŠK Žilina (35.3%) and the Austrian side RB Salzburg (35.0%) complete the podium. The top three clubs outside Europe are Uruguay’s SC Defensor (25.4%), Colombia’s Fortaleza CEIF (24.1%) and Venezuela’s Caracas FC (21.5%). Among current big-5 league clubs, Barcelona (20.7%) leads the way ahead of Strasbourg (18.6%) and Sunderland (18.5%).

Across all 50 leagues studied, Nordsjælland is also the club that fielded the highest number of players who had not yet turned 21 at the time of at least one match played (63). The Danish club is ahead of the Dutch side Volendam (60). At the other end of the scale, in the bottom two places, are the Italians of Napoli (2) and the Chinese side Tianjin Jinmen (3).

>>> Full data analysis

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Nathan de Cat

The 540th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 clubs worldwide that have earned the most from the transfer of players from their youth academies* over the last ten years. The top three are Portugal’s SL Benfica (€589 million), Netherlands’ AFC Ajax (€454 million) and England’s Chelsea FC (€442 million).

The top 10 also includes two clubs from France’s Ligue 1 (Olympique Lyonnais and Monaco), another Portuguese club (Sporting CP), another English one (Manchester City), as well as teams from Spain (Real Madrid), Brazil (SE Palmeiras) and Germany (Bayer Leverkusen). In total, 19 associations are represented by at least one club in the top 100.

The Post also sets out the revenue generated over the last five years alone, with Chelsea FC (€366 million) topping the list, ahead of Manchester City (€318 million). This result reflects the growing emphasis on youth development also within the elite tier of English clubs, both in terms of developing players for the first team and reaping financial rewards.

* Training clubs are defined as the first ones where players spent at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21. The figures shown include add-ons regardless of effective payment and sums earned from sell-ons.

>>> Full data

Dear subscribers,

A big thank you to everyone who has already completed our online questionnaire on men’s professional football !

We are sending this message to remind those who have not yet responded, in order to maximise the sample size of respondents. Thank you for helping us to better understand the measures you believe are necessary to improve football.

The results of the survey, which is completely anonymous, will be published in the form of a freely accessible report, ahead of the next World Cup. We will of course keep you informed. Please take three minutes at most to complete this questionnaire, and long live football !

>>> TAKE PART

The CIES Football Observatory team

The 539th Weekly Post presents the hundred U23 players not yet under contract with one of the ten most powerful clubs worldwide* with the top estimated transfer value according to the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model. Juventus’s Turkish young star Kenan Yildiz is well ahead of the rest. His transfer could be worth up to €133 million (including add-ons and for 100% of transfer rights).

Inter Milan’s Italian Pio Esposito (€95 million) and RB Leipzig’s Ivorian Yan Diomandé (€84 million) round off the top three. The top five also includes Bayer Leverkusen’s Cameroonian Christian Kofane (€81 million) and Porto’s Danish midfielder Victor Froholdt (€80 million). All these players have contracts running until at least 2029, which strengthens the negotiating power of their respective clubs.

Twelve domestic competitions are represented in the top 100, with the English Premier League at the top (25 players), and the following top three: Paraguay’s Diégo Gómez (Brighton & Hove), Netherlands’ Xavi Simons (Tottenham) and France’s Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth). Behind Froholdt, the highest-rated players outside the big-5 are Vítor Roque (Palmeiras) and two other FC Porto’s footballers: Samu Aghehowa and Rodrigo Mora.

>>> Top 100

>>> Top valued player per club in 70 leagues

>>> New Prospect Sheet: Oskar Pietuszewski

* In alphabetical order : Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid.

Dear subscriber and football passionate,

The CIES Football Observatory mission is to advance the frontiers of knowledge for the balanced development of football worldwide. With this in mind, we have drawn up a questionnaire to find out your views on a range of current issues relating to men’s professional club football.

Your responses will help us identify the measures you believe needed to ensure that football continues developing in a positive direction. The results of the survey, which is completely anonymous, will be published in the form of a freely accessible report, ahead of the next World Cup. We will of course keep you informed !

Please take three minutes at most to complete this questionnaire, and long live football !

