PSG and Arsenal, together, are worth more than all the clubs in the Brasileirão

The financial gap between Brazilians and European teams has been decreasing over the years, and one of the main proofs is the return - still timid -, it is true, of athletes who were in Europe and were hired to play in the Brazilian Championship, the main cases being Vitor Roque, Andreas Pereira, Danilo, Memphis Depay, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Wendell, Gérson, Saúl, Samuel Lino, Lucas Paquetá, among others.

However, the numbers of squad values between the clubs on both continents also show a distant and parallel reality to this scenario. According to Transfermarkt, Arsenal and PSG, who compete in the Champions League final this Saturday (30), are worth, together, 2.44 billion euros, the equivalent of R$14.3 billion.

These are numbers higher than the 20 elite teams in the Brazilian Championship which, together, reach 2.01 billion euros, or R$ 11.9 billion.

Although it may seem otherwise, Arsenal's market value is 1.23 billion euros (R$7.2 billion) and higher than rival PSG, which is worth a little less, 1.21 euros (R$7.1 billion).

Brazil in the ranking
Among Brazilian clubs, Transfermarkt points out that Palmeiras is the one with the highest market value, with 229.4 million euros (R$ 1.35 billion), followed by Flamengo, which appears with 213.4 million euros (R$ 1.25 billion).

In the Top 5, Cruzeiro completes the list, with 174 million euros (R$ 1.02 billion); Corinthians, with 150.3 million euros (R$884.12 million), and Botafogo, with 125 million euros (R$735.59 million).

For experts and executives in the football industry, Brazil stands out for a few reasons, including the attractiveness of a market that can propel them to compete in the World Cup.

"I would say that, within the South American ecosystem, it is not an exaggeration to say that Brazil today plays a role similar to that of the Premier League in relation to peripheral Europe. It attracts, develops, exposes and sells better.", explains Marcos Casseb, partner at Roc Nation Sports, which manages the careers of hundreds of athletes, including Vini Jr, Endrick, Gabriel Martinelli and Lucas Paquetá.

For Moises Assayag, a sports finance specialist, especially in the areas of financial and operational restructuring, Brazilian football is undergoing a profound and silent transformation.

"In recent years there has been a positive momentum of strong growth in terms of investments and values transferred. In terms of player transfer values to or within the local market, the jump takes place from the first window of 2024.", he says.

Among the players with the highest market value, the first on the list are from Arsenal: according to Transfermarkt, striker Bukayo Saka and midfielder Rice are valued at 120 million euros (R$ 702 million). On PSG's side, the main ones are midfielders Vitinha and João Neves, with 110 million euros (R$ 643.2 million), and striker Dembéle, with 100 million euros (R$ 584.8 million).

Among the athletes who play in Brazil, Palmeiras striker Vitor Roque appears first, valued at 38 million euros (R$222.2 million), followed by Flamengo midfielder Lucas Paquetá and midfielder Danilo, from Botafogo, both with 32 million euros (R$188.2 million).

This year, a survey by the CIES Football Observatory showed that Palmeiras and Flamengo are among the clubs with the highest market value in the world among non-Europeans.

"The prominence of Palmeiras and Flamengo on the national and international scene is also related to revenue, but this is not the only important element. We are talking about two administrations that have become a reference in Brazilian football, especially when it comes to professionalization and good governance practices.", adds Moises Assayag, managing partner of Channel Associados and specialist in sports finance, especially in the areas of financial and operational restructuring.

In the Top 10 of the ranking made by the Observatory, three other South American teams appear: Botafogo appears in eighth, valued at 130 million euros; Boca Juniors, in ninth, with 119 million euros, and Fluminense, in tenth, with 117 million euros.

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Source: CNN