Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Real Madrid dethrone United to become Most Valuable Team

Last updated on: April 18, 2013 10:37 IST
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring a goal with his Real Madrid team-mates

Nine-time European champion Real Madrid have ended Manchester United's run as the world's most valuable soccer team, according to an annual survey released by Forbes on Wednesday.

The value of Real, a Spanish club owned by its thousands of members, surged 76 percent to $3.3 billion from a year ago, Forbes said in a statement. (www.forbes.com/soccer)

United rose 42 percent

Last updated on: April 18, 2013 10:37 IST
Manchester United players
United, who have won the English title a record 19 times and are controlled by the American Glazer family, rose 42 percent to $3.2 billion but dropped to second on the list for the first time since Forbes began tracking soccer finances in 2004.

Barca's value doubled over the past year

Last updated on: April 18, 2013 10:37 IST
Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Real's Spanish rivals Barcelona, England's Arsenal and German side Bayern Munich rounded out the top five.

Barca's value doubled over the past year, the biggest increase of any top 20 team, to $2.6 billion. Barcelona's revenue have increased 19% over the past three seasons, to $613 million in 2011-12.

Yankees, Cowboys round off top five among all teams

Last updated on: April 18, 2013 10:37 IST
The New York Yankees celebrate

The top 20 soccer teams are worth an average of $968 million, an increase of 26 percent over last year, Forbes said.

Real Madrid ($3.3 bil.), Manchester United ($3.17 bil), and Barcelona ($2.6 bil.), now command the top three spots among all teams in the world, followed by the New York Yankees ($2.30 bil.) and Dallas Cowboys ($2.1 bil.).
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.