>>> TAKE PART

The CIES Football Observatory team

The 538th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the global ranking of clubs whose squad management is most focused on the long term, based on an index combining four indicators : the number of players used in league matches over the last three years (the lower the better), the average stay of current players in the first team squad, the average remaining contract length of those same players, and their average age at the time of signing (the lower the better)*.

Real Madrid recorded the highest score, reflecting a strategy of signing young players and retaining them over the long term. The Spanish side are ahead of Brentford, who can still dream of qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, and the Basque side Athletic Club, whose season has been rather disappointing so far but who remain well-equipped to quickly return to winning ways. Two teams from the MLS compete the top 5 : Seattle Sounders and Philadelphia Union.

Four other teams not belonging to the Europe’s big-5 feature in the top twenty : Shakhtar Donetsk, Club Brugge, AZ Alkmaar and FK Zenit. Sixty-first overall, Palmeiras is the top ranked South American club. For each indicator, the following clubs have the best values : Seattle Sounders (stay), SJK Seinäjoki (recruitment age), Chelsea FC (contract duration), as well as Dynamo Kyiv and Club Libertad (non-academy players use).

* For players used, we have considered the last three years for non-calendar year leagues, and the seasons from 2023 to 2025 for the others, not including players from the club academy. The latter were also excluded from the calculation of the average age at recruitment, as well as from that of the average stay for those under 22. For remaining contract length, we have assigned a duration of one year where information was missing and current season end for players on loan.

>>> Full data

The 537th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 teams in the world with the highest aggregate transfer value of players owned, estimated according to our statistical model. Chelsea tops the ranking with a total of €1,732 million spread across 54 players, ahead of Manchester City (€1,608 million, 47 players) and Real Madrid (€1,541 million, 36 players).

Chelsea is also the team listed with the best distribution of values among players under contract, with the highest-valued footballer, Brazilian Estevão (€123 million), representing only 7.1% of the total. By way of comparison, this percentage is 25.3% for the fourth club with the highest aggregate value, Barcelona (€1,389 million, of which €352 million for Lamine Yamal).

The following clubs are ranked first in the other major regions or countries: Paris Saint-Germain for France (6th overall behind Arsenal with €1,346 million), Bayern Munich for Germany (€1,000 million), Inter for Italy (€820 million), Benfica for Portugal (€549 million), PSV Eindhoven for the Netherlands (€400 million), Bruges for Belgium (€347 million), as well as Palmeiras for both Brazil and non-European clubs (€322 million).

>>> Top 100

>>> Top valued player per club in 70 leagues

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect : Taras Mykhavko

The 536th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the players having scored or assisted the most goals in matches played over the last year in 67 leagues around the world. From a purely numerical perspective, without considering the level of the leagues where these contributions were made, Lionel Messi dominates the competition with 59 G+A (37 goals and 22 assists) : 17 more than any other player !

By weighting the G+A contributions according to the level of the matches in which they were made using this method, Lionel Messi remains in the lead with a score of 66.3*, slightly ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé (41 contributions, including 37 goals, weighted score of 65.4) and two Bayern Munich players : England’s Harry Kane (42 ; 64.5) and another Frenchman, Michael Olise (37 contributions, including a record 22 assists ; 54.9).

With 18 goals and 11 assists in the Spanish Liga, Lamine Yamal (aged 18.6) is the youngest player in the top 100. Only one other footballer listed is under the age of 23 : Franculino Djú (21.7 years). At the other end of the scale are Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (41.1 years and 31 contributions), Lionel Messi (38.7 years) and Fernando Zampedri (38.0 years). In total, no fewer than 45 leagues are represented in the list.

* The weighting was calculated by multiplying the contributions by the ratio between the average sporting coefficient of the matches in which players made their goals or assists, and the average measured for the top 100 footballers.

>>> Full rankings

The 535th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post ranks teams from 56 leagues around the world according to the level of pressure exerted on opponents. This was calculated using the following Impect data: distance from own goal of presses applied, speed of interrupting opponent possessions, frequency of defensive actions with respect to passes conceded, and propensity to commit fouls in the final third when not in possession*.

