World Cup squad values: England claim the biggest rise and the highest price tag

England tops the list of teams whose transfer values have increased outlandishly over the past decade.

With mounting evidence of cash being king in the world of football, a study conducted by Bonusetu has revealed much about the changing finances within the game, as well as some encouraging patterns for fans of the Lions.

England’s 26-man squad has a total estimated transfer value of over £1.08 billion, an increase of just below £800 million from their value at the 2014 World Cup. That equates to 277% of their transfer value at the tournament eight years ago in Brazil. These figures are not only an indicator of the drastically increasing stakes in the world’s richest sport but of the talent pool that England Manager Gareth Southgate has to pick from. Transfermarkt.com’s 25 most valuable players across the tournament feature as many as six English stars including Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham. The Lions feature more than any other team on this list with English players worth nearly £500 million between them.

Brazil is the second most expensive squad in the World Cup with a total value of £980.4m, up £578m from their 2014 total worth - the second-highest rise of any squad. The South American football giants boast five players in the most expensive 25 categories including Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior who holds the tournament's second-highest price tag at around £105m. The famous footballing nation are the betting favourites to win the tournament and, all going as planned for England, would be a likely opponent in the final on December 18th.

Portugal and France become the next two sides whose squad values have increased by over £500m since 2014. The Portuguese side’s price tag lands at £805.8m which is 215% of their 2014 value while the reigning World Champions France boasts a total squad transfer value of £885.8m, up by 150%. The Netherlands come in fifth on the list of inflating squad values with a worth of £505m compared to their 2014 price of £178.5m, they are the only side in the top ten not to have qualified for the intervening World Cup of 2018.

The football power continents of Europe and South America maintain a stronghold on the game in terms of player value with the top 14 valued teams residing within their borders. The United States constitutes the most valuable squad outside of this with a total value of £238.5m, Senegal were the highest-valued African side at a similar price, and Japan were the most expensive side from Asia. Meanwhile, the hosts Qatar claimed the lowest price tag in the tournament at an accumulated worth of just £12.8m.

With the previous two World Cup tournaments having been won by sides with the second highest (Germany – 2014) and the highest (France – 2018) total transfer values, England fans will hope that the side’s superior financial worth can convert into superiority on the pitch. England soon face France who also boasts the tournament's most expensive player, Kylian Mbappe, valued at around £140 million.

Having finished a meagre third in their group, Germany became the priciest side to drop out of the tournament before the knockout stage with a total transfer value of £761.5m. Germany’s World Cup started with a one-all draw to Spain followed by a 2-1 loss to Japan who topped group E despite amassing a total squad value of just £132.4m. The scale of this feat is revealed when comparing the Japanese side’s price to that of the German side, and that of Spain which comes out at just over £754.2m.

Spain then succumbed to a round of 16 defeat to Morocco on penalties, becoming the second most expensive side to leave the World Cup. Their shootout victory also makes Morocco the lowest-valued side to progress to the quarter-finals with their price tag coming in at just £207.3m.

A spokesperson for bonusetu.com commented on these findings: “These numbers are an interesting tool to analyse the game alongside. It’s great to see that England are in fine form and the patterns that suggest they should go far this year. But it’s also great to see that money isn’t the be-all and end-all, namely with Morocco's tremendous success against one of the world’s priciest teams”.

While the England squad boasts the largest increase in squad value over the past eight years, throughout the tournament squad prices are up massively compared to those of 2014. The average increase for the 18 teams that have competed in all of the last three tournaments is just over £266 million. Costa Rica have become the only side possessing a total transfer value less than that they held at the last World Cup with their modest £16 million price tag having fallen from their 2018 total worth of £36 million.