Who is no.1? 

©Imago/Content stadium

2024 may not be a World Cup year, but there is still plenty of international football for fans of the sport to sink their teeth into this summer. Not only is Euro 2024 well and truly underway, but on Friday the Copa América also kicks off across North and South America, with reigning champions Argentina taking on Canada in Georgia, United States. With no less than two continents locking horns to see who can produce the best players, there’s little doubt that some of the biggest nations in the world will be competing for silverware. But what national teams can lay claim to the most valuable players and, by extension, the most valuable squads? Let’s take a look. 

The lowest ranked nation at this year’s Copa América when it comes to overall squad market value are Bolivia, who can boast a combined value of just €14.5m and are undoubtedly considered one of the minnows of the tournament. Just above them are Costa Rica (€21.9m), Panama (€24.5m) and Peru (€33.4m). Rather surprisingly, the tournament’s hosts, the United States, actually rank fourth among all nations at Copa América, with an impressive squad market value of €345m. This not only sees them sit tall above their North American counterparts Canada (€181m) and Mexico (€204m), but also above typical big hitters from South America like Colombia, whose squad market value stands at €282m. 

Sitting above the United States in third place are Uruguay, with a market value of €480m placing them firmly in third place. Above them in second are none other than Argentina, whose market value of €805m has fallen somewhat from a high of €855m this time last year. However, to no great surprise, Brazil enter this year’s Copa América as the most valuable nation in the tournament with a squad market value of €1.27b. Not only is that the highest ever market value for the Brazilian national team but it’s also the second highest value for a national team in the world, with England beating their South American counterparts with a squad valued at €1.52b.