Across Europe’s five major leagues, Italy’s Como 1907 tops the list, reflecting coach Cesc Fàbregas’s philosophy of constant pressure on opponents. Paris St-Germain (Luis Enrique) and Bayern Munich (Vincent Kompany) complete the podium of the big-5 league teams with the most proactive defensive styles. South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns head the rankings among non-European clubs.

The top pressure index among the 883 teams analysed was measured for Dutch side ADO Den Haag, current leaders of the Eerste Divisie, whose coach, German Robin Peter, also advocates an aggressive defensive style. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we find AC Milan at big-5 league level and Austria’s TSV Hartberg among all the teams studied (in both cases also with rather convincing results).

*The pressure index was calculated based on the standard deviation of these four indicators with respect to the club’s league average. The data for each indicator is also presented as a ratio with respect to league average.

>>> Full data

>>> New video: economic analysis of the transfer market (2016-2025)

>>> More about Impect

>>> Ball-friendiest teams analysis

The CIES Football Observatory is pleased to present the exclusive Gradient data on running speeds of players from teams still competing in the UEFA Champions League. The 534th Weekly Post displays the 20 fastest players (maximum speed in the competition) for five position categories, as well as the distribution of their distances per speed.

Uzbekistan’s Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City) is the centre back with the highest top speed (35.8 km/h), ahead of Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven. Among wide backs, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi (36.4 km/h) and Nuno Mendes top the list, as does Archie Gray (34.8 km/h) for central midfielders, Anthony Gordon (37.9 km/h) for side midfielders/wingers, and Kylian Mbappé for centre forwards (35.7 km/h).

In terms of the distribution per speed category, among the 100 players listed, three centre forwards covered the greatest proportion of distance at a speed of less than 7 km/h : Kylian Mbappé (43.5%), Victor Osimhen (41.9%), and Luis Suárez (40.1%). In contrast, the three players who covered the lowest percentage of distance walking are central midfielders : Häkon Evjen (23.0%), João Simões (24.1%) and Lucas Bergvall (25.2%).

>>> Full data

>>> More about Gradient Sports

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Kerim Alajbegovic

The 533rd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post ranks teams worldwide according to the financial results of the transfer operations completed over the current season (last two windows) and over the last five years respectively (last ten windows). Regarding the two transfer periods related to the 2025/2026 season, the most negative balance was recorded for current Premier League leaders Arsenal (-€362 million).

While the Gunners’ financial efforts have so far paid off, those of the second team with the most negative balance sheet, Liverpool (-€244 million), have been much less successful. The same observation, at least in terms of domestic league results, can be made for the two teams with the most negative net spending over the last ten transfer windows : Chelsea (-€883 m) and Manchester United (-€859 m).

At the other end of the scale, the teams with the most positive balances are Monaco for the current season (+€148 million) and Benfica for the last five years (+€346 m). Over this period, the Portuguese club is ahead of LOSC Lille (+€273 m), AFC Ajax (+€270 m) and RB Salzburg (+€242 m). All the figures presented in the study include add-ons irrespective of their actual payment, as well as sell-ons.

>>> Full rankings

Thanks to the data exclusively produced by our partner Impect, the 532nd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the ball-friendliest teams in the world. The ranking was established according to four indicators: the proximity of passes (the shorter, the better), the pace of passing during possession, the duration of possessions and the percentage of balls received in the opponent’s third below knee height (on the ground)*.

Of the 915 teams in the 58 leagues analysed, the highest score was recorded for Bayern Munich (Vincent Kompany). The Germans are ahead of Paris Saint-Germain (Luis Enrique), with FC Barcelona (Hansi Flick) in third place and Bayer Leverkusen in fourth (Kasper Hjulmand). Among teams outside Europe’s big-5, Columbus Crew (5th overall) are ahead of Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland (7th) and French second division’s AS Saint-Étienne (8th).

Manchester City (6th), Celtic FC (9th) and Olympique de Marseille (10th) round up the top 10. The top 20 also notably includes Norway’s Bodø/Glimt (Kjetil Knutsen) and Spain’s Elche CF (Eder Sarabia). At the opposite end, the least ball-friendly teams out of the sample analysed are Irish sides Galway United and Drogheda United, ahead of Belgium’s Patro Eisden, Portugal’s CD Feirense, Austria’s SKU Amstetten and Czech Republic’s FC Zlín.

