The Ten Most Expensive Football Players Of All-Time
To be quite honest I had a bit of downtime so I figured rather than wasting my time watching videos on YouTube, that I do something productive. I intended to write an article about something, but this yearโs edition of the Champions League is kind of dull.
Donโt ask me how but I ended up researching total transfer values and made quite some surprising discoveries. A few players that donโt exactly scream world-class managed to accumulate a total transfer fee of more than 90.000.000โฌ despite being never considered one of the very best in his position.
Just to give you an idea how weird this list isโฆKaka did not make it. Yes, Real Madridโs second most expensive signing of all-time didnโt crack the top 10 whilst some others surpassed him quite easily.
If you have asked yourself how some clubs (my beloved FC Barcelona among them) can accumulate so much debt, this list shows you some of the most outrageous transfers ever sanctioned.
Please enjoy or rather look in shock how some of these players wind up being the top 10 most expensive signings of all-time.
No. 10 Zinedine Zidane
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Arguably the finest player of his generation, and at one point the most expensive signing ever made. He is also the most accomplished player on this list. Now let that sink in, the most accomplished player on this list only finished at No. 10. I donโt know how you feel but something is wrong when Zidane is not even cracking the top three.
Things must really be messed up if one of the greatest footballers of all-time barely edges out Arjen Robben (total transfer value: 82.300.000โฌ) for a top ten place.
Transfers:
AS Cannes to FC Girondins Bordeaux, 7.000.000โฌ
FC Girondins Bordeaux to Juventus Turin, 3.500.000โฌ
Juventus Turin to Real Madrid, 73.500.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 84.000.000โฌ
No. 9 Robinho
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Another Los Blancos purchase that made the list, although the obviously gifted Brazilian is better known for his off-field antics. A certified troublemaker, drama has followed him wherever he went.
Even his transfer from Santos FC to Real Madrid has been anything but a smooth operation.
Transfers:
Santos FC to Real Madrid, 24.000.000โฌ
Real Madrid to Manchester City, 43.000.000โฌ
Manchester City to AC Milan, 18.000.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 85.000.000
No. 8 Christian Vieri
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There was no doubt that at the beginning of this decade the Italian gave, his then teammate, the original Ronaldo, a run for his money as the best striker in the world. Nowadays he is running a fashion label with his friend and fellow former Italian international, the impeccable Paolo Maldini.
Transfers:
Atalanta Bergamo to Juventus Turin, 2.500.000โฌ
Juventus Turin to Atletico Madrid, 15.000.000โฌ
Atletico Madrid to Lazio Rome, 25.000.000โฌ
Lazio Rome to Inter Milan, 45.000.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 87.500.000โฌ
No. 7 Robbie Keane
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Yes, you can trust your eyes Tottenhamโs own Robbie Keane has cost more than Zinedine Zidane. This will mark about the only time that Robbie Keane joins Zinedine Zidane in a top 10 list of anything. To make things weirder as they are, he even ranks higher than the legendary Frenchman.
Transfers:
Wolverhampton Wanderes to Coventry City, 9.000.000โฌ
Coventry City to Inter Milan, 19.500.000โฌ
Inter Milan to Leeds United, 18.000.000โฌ
Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur, 10.500.000โฌ
Tottenham Hotspur to FC Liverpool, 24.000.000โฌ
Liverpool to Tottenham Hotspur, 16.700.000โฌ
Total transfer fee: 97.700.000โฌ
No. 6 Ronaldo
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Il Phenomeno the original Ronaldo, an all-time great, arguably the greatest striker of his generation he definitely warrants a place among the most expensive signings ever.
He also holds the distinction of having played for some of greatest rivals in football, FC Barcelona/Real Madrid; Inter Milan/AC Milan.
Transfers:
Cruzeiro to PSV Eindhoven, 5.475.000โฌ
PSV Eindhoven to FC Barcelona, 15.000.000โฌ
FC Barcelona to Inter Milan, 28.000.000โฌ
Inter Milan to Real Madrid, 45.000.000โฌ
Real Madrid to AC Milan, 7.500.000โฌ
Total transfer fee: 100.975.000โฌ
No. 5 Cristiano Ronaldo
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Yet another Galatico, the player that commands the single biggest transfer fee of all-time. The Portuguese player has thus proved to be good value for his new employers Real Madrid. The third and last Ballon dโOr & World Player Of The Year recipient on thisโIโd love to say exclusive but it really isnโtโlist.
