Real Madrid Is Most Valued Football Team

The world’s five most valuable soccer teams are each worth more than $1 billion now, up 11 percent on average from a year ago, thanks mainly to more Champions League prize money and sponsorship revenues. The best-paid players are doing very well, too, having been shown the way to their own global sponsorship mastery by the consummate self-marketer David Beckham, who retired from the sport last May.

Most Valuable Teams 1. Real MadridValue: $3.4 bln (1-yr change: +4%)Real Madrid generates more revenue than any other team in any sport in the world.2. BarcelonaValue: $3.2 bln (+23%)The team has announced that it will expand its stadium’s capacity to 105,000 as part of an $800 million renovation.3. Manchester UnitedValue: $2.8 bln (–11%)Man U’s revenue has doubled since 2010, but it failed to make the lucrative Champions League tournament this year.4. Bayern MunichValue: $1.9 bln (+41%) Bavaria’s team captured the 2013 Champions League title.5. ArsenalValue: $1.3 bln (0%)Arsenal takes in $51 million a year from Puma for the right to make its jerseys and $48 million from a sponsorship deal with Emirates.

Top-earning Players 1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real madrid Earnings: $73 mln (salary: $49 mln, endorsements: $24 mln)Major sponsors: Nike, Samsung, Tag Heuer, Emirates, Herbalife2. Lionel Messi BarcelonaEarnings: $65 mln (salary: $42 mln,endorsements: $23 mln)Major sponsors: Adidas, Samsung, Pepsi, Turkish Airlines, Herbalife3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic paris saint-GermainEarnings: $34 mln (salary: $30 mln, endorsements: $4 mln)Major sponsors: Nike, Volvo4. Neymar BarcelonaEarnings: $28 mln (salary: $12 mln, endorsements: $16 mln)Major sponsors: Nike, Castrol, Panasonic, L’oréal, Volkswagen5. Radamel Falcao monacoEarnings: $26 mlN (salary: $23 mln, endorsements: $3 mln)Major Sponsors: Puma, Samsung, Gillette