Julius Okorie
Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, has been named the most valuable footballer in the world in 2025.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe emergence of the teenager is not a surprise considering his exploits in recent championships, including the Champions league, Copa Del Rel and El-classico among others.
Lamine Yamal is currently worth £339 million, according to the latest rankings released by the CIES Football Observatory.
Yamal, 17, has dazzled for both club and country, spearheading Barcelona’s La Liga title charge under new manager Hansi Flick. His electrifying performances and ability to torment defenders have cemented his status as one of football’s brightest prospects.
Even with his jaw-dropping valuation, Yamal remains firmly out of reach for interested clubs, thanks to a €1 billion release clause in his new Barcelona contract — a clear statement that the club intends to build their future around him.
Premier League Dominates Top 100
While Yamal leads the global pack, the Premier League has stamped its dominance on the overall list, contributing 42 players to the top 100 — the highest of any league. La Liga follows with 19 players, and PSG boasts the most players from a single club, with 11.
Hot on Yamal’s heels is Erling Haaland, valued at £201 million, followed by Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham (£196m), whose debut season in Spain has earned him immense praise despite the absence of silverware.
READ ALSO:Lamine Yamal, Another Messi, Marks 100th Game For Barcelona
Bellingham narrowly edges out teammate Kylian Mbappé (£161m), who, at 26, is the oldest player in the top 10.
England’s Rising Stars:
England has a solid presence in the upper echelon of the list, with Cole Palmer — after a breakout season at Chelsea — ranked eighth and valued at £106 million. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka is listed as the most valuable Gunners player at £96 million, closely followed by Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers (£95m).
As Liverpool eyes a record-breaking move for German playmaker Florian Wirtz, fans will be interested to know his value stands at £102 million, despite the Reds reportedly bidding more than that.
Surprising Entrants and Positional Standouts:
Outside the attacking flair dominating the list, Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen emerges as the top-ranked goalkeeper, valued at £54 million. Meanwhile, Jeremie Frimpong’s true market value is pegged at £55.4 million, nearly double the £29.5 million Bayer Leverkusen paid to secure his services.
The top 100 also includes a handful of stars from less represented leagues, such as Samu Aghehowa (£60m) and Viktor Gyökeres (£59.5m) in Portugal, and Jhon Duran (£48m) — the only player from Saudi Arabia.
Top 10 Most Valuable Footballers in the World (CIES, 2025)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) – £339 million
- Erling Haaland (Man City) – £201 million
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) – £196 million
- Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) – £161 million
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) – Valuation not specified
- Pedri (Barcelona) – Valuation not specified
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) – Valuation not specified
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea) – £106 million
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) – £102 million
- Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) – £55.4 million (market value)
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
