With the World Cup kicking off this week, Frontier (Europe)’s latest bulletin estimates the economic value of the leading national football teams taking part.
Frontier undertook a similar analysis for the 2010 World Cup, when eventual champions Spain also topped our list of most valuable teams. The results this time, however, throw up some surprises. Argentina heads our economic league table, largely thanks to star man Lionel Messi, who alone is valued at an eye-watering £130 million – nearly as much as the entire Italian team. By contrast, Brazil, the tournament favourites, only have the fourth most valuable team – barely ahead of little-fancied England.
So is an upset in store? Or will home advantage propel Brazil to lift the trophy for a record sixth time? Let the debates - and the games - begin.
For more information, please contact Marita O'Keeffe at m.okeeffe@frontier-economics.com.au or call +61 (0) 3 9620 4488.