*The data is presented as a ratio relative to the average recorded across the 915 teams analysed (current or last completed domestic league matches only).

>>> Full data

Issue number 531 of the CIES Football Observatory’s Weekly Post presents the 100 teams worldwide whose academy graduates still under contract (in the club or out on loan) total the highest aggregate transfer value. Thanks to players such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Fermin López and Alejandro Balde, Spanish giants FC Barcelona top the ranking with a mobilisable asset of no less than €738 million.

Manchester City (€286 million) and Bayern Munich (€284 million) complete the top three. Six other teams have academy graduates under contract whose total transfer value exceeds €200 million : three from Spain (Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Real Sociedad), two from England (Chelsea and Arsenal), as well as Champions League title holders Paris St-Germain. A further Spanish side, Atlético Madrid, complete the top 10.

Two Portuguese clubs, Porto (Rodrigo Mora as main asset) and Sporting CP (Gonçalo Inácio), top the rankings among teams outside the big-5 (11th and 12th position overall). They are ahead of two Dutch clubs (AZ Alkmaar and Ajax), and a further Portuguese side : Benfica. The top three non-European teams are Corinthians (Breno Bidon as their main asset), Vasco da Gama (Rayan Vitor, just transferred to Bournemouth) and Boca Juniors (Di Lollo).

* For players who spent at least three seasons between the ages of 15 and 21 in two different clubs (e.g. Kenan Yildiz), only the first team was considered as the training academy.

>>> Top 100

The last Weekly Post of 2025, the 527th in a series that began in 2012, presents the 100 players worldwide born in 2006 or later who are not yet playing for a big-5 league club having performed best this year. The rankings were established using a method developed exclusively by the CIES Football Observatory and the data meticulously collected by our partner Impect.

The highest score overall was recorded for Dutchman Givairo Read of Feyenoord (85 out of 100). Although currently injured, he should soon be able to celebrate his first cap for Netherlands. This ’well-rounded’ wide back is ahead of Portugal’s Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP, but already signed by Chelsea) and Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi, from the veritable talent factory that is Danish side FC Nordsjælland.

France’s Joane Gadou (RB Salzburg) ranks first among centre backs and Sweden’s Simon Eriksson (IF Elfsborg) among goalkeepers. This Scouting report presents the top ten U20 players outside the big-5 for fifteen categories established by combining players’ level of activity in six areas (aerial play, recovery, distribution, take on, chance creation and finishing) as per Impect data and their main position (method also here).

>>> Top 100

>>> Full Scouting report (including estimated transfer values for all players)

The 526th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the most physically robust outfield players in terms of minutes played in official matches (club and national team) over the past year. Paraguayan international Júnior Alonso (Atlético Mineiro) tops the list, ahead of Belgium’s Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge) and Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi (SL Benfica).

Among players born in 2004 or later, the top three are Dutchman Wouter Goes (AZ Alkmaar), Ecuadorian Joel Ordóñez (Club Brugge) and Belgian Matte Smets (KRC Genk). Their ability to play matches at a high frequency will be a major asset for their careers. Colombia is the most represented country in the top 50 (seven players), reflecting both the tight schedule of the Colombian league and the physical strength of their players.

The Post also presents the distribution of minutes according to the type of competition (club national, club international and national teams), as well as the rankings for the last two, three, four and five years. The following players top the tables for each of these periods : Nicolás Otamendi (two years), Bruno Fernandes (three years), Gustavo Gómez (both four and five years).

>>> All the data

The 525th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the players worldwide whose transfer value* is likely to increase the most in absolute terms over the next six months without contract extension and according to a scenario predicting the same performance as in the last six months, both individually (minutes played, starting 11 rate, goal frequency, etc.) and collectively (results).

Ivorian winger Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig) tops the rankings with a projected increase of €40.1 million. His current value is indeed estimated at €45.7 million, while his expected value on 10 June 2026, according to the scenario described above, is €85.8 million. Newcastle United’s German Nick Woltemade (+€26.2 million) and another Ivorian, Bazoumana Touré of Hoffenheim (+€23.9 million), complete the podium.

