Top 10 Most Valuable Footbal Clubs in Europe

Top 10 most valuable football clubs in Europe

Real Madrid have topped the 2021 Brand Finance list as the most valuable football club brand in the world for a third straight year.

Despite suffering a 10% drop in its brand value, the Spanish giants head the world rankings with a €1.27 billion valuation, ahead of La Liga rivals Barcelona who are valued at €1.26bn.

"Real Madrid have consistently been able to secure Champions League qualification year after year," the report said.

"This consistent influx of Champions League revenue and status has played a central role in the club's overall success."

Six of the top 10 ranked clubs in the Football 50 2021 report are Premier League outfits. Manchester United are third in the rankings and are England's most valuable brand club at €1.13bn, just 1% higher in brand value than Premier League champions Manchester City (€1.19bn), who are fourth overall.

United suffered a 14% decline in brand value this year.

The failed European Super League project has negatively impacted the brand strength of the 12 founding clubs, eight of which are in the top 10 on the list. The ESL controversy knocked €600 million off brand values.

Take a look at this 10most valuable football clubs in Europe, according to ESPN.

The list of top 10 most valuable football clubs in Europe

10. Arsenal (€675m)

9. Tottenham Hotspur (€723m)

8. Chelsea (€769m)

7. Paris Saint-Germain (€887m)

6. Liverpool (€973m)

5. Bayern Munich (€1.17bn)

4. Manchester City (€1.19bn)

3. Machester United (€1.13bn)

2. Barcelona (€1.26bn)

1. Real Madrid (€1.27bn)

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What are the most valuable football clubs in Europe for 2021/2022?

10. Arsenal (€675m)

Bleacher Report

Arsenal Football Club is a professional football club based in Islington, London, England. Arsenal plays in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The club has won 13 league titles (including one unbeaten title), a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, 16 FA Community Shields, the League Centenary Trophy, one European Cup Winners' Cup, and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Herbert Chapman, who changed the fortunes of Arsenal forever, won the club its first silverware, and his legacy led the club to dominate the 1930s decade; Chapman, however, died of pneumonia in 1934, aged 55. He helped introduce the WM formation, floodlights, and shirt numbers; he also added the white sleeves and brighter red to the club's jersey. Arsène Wenger is the longest-serving manager and won the most trophies. He won a record seven FA Cups, and his title-winning team set an English record for the longest top-flight unbeaten league run at 49 games between 2003 and 2004, receiving the nickname The Invincibles.

In 1886, munitions workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich founded the club as Dial Square. In 1913, the club crossed the city to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury, becoming close neighbours of Tottenham Hotspur, and creating the North London derby. In 2006, they moved to the nearby Emirates Stadium. With an annual revenue of €388m in the 19–20 season, Arsenal was estimated to be worth US$2.68 billion by Forbes, making it the world's seventh most valuable club, while it is one of the most followed on social media. The motto of the club has long been Victoria Concordia Crescit, Latin for "Victory Through Harmony".

9. Tottenham Hotspur (€723m)

Hotspur HQ

During their colorful lifespan, Tottenham Hotspur were mostly known as cup specialists. They made history by becoming the first British team to win a European trophy, as well as winning the first UEFA Cup ever organized. Overall, their trophy room contains eight FA Cups, four League Cups, one Cup Winners' Cup and two UEFA Cups. In addition to their long tradition of cup success, the "Spurs" can also boast with two League titles in 1951 and 1961.

Tottenham Hotspur FC was founded in 1882, by a group of grammar-school boys from All Hallows Church. At first, the club was simply named Hotspur; in order to avoid confusion with an older club named Hotspur FC, the name was soon changed to Tottenham Hotspur.

In domestic football, Spurs have won two league titles, eight FA Cups, four League Cups, and seven FA Community Shields. In European football, they have won one European Cup Winners' Cup and two UEFA Cups. Tottenham were also runners-up in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League. They have a long-standing rivalry with nearby club Arsenal, with whom they contest the North London derby. Tottenham is owned by ENIC Group, which purchased the club in 2001. The club was estimated to be worth £1.67 billion ($2.3 billion) in 2021, and it was the ninth highest-earning football club in the world, with an annual revenue of £390.9 million in 2020.

8. Chelsea (€769m)

Photo: Evening Standard

While Chelsea were a reasonably consistent club for most of their history, people nowadays usually associate them with the football juggernaut they've become at the turn of the century; not much of a surprise, considering the club won the majority of their silverware in that period. Chelsea have won League titles, FA Cups and League Cups. They've also found success in Europe, becoming the only British club to win all three major UEFA trophies: the Cup Winners' Cup, the Champions League and the Europa League.

Chelsea was founded in 1905 by Gus Mears, an English businessman who had earlier bought the Stamford Bridge athletics stadium with the plan of transforming it into a football ground. His original idea was to rent it to an existing club, but after a deal with Fulham FC was halted, he got the idea to start a new club.

Chelsea's home kit colours are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks. The club's crest features a ceremonial lion rampant regardant holding a staff. The club has rivalries with neighbouring teams Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and a historic rivalry with Leeds United. Based on attendance figures, the club has the sixth-largest fanbase in England. In terms of club value, Chelsea are the sixth most valuable football club in the world, worth £2.13 billion ($2.576 billion), and are the eighth highest-earning football club in the world, with earnings of over €428 million in the 2017–18 season. Since 2003, Chelsea have been owned by Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich.

7. Paris Saint-Germain (€887m)

France 24

Compared to most other football powerhouses, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are a relatively young club. Nevertheless, they were remarkably successful in their short lifespan, winning Ligue 1 titles, French Cups and League Cups. They are one of only two French sides to win a European trophy, a feat they have achieved by winning the 1996 Cup Winners' Cup. Their rivalry with Marseille, often referred to as "Le Classique", is widely considered to be the most passionate derby in French football.

