Kylian Mbappe the Most Valuable Player in World Football, Per CIES Study
Kylian Mbappe is the most valuable player in world football according to CIES Football Observatory and the only one worth more than €200 million (£174.8 million).
In its latest report, the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) estimated the values of the world's top players in each position, with Mbappe topping the forward's category and overall:
Per the report, the 19-year-old's value has increased by €23 million (£20.1 million) in October to see him leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
A superb month for the Frenchman saw him bag seven goals and an assist for Paris Saint-Germain and also find the net for his national side.
He has continued that form into November:
As Squawka's Jake Entwistle demonstrated, he's simply an incredible prospect:
It is not just his form that has driven up his value, but also his age, as his youth gives him the potential to hit even more incredible heights over the next decade or more.
But age is now counting against Lionel Messi (31) and Cristiano Ronaldo (33). Despite their continued excellence over the years, Messi is only sixth on the list of forwards at €170.6 million (£149.2 million), while Ronaldo is outside the top 10 at €123.6 million (£108.1 million).
Only two other players aged 30 or over are in the top 10 for their respective categories: Nicolas Otamendi is said to be the eighth-most valuable centre-back in the world, while Hugo Lloris is one place lower on the goalkeepers' list.
Manchester City's Ederson sits atop that list with an estimated value of €102 million (£89.1 million), while Manchester United stalwart David De Gea failed to make the top 10. In the Spaniard's case, his value has dropped because he is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, whereas Ederson's deal runs until 2025.
Samuel Umtiti of Barcelona and Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool are said to be the most valuable centre-back and full-back in the world, respectively, while Dele Alli tops the list of midfielders ahead of Kevin De Bruyne and Paul Pogba.