In total, the published list includes no fewer than 169 players active in 23 different leagues. The projected increase in their transfer value over the next six months is at least €5 million. This free tool, on the other hand, presents the highest-valued player per club in 67 leagues around the world. However, assessments for all players are available to professionals via a paid platform.

* Further information on the statistical model developed by the CIES Football Observatory to assess from a scientific perspective players’ transfer values and make projections about future values can be found in this scientific article.

>>> 169 players list

Thanks to the data meticulously collected by our partner Impect, this Weekly Post presents the U23 players from 52 leagues around the world who are most skilled at advancing their team’s play with passes towards the opposition’s goal*. The study reveals the extraordinary abilities of Belgium’s Jorne Spileers, who completes an average of 11.8 ‘progressive’ passes per 90 minutes, with a record success rate of 84% and a progression index of 100.

Two other centre backs complete the podium: Spain’s Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) and Portugal’s António Silva (Benfica). Fourth, Norway’s Häkon Volden (Rosenborg) is the youngest player in the top 10 (18.5 years). Two other players under the age of 20 feature in the overall top 10: Gambia’s Abubacarr Sedi Kinteh (Tromsø) and France’s full international Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain).

Among wide backs, the top three are Álvaro Carreras (Real Madrid), Michal Gurgul (Lech Poznań) and Joaquin Seys (Club Bruges), with Luca Bombino (San Diego) being the youngest in the top 50. For midfielders, Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo) leads the way ahead of Warren Zäire-Emery (PSG) and Amadou Koné (Neom SC). The youngest midfielder in the top 50 is Argentina’s Álvaro Montoro (Botafogo).

* At least 30 meters if starting and finishing position in own half, 15 meters if in different halves and 10 meters if in opponent half.

>>> Full data

>>> More about Impect

The 523rd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the world’s smartest clubs on the transfer market since January 2021 in terms of the financial balance sheets of players recruited as professionals (i.e. excluding youth academy signings) and already permanently transferred to other teams. Eintracht Frankfurt tops the list with a positive balance of +€286m : €364m in revenue and €78m in expenditure.

The Germans are ahead of Brighton & Hove (+€221m) and Stuttgart (+€178m). Atalanta (+€150 million) and Benfica (+€147 million) round out the top five. In contrast, the most negative trading balances for players signed and transferred over the last five years were recorded for two Saudi clubs, Al-Hilal (-€197m) and Al-Nassr (-€104m), followed by three English teams : West Ham (-€99m), Aston Villa (-€85m) and Manchester United (-€74m).

If we add fist team squad recruits since 2021 who are still under contract with their signing clubs, and subtract their acquisition price from the current estimated value according to our statistical model, Eintracht Frankfurt is once again the best club with a balance of +€670m (+€286m for players recruited and already sold ; +€384m for those recruited and still owned), ahead of Real Madrid (+€591m), with Manchester United at the opposite end (-€482m).

* The rankings only include clubs whose total transfer spending and income since 2021 exceeds €10 million. The balance sheets take into account add-ons regardless of whether they have actually been paid or received, as well as sums earned through sell-ons.

>>> Full data

The 522nd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post ranks 50 top divisions worldwide according to the percentage of minutes played by U21 footballers eligible for the national team of the league’s country over the 2025 calendar year. The Australian A-League Men’s leads the rankings (17.7% of minutes).

Serbia’s Super Liga (15.8%) and Danmark’s Superliga (11.7%) round up the podium of the leagues where U21 eligible footballers played the greatest proportion of minutes in 2025. Among the five major European leagues, the figures range from 7.8% for France’s Ligue 1 (17th overall) to 1.9% for Italy’s Serie A (second lowest figure), with a particularly low rate also in the English Premier League (2.4%).

The Post also presents the number of U21 players eligible for the countries of the 50 leagues analysed who played in one of these championships in 2025. In this case, Argentina (213 U21 eligible players for a total of 112,455 minutes and a cumulative experience* of 74,236) is ahead of Colombia (185, 88,706 minutes, 50,047) and Brazil (173, 73,325 minutes, 44,558). France is fourth in terms of number of players and minutes and third in terms of cumulative experience.

* The cumulative experience was calculated by weighting the total number of minutes by the average sporting level of the matches played according to this method.