For the longest time, Paris did not have a football club that truly belonged to the elite. That finally changed in 1970, when a group of businessmen went through with the plan of merging Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain into a single club named Paris Saint-Germain. (The year of establishment are somewhat debated though, since the club was affiliated with the Fédération française de football already in December 1969.)

Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, owns PSG through closed shareholders Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), which purchased the club in 2011. The takeover made PSG the richest club in France and one of the wealthiest in the world. As of the 2019–20 season, PSG have the seventh-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of €541m according to Deloitte, and are the world's ninth-most valuable football club, worth $2.5bn according to Forbes.

6. Liverpool (€973m)

Photo: Getty Images

Since they were founded in 1892, the Liverpool Football Club name was synonymous with fame and glory. Internationally, Liverpool is the most successful British club of all time with plenty of European trophies on their record. They are one of the most popular football teams in the world, with over 200 supporter clubs in at least 50 different countries. And yet, their magnificent history will forever be plagued by two of the worst stadium disasters of all time: Heysel and Hillsborough.

Liverpool is one of the most widely supported clubs in the world, as well as one of the most valuable. Liverpool has long-standing rivalries with Manchester United and Everton. The team changed from red shirts and white shorts to an all-red home strip in 1964 which has been used ever since. The club's anthem is "You'll Never Walk Alone".

5. Bayern Munich (€1.17bn)

Photo: Getty Images

With its 25 national titles and 17 DFB-Pokals, FC Bayern Munich firmly belongs in the conversation about the greatest football clubs in the world. It is one of only three clubs to win all three major European trophies: the European Cup/Champions League, the Europa League and the Cup Winner's Cup. In addition to being undisputedly the most successful club in Germany, they are also ranked third on All-Time Club World Rankings.

Strangely enough for such a successful club, Bayern did not set the world alight straight away. After being founded in 1900, the club had to wait until 1932 for its first national championship.

4. Manchester City (€1.19bn)

Photo: Getty Images

Much like their Mancunian rivals, Manchester City have seen many highs during their colorful existence. With First Division/Premier League titles, FA Cups, League Cups and one Cup Winners' Cup, City stand tall as one of the most successful English football clubs of all time. Still, their history contains more than enough lows to even it up; for example, City are still the only English champions to be relegated the very next season.

The club was formed in 1880, under the name of St. Mark's, after an initiative by Arthur Connell (the rector of St Mark's Church) and his daughter, Anna Connell. After calling them self Gorton FC and Ardwick AFC for shorter periods, they would change their name to Manchester City in 1894. This coincides with some financial troubles that eventually led to restructuring of the club. The name change – combined with moving to the spacious grounds of Hyde Road a couple of years later – saw Manchester City become the most popular club in the city, with an enthusiastic fan base that followed them wherever they went. This rise in stature led to the club earning promotion to the First Division in 1899.

Manchester City's revenue was the fifth-highest of a football club in the world in the 2018–19 season at €568.4 million. In 2019, Forbes estimated the club was the fifth most valuable in the world at $2.69 billion. The club is owned by the City Football Group, a British-based holding company primarily owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group and valued at £3.73 (US$4.8) billion in November 2019 following a 10% stake sale to Silver Lake.

3. Manchester United (€1.13bn)

Photo: Getty Images

Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. Nicknamed "the Red Devils", the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to its current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910.

Manchester United have won more trophies than any other club in English football, with a record 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, five League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields. United have also won three European Cups/UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA Europa League, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup. In 1998–99, the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the continental European treble. By winning the UEFA Europa League in 2016–17, they became one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions.

Manchester United was the highest-earning football club in the world for 2016–17, with an annual revenue of €676.3 million, and the world's third most valuable football club in 2019, valued at £3.15 billion ($3.81 billion). After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, the club was taken private after a purchase by Malcolm Glazer in 2005 at almost £800 million, of which over £500 million of borrowed money became the club's debt. From 2012, some shares of the club were listed on the New York Stock Exchange, although the Glazer family retains overall ownership and control of the club.

2. Barcelona (€1.26bn)

Photo: Financial Time

Futbol Club Barcelona, commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially, is a Spanish professional football club based in Barcelona, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.

Founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, Spanish, German and English footballers led by Joan Gamper, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" ("More than a club"). Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona. It is the fourth-most valuable sports team in the world, worth $4.06 billion, and the world's richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €840.8 million. The official Barcelona anthem is the "Cant del Barça", written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs. Barcelona traditionally play in dark shades of blue and red stripes, leading to the nickname Blaugrana.

According to a report by the prestigious North American business and finance magazine Forbes, FC Barcelona is the most valuable football club in the world with a worth of 4.76 billion dollars.

For the first time in its history the blaugranes are in first place ahead of Real Madrid and Manchester United. Forbes puts together the list on an annual basis and takes into account deals for TV rights, contracts with players and costs amongst other consideratons.

1. Real Madrid (€1.27bn)

Photo: Getty Images

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, meaning Royal Madrid Football Club), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.

Founded on 6 March 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn a white home kit since inception. The honorific title real is Spanish for "royal" and was bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem. The team has played its home matches in the 81,044-capacity Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in downtown Madrid since 1947. Unlike most European sporting entities, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club throughout its history.

The club was estimated to be worth €3.8 billion ($4.2 billion) in 2019, and it was the second highest-earning football club in the world, with an annual revenue of €757.3 million in 2019. The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world. Real Madrid is one of three founding members of La Liga that have never been relegated from the top division since its inception in 1929, along with Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona. The club holds many long-standing rivalries, most notably El Clásico with Barcelona and El Derbi Madrileño with Atlético Madrid.

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