I was wondering why Real Madrid would shell out this much money for a player. But after realizing that a so-so player like Robbie Keane can command upwards of 90.000.000โฌ in accumulated transfer fees, I assume Ronaldoโs price tag was more than justified.
Transfers:
Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, 17.500.000โฌ
Manchester United to Real Madrid, 94.000.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 111.500.000โฌ
No. 4 Juan Sebastian Veron
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Heโs got Sebastian in his name so he must be goodโฆchuckles. No, seriously in his heyday the Argentinean midfielder was among the finest players at his position. He just made an ill-advised move to England where his style didnโt really mesh with the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.
Transfers:
Estudiantes to Boca Juniors, 2.200.000โฌ
Boca Juniors to Sampdoria Genoa, ???
Sampdoria Genoa to Lazio Rome, 30.000.000โฌ
Lazio Rome to Manchester United, 42.600.000โฌ
Manchester United to Chelsea FC, 22.500.000โฌ
Chelsea FC to Inter Milan, ???
Inter Milan to Estudiantes, 2.200.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 117.000.000โฌ
No. 3 Hernan Crespo
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Another one of Chelseaโs super expensive flops, this one actually cracked the top three. Crespo must not know when to call it quits because he is still playing. If Gennaro Gattuso is past it, then Hernan Crespo is something else.
But there was a time when Crespoโs name would strike fear into any defense in Italy as well as Europe. Somebody please remind him that those days are long gone.
Transfers:
River Plate to FC Parma, 4.000.000โฌ
FC Parma to Lazio Rome, 55.000.000โฌ
Lazio Rome to Inter Milan, 36.000.000โฌ
Inter Milan to Chelsea FC, 26.000.000โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 121.000.000โฌ
No. 2 Nicolas Anelka
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The football version of a restless nomad, the Frenchman must have played in every league across Europe you can imagine. Though he is not known for his exceptional goal-scoring exploits, this striker has somehow managed to play for some of the biggest clubs in world football.
To this day Le Sulk has never lived up to the promise he has shown as an Arsenal youngster. One can only assume that with the right frame of mind this player couldโve gone on to achieve big things in football.
Transfers:
FC Arsenal to Real Madrid, 35.000.000 โฌ
Real Madrid to FC Paris Saint-Germain, 34.500.000 โฌ
FC Paris Saint-Germain to FC Liverpool, 1.400.000 โฌ (loan)
FC Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City, 19.800.000 โฌ
Manchester City to Fenerbahce Istanbul, 5.500.000 โฌ
Fenerbahce Istanbul to Bolton Wanderers, 12.000.000 โฌ
Bolton Wanderers to FC Chelsea, 19.900.000 โฌ
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 128.600.000โฌ
No. 1 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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The volatile Swede remains an enigma. He is arguably the most gifted striker of his generation, he has the height, power, technique, composure, and flair. But for some reason he always comes up short on the European stage. Whether it is the European Championships or the UEFA Champions League, he somehow manages to disappear in the knock-out stages.
Not to suggest that his is not a top quality player, but his form can be erratic at times. In a good but not great Inter Milan side he was the main inspiration of goals. In Barcelona a team revered for its one-touch football, he looked like a foreign object even though he possesses all the required skills to succeeded in Catalunya.
But even in defeat he wins, as his ill-fated spell in Barcelona made him the most expensive player of all-time.
His talents or to be more precise his attitude will still divide the public opinion, but based on sheer talent alone itโs okay that he makes this list although he shouldnโt come in at No. 1.
Transfers:
Malmรถ FF to Ajax Amsterdam, 7.800.000โฌ
Ajax Amsterdam to Juventus Turin, 25.000.000 โฌ
Juventus Turinย to Inter Milan, 24.800.000 โฌ
Inter Milan to FC Barcelona, 69.500.000 โฌ (49.500.000โฌ plus Samuel Etoโo)
FC Barcelona to AC Milan,ย 24.000.000 โฌ (Milan is obliged to buy him at the start of next season)
Total transfer fee:ย ย ย 150.600.000โฌ
Final Words
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Is it just me or has almost every player on this list played for Inter Milan at one point or another? Iโve always thought that Real Madridโs Florentino Perez is transfer mad, but I guess his fellow billionaire buddy Massimo Moratti spends even more.
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