>>> Full study

>>> Video resuming the eight first Prospect Sheets with Impect on the best talents worldwide (all Sheets)

The 521st CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 players in the world who should earn the highest salaries according to a statistical model* taking into account sporting variables over the last year (playing time, sporting level of matches and rate of games in the starting 11), as well as the primary position played. Kylian Mbappé tops the list with an estimated deserved gross annual salary of €22.8 million (fixed part only).

This amount is 40% lower than that received, thanks to the fact that Real Madrid did not have to pay a transfer fee when he was signed in the summer of 2024, as well as the superstar effect allowing star players to monetise their status beyond their sporting performances. Mohamed Salah and Jude Bellingham complete the podium of the players deserving the highest salaries with respect to the variables included in our model.

Offensive players earning generally more than players in other positions, centre forwards and wingers are overrepresented at the top of the rankings. For other positions, Thibaut Courtois ranks first among goalkeepers, Virgil van Dijk among centre backs, Achraf Hakimi among full backs, João Neves among central or defensive midfielders, while Dominik Szoboszlai is second only to Jude Bellingham among attacking midfielders.

*Built on almost 2,000 salaries negotiated by players for permanent transfers or contract extensions, the CIES Football Observatory proprietary statistical model used in this study explains 83% of the differences in the amounts observed.

>>> Top 100

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect : Kader Meïté (Stade Rennais)

The 520th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the players who have not yet celebrated their 20th birthday with the highest transfer value according to our statistical model. In four cases, the estimate exceeds €100 million (with add-ons and for 100% of rights) : Lamine Yamal (€350 million), Estêvão Willian (€118 million), Pau Cubarsí (€113 million) and Franco Mastantuono (€102 million).

The top ten also includes Frenchman Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain), Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly from England, Portugal’s Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP, already signed by Chelsea), another Brazilian, Endrick Felipe (Real Madrid), and Sweden’s Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham).

In total, 113 teenagers playing in 25 leagues and 80 clubs around the world are estimated to be worth at least €10 million. The English Premier League is the best represented (23 players), ahead of the German Bundesliga (16) and the French Ligue 1 (11). This exclusive tool presents the most valuable player per team in 67 leagues.

<<< full list

Issue number 519 of the CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 50 nations in the world whose clubs have generated the most revenue over the last ten years from the international transfer of players trained in the country (including add-ons and sell-ons). France is clearly in the lead with €3.98 billion, an average of almost €400 million per year.

Clubs in two other countries have generated more than €2 billion from the international transfer of locally trained players over the last decade : Brazil (€2.60 billion) and Spain (€2.24 billion). Revenues exceeded €1 billion in six other countries : five European (Portugal, the Netherlands, England, Germany and Italy) and Argentina.

Transfers of players aged 20 or under account for almost one third of total revenue. Among the top 20 nations, this percentage is particularly high for Serbia (64.7%), Brazil (50.1%), Denmark (48.4%), Sweden (47.9%) and Belgium (43.8%). These figures reflect the early international transfer of players trained in these countries.

>>> Full data

The CIES Football Observatory is also happy to disclose its 7th Prospect Sheet in collaboration with Impect highlighting the great KRC Genk’s talent Konstantinos Karetsas.

As every year, the CIES Football Observatory has identified the clubs having trained* the players currently active in 49 leagues around the world to establish a ranking of the clubs with the best academies. The 518th Weekly Post presents the top 100 according to a training index taking into account the number of players trained, the level of the clubs they played for last year and the official game minutes played over the same period.

As last year, Benfica ranks first with 93 players trained active in the 49 leagues analysed, an average level of employment clubs of 0.81 and 2,582 minutes played on average in official matches over the last year. Barcelona (76 players, average club level of 0.87 and 2,773 minutes) and River Plate (97 players, average level of 0.81 and 2,305 minutes) complete the podium of the clubs with the best academies.

The top 10 includes a further Portuguese team (Sporting CP), another Spanish one (Real Madrid), two other Argentine clubs (Boca Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield), as well as Ajax from the Netherlands, Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia, and Defensor from Uruguay. Thirty countries are represented by at least one team in the top 100, the most represented nations being Argentina (15 clubs) and Brazil (11 clubs).

