Table of Contents
99 updates
World Cup market values: Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland set new record
©TM/IMAGO
The biggest World Cup in history with 104 games has come to a conclusion, with Spain crowned world champions at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With all 104 games in the books, Transfermarkt has taken stock of the tournament and updated the market values of 99 players who stood out at this summer’s World Cup in North America. As is tradition following tournament updates, there were no downgrades; instead, players were rewarded for their tournament performances and also developments on the transfer market. At the very top are now Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal, who emerged from the World Cup as the world’s most valuable players with a new market value of €220m.
There is no doubt that Haaland and Norway were one of the most positive stories at the World Cup this summer. Haaland carried his nation from round to round and were only eliminated in the quarterfinals by England (2-1). Haaland managed to score seven goals and one assist in five games, bringing his goal total for Norway to an unbelievable 62 goals in 52 matches. That’s 1.13 goals per game for the 25-year-old Manchester City striker. Although he was already a star before the tournament, his worldwide popularity has reached a new level, with over 28 million followers on social media. With that in mind, it was now time to elevate Haaland to another level and make him the most valuable player in the world.
The other player at €220m is Yamal. Although he failed to have an outstanding tournament, scoring just one goal and one assist in eight games, the overall package and the fact that he has now won the World Cup and European Championships at 19 mean his market value had to be adjusted upwards. “He has confirmed his status as the world’s biggest talent,” Transfermarkt market value coordinator Tobias Kröger said. “He has already had more success and experience than Lionel Messi at the same age.” Indeed, the performances at the World Cup haven’t hurt his odds to win the Ballon d’Or, with the betting markets now favouring the young Spanish forward to win the trophy this fall.
Player Comparison
Lamine Yamal
Lionel Messi
FC Barcelona
Inter Miami CF
€220.00m
Market Value
€15.00m
19
Age
39
Right Winger
Position
Right Winger
30/06/2031
Contract until
31/12/2028
Full Player Comparison
Mbappé second – The €100m club grows by four players to 26 members
This puts Haaland and Yamal ahead of Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé, however, was another player whose market value increased. The Frenchman scored 10 goals and 2 assists and, throughout the tournament, fought an intriguing battle with Messi for the Golden Boot, which he would eventually win. Mbappé now holds the record for the most goals scored at the World Cup, surpassing Messi, who snatched the record from Miroslav Klose. Mbappé is still young enough to increase the lead at the top of the all-time goalscorer list, setting a record that might never be broken. There was, in fact, a case to be made that Mbappé should become the world’s most valuable player following the tournament. But France’s performance against Spain meant his market value increased by just €20m to €200m.
Four players, in the meantime, have cracked the €100m benchmark. This group includes World Cup winner Pau Cubarsí (+€20 to €100m), who, together with Arsenal’s William Saliba, is now the most valuable centre-back in the world. At runners-up Argentina, Enzo Fernández (+€10 to €100m) also joined the €100m club. Fernández’s upgrade might be controversial for some, given that he was sent off in the final. But until he was sent off for a foul against Cubarsí in the 93rd minute of the final, Fernández played a fantastic tournament.
Market Value
P. Cubarsí
Centre-Back
€100.00m
Two Englishmen have also made the €100m club: Elliot Anderson (+€35 to €110m) and Morgan Rogers (+€20 to €110m). The fact that those two are part of the 26-member €100m club is rooted in the fact that both are subject to massive summer transfers. While Anderson moves for €135m from Nottingham Forest to Man City, Rogers is joining Chelsea from Aston Villa for an unbelievable €137m. With that in mind, the upgrades at this stage were unavoidable. As the graphic below highlights, both players are among the biggest winners in terms of total market-value increases at the tournament.
Vozinha receives the biggest increase by percentage
Available on a free transfer is the player who received the largest percentage upgrade. Although already 40, nobody has ever paid a transfer fee for Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. But because of his performances and Instagram fame, Vozinha has seen his status rise, and his market value has increased from €50,000 to €500,000.
Market Value
Vozinha
Goalkeeper
€500k
“It is a total exception to receive a market value update at 40,” Kröger said. “But that’s because of his new status. Vozinha delivered an outstanding performance against a Spain side that would later win the World Cup, increasing his follower count to 29 million. As a result, his marketing potential makes him valuable to some clubs.” At Portuguese second division side GD Chaves, Vozinha spent more time on the bench than playing last season. But he is a regular starter for Cape Verde, for whom he has played 92 national team games. His new market value makes him one of the five most valuable over-40 goalkeepers in the world.
Other standouts at the tournament with significant percentage increases in market value include young Canadian defender Luc De Fougerolles (+400% to €5m), US wing-back Alex Freeman (+185.7% to €10m), and Mexican standout Gilberto Mora. Mora saw his market value increase by 150% from €10m to €25m. Indeed, Mora is one of the most promising young players in Concacaf and has already been linked with several Premier League clubs. Another young player to watch after the tournament is Australian center-back Lucas Herrington. The 18-year-old currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer but has recently obtained a German passport, paving the way for a move to Europe. With that in mind, Herrington saw his market value increase from €4.5m to €8m.
Why are there only upgrades in the 2026 World Cup market value upgrade?
"The World Cup serves as a stage for many players to showcase themselves to a global audience," Kröger said. "This market value update accounts for footballers who boosted their standing through strong performances or firmly established themselves in the international spotlight. Furthermore, market values were adjusted where developments in the transfer market—such as confirmed moves or concrete transfer rumours—made it necessary."
How Transfermarkt market values work
The Transfermarkt market values are calculated, taking into account various pricing models. A major factor is the Transfermarkt community, whose members discuss and evaluate player market values in detail. In general, the Transfermarkt market values are not to be equated with transfer fees.
The goal is not to predict a price but an expected value of a player in a free market. Both individual transfer modalities and situational conditions are relevant in determining market values. Examples of this are listed below. Transfermarkt does not use an algorithm (you can find the detailed market value definition here).
Note:When you search for something on Google, you’ll see a box with the latest news alongside the usual results. If you set Transfermarkt as your preferred source, our content will appear there more often.Add Transfermarkt as your preferred source here.
Homepage
Report
error
