Produced by: Hitansh Gaur
Manchester City FC, which is owned by the deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, has topped the charts of valuable football clubs with a jump of 13 percent in their valuation reaching $1.56 billion (Rs 12,891 crore approx.). The club recently won its third consecutive Premier League and their fifth one in the last six years. Moreover, the club is going to face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Sunday.
Real Madrid fell out of the Champions League while also losing the league to FC Barcelona but the club still managed to win three trophies in the season – FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the Copa Del Ray. Brand Finance has ranked them the 2nd most valuable football brand for the year. Real Madrid lost their four year valuation reign with a drop of 4 percent to $1.51 billion euros (Rs 12,487 crore approx.) Real Madrid is also the first of the four clubs to get the prestigious AAA+ rating.
FC Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga this season. Even though they have a lot going on in terms of finances and scandal, Blaugranas was still able to retain their position as the third most valuable club. Brand Finance has valued FC Barcelona for $1.42 billion (Rs 11,760 crore approx.) a jump of 4 percent from last year. The club also retained its position as the third strongest football brand getting the prestigious AAA+ rating.
The Red Devils were valued at a staggering $1.412 billion euros (Rs 11,653 crore approx.) seeing a jump of 9 percent from last year’s report. Manchester United finished third in the Premier League while losing the FA Cup to their rivals across the city. But they did manage to confirm Champions League football next year and also lifted the Carabao Cup. Manchester United also retained their fourth position in the tally of strongest football brands while also holding the prestigious AAA+ rating.
The Reds had a sub-par season as they failed to lift any trophy while also finishing the Premier League at fifth position. But they were still able to improve their valuation by 7 percent reaching $1.411 billion (Rs 11,645 crore approx.). Liverpool will play the Europa League next year. Liverpool also maintained their position as the second strongest football brand getting them AAA+ rating.
Paris Saint-Germain FC are the only ones from France’s Ligue 1 to feature in the top ten with a valuation of $1.17 billion (Rs 9,691 crore approx.). Even though PSG recently said goodbye to the legendary Lionel Messi, but it still has one of the most star-studded squad with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. as of today. The club managed to lift two trophies in the form of Ligue 1 and Trophee des Champions
Bayern Munich had a dramatic season as they won the Bundesliga on the last match day of the season, that too on the basis of goal difference against their arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund. But the Bavarian club still lost their sixth position in the tally from last year to Paris Saint-Germain. Bayern won the German League for a record 33rd time and also lifted the DFL Super Cup for the tenth time. The German club fell out of the Champions League after losing to Manchester City in the Quarter Final by 4-1(agg.)
This season for Arsenal was as dramatic as it can get for an English football club. The Gunners managed to stay on top of the league table for 248 days but still managed to lose the title and finish in second place. The team looked like it would bring back the glory to the North London club after the 2003 ‘Invincibles’ season. But three consecutive draws starting from April 9 and a loss to Manchester City shattered their dreams. Despite all this, Arsenal managed to see their valuation jump by 14 percent to $940 million (Rs 7,757 crore approx.)
Tottenham Hotspur once again finished out of top four (8th this season) after having a disastrous campaign this year. The North London club failed to put a tough fight for any title as they fell out of the Champions League in the Last 16 stage. The last time the Spurs won a trophy was the Carabao Cup in 2008 when they defeated Chelsea 2-1 in the final. The fifth English club in the tally is valued at $940 million (Rs 7,681 crore approx.)
The sixth English club in the tally is none other than Chelsea FC from London. The club was sold by its Russian owner, Roman Abramovich last year after his country began their invasion of Ukraine. US based Todd Boehly bought the club last year in a deal worth $5.4 billion. But Brand Finance has valued the club at $893 million (Rs 7,369 crore approx). The Blues had one of the most disastrous seasons for them as they finished 12th on the Premier League table after losing the Champions League Quarter Final to Real Madrid by 4-0 on aggregate.