*Training clubs are defined as the first teams in which footballers have played for at least three years between the seasons of their 15th and 21st birthdays (inclusive).

>>> Top 100

This video illustrates the main changes that have taken place since 2010 in the composition of teams in thirty European top divisions in terms of squad size (increase), player height (also increasing), the proportion of club-trained footballers (decrease), that of expatriates (increase), the average age of first international migration (decrease), and the presence of newly recruited players (increase).

Thanks to the collaboration with Impect, the CIES Football Observatory has developed performance indices on a 100 basis in eight areas of play. This Weekly Post presents the 50 outfield footballers with the highest values in each domain for the last six-month domestic league games, with each player appearing only in the ranking for the area in which they scored highest.

The following players head the tables in the different areas : Virgil van Dijk (air defence), Moisés Caicedo (ground defence), Rúben Dias (defensive build-up), Pedri González (orchestration), Michael Olise (take on), Lamine Yamal (chance creation), Kylian Mbappé (finishing) and Erling Haaland (air attack).

The youngest players in the top 50 of each category are as follows : Eivind Helland (air defence), Agustín Medina (ground defence), Pau Cubarsí (defensive build-up), Warren Zaïre-Emery (orchestration), Estêvão Willian (take on), Lamine Yamal (chance creation), Franco Mastantuono (finishing) and Thierno Barry (air attack).

>>> Top 50s for the eight domains

>>> More about Impect

>>> More about the indices

The 516th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post highlights the clubs whose estimated transfer value of players owned has changed the most, positively or negatively, over the past year. We present both the change in absolute terms (‘gross’ evolution) and the change considering the financial balance of transfer operations (with sell-ons, not including add-ons) completed during the last two transfer windows (‘net’ evolution).

In terms of net evolution, Chelsea tops the list (+€364 million) with player valuations up €372m and a balanced net spending for the last two transfer windows : -€8m. The reigning world champions are ahead of the European ones, Paris St-Germain (+€303 million). German side Eintracht Francfort (+€294m) rounds up the podium. Manchester United (-€377 million) and Manchester City (-€315m) are at the opposite end of the table.

The Post also presents the estimated transfer value of all players owned by clubs (not including any sell-on related sums). In this case, the top three are Chelsea (€1.81 billion spread across 50 players), Real Madrid (€1.68 billion, 32 players) and Manchester City (€1.47 billion,46 players). Five other clubs have a total estimated value in excess of one billion : Arsenal, Paris St-Germain, Liverpool, Barcelona and Tottenham.

>>> Full data

>>> Top valued players per club in this tool

>>> More information on the CIES Football Observatory’s statistical model for estimating transfer values in this scientific article

The 515th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post ranks teams from 69 leagues around the world according to the average age of line-ups fielded in the current domestic league season. Not including B-teams, the lowest value overall was recorded for Latvian side FK Metta (20.96 years), while the highest was measured for Saudi Arabia’s Khaleej FC (31.62 years).

In the five major European leagues, the following teams fielded, so far, the youngest line-ups : Chelsea (Premier League, 24.36 years), Barcelona (La Liga, 25.22 years, ahead of Real Madrid, 25.67 years), RC Strasbourg (Ligue 1, 21.45 years, 2nd lowest value overall, ahead of Paris St-Germain, 24.09 years), Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga, 24.48 years) and Parma Calcio (Serie A, 24.26 years).

The Post also presents the percentage of minutes per age category (≤21, 22-25, 26-29, ≥30). Italian champions Napoli are the Champions League big-5 participant with the highest percentage of minutes by players aged 30 or over (46.8%, up to 84.5% for over 26-year-old players), ahead of Bayern Munich (36.0%, and 70.3% respectively). These proportions are much lower for Champions League title holders Paris St-Germain : 3.0% and 23.4%.

>>> Data for all teams

>>> More details about BlueCo’s policy in this video

>>> More exclusive demographic data in this Atlas

With the real Ballon d’Or to be awarded today by France Football, the CIES Football Observatory has had fun ranking the 100 best players in the world over the past year using a purely statistical method. The latter takes into account the performances of outfield footballers during the last year in six game areas (see here, data from Impect), as well their employment, matches’ sporting level and results (see here).

FC Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal ranks first ahead of Kylian Mbappé and his teammate Pedri González. The best centre back is Virgil van Dijk (4th), while Achraf Hakimi has the highest score among full/wing backs (9th overall). One of the favourites to win the real Ballon d’Or, Ousmane Dembélé, ranks seventh in this case, also behind Michael Olise and Mohamed Salah.

The three oldest players in the top 100 are Luka Modrić, Lionel Messi, and Nicolás Otamendi, while the youngest are Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Désiré Doué. Virgil van Dijk tops the rankings in terms of experience, while the top three in terms of pure performance are Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

>>> Top 100

Issue number 513 of the CIES Football Observatory’s Weekly Post presents the 100 clubs worldwide having committed the most money in transfer fees (including add-ons regardless of actual payment) to recruit their current first team squad players. Chelsea tops the list with a total investment of €1,314 million, of which €134 million for the most expensive signing (Moisés Caicedo, 10%).

Manchester City (€1,128 million) and Manchester United (€1,071m) round up the podium, followed by two other English clubs : Liverpool (€1,065m) and Arsenal (€1,001m). No club outside England has invested more than one billion to assemble its squad, with a maximum of €873 million for Champions League title holders Paris St-Germain (7th, just ahead of Real Madrid). Al-Hilal tops the rankings for non-European clubs (€451m, 19th).

Compared to the same date last year, the amounts committed by the ten clubs having invested the most in transfer fees to build their current first team squads increased by 15% (from 8.44 to 9.67 billion) and those of the top 100 by 12% (from 26.23 to 29.42 billion). This evolution is directly linked to the record transfer spending registered in 2025, as illustrated in this video.

>>> Top 100 of costliest squads

>>> Top valued players per club in 67 leagues as per CIES Football Observatory statistical model

>>> New Prospect Sheet with Impect: Alvaro Montoro

The 512th Weekly Post of the CIES Football Observatory presents the results of a statistical model forecasting the probability of winning the title for clubs in 29 leagues. The model combines sporting variables (Impect data on passes in the opponent’s half), economic variables (transfer fees invested to recruit players fielded) and demographic variables (players’ last year minutes and their matches’ sporting level).

The highest likelihood in absolute terms was recorded for Serbia’s side Crvena Zvezda (76.2%), followed by France’s Paris St-Germain (73.0%) and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns (70.6%). Conversely, among the 30 leagues analysed, the most open are the UAE Pro League (at most 23.5% chance of success for Shabab Al Ahli), the Italian Serie A (25.6% for Inter), and the Dutch Eredivisie (28.6% for Feyenoord).

In the Premier League, Liverpool has the highest probability of being crowned champions again (28.9%), ahead of Arsenal (18.8%) and Chelsea (16.2%). In La Liga, Real Madrid are the favourites (40.6% chance of winning the league), ahead of Barcelona (29.6%) and Atlético Madrid (22.1%). In Serie A, the top three are Inter (25.6%), Juventus (18.2%), and Napoli (17.4%). In Bundesliga, Bayern Munich stands out with 61.4%, ahead of Borussia Dortmund (8.8%).

>>> Full study

The 511th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post analyses the financial results of transfer operations carried out in 2025. In total, clubs around the world invested approximately €14.2 billion, 14% more than the previous record set in 2023. This Post presents the balance sheets for the 121 teams worldwide involved in incoming or outgoing transactions totalling more than €50 million overall.

With around €500 million invested and €255 million received (including add-ons and sell-ons), Liverpool tops the rankings in terms of fees generated (€755m). Two other English teams complete the podium: Chelsea (€754m) and, further behind, Manchester City (€556m). In terms of net spending, the most negative balances were also recorded for English clubs : Manchester City (-€369 million), Arsenal (-€366m) and Liverpool (-€245m).

In contrast, three French Ligue 1 teams totalled the most positive net spending for transactions completed in 2025 : RC Lens (+€113m), Olympique Lyonnais (+€108m) and Monaco (+€95m). In terms of the number of fee-paying transfers, whether for revenue or expenditure, the most active clubs were AC Milan (37 deals), Juventus (33) and Chelsea (32).

>>> Full data analysis