Football: are the clubs with the greatest financial capacity the best ones?
The Soccerex Football Finance 100 report unveiled the ranking of the clubs with the greatest financial capacity in the world. Manchester City occupies the first place, followed by Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain.
The idea considered to evaluate a new model to measure the financial strength of football clubs around the world, using a customized methodology, in line with the current reality of the market. The report takes IGNORE INTO account five variables: market value of the workforce, fixed assets, treasury, potential investment of the owner, and net debt.
The English Premier League has been the most exposed to foreign ownership and only five of the 20 clubs are 100%-owned by English investors. Given that English clubs have benefitted more than most from the globalization of the game; this is perhaps no surprise.
Manchester City is one of the most famous cases of significant foreign investment changing the status and potential of a club, leading the rankings. The high potential of its owner in the value of the investment is complemented by a strong performance of the club in each of the scenarios, and this in the long run is what has put Manchester City in the elite of world football. Both Paris Saint-Germain, as Zenit or Chelsea, to the teams of the Chinese league and the US league, have also been in the constant search for foreign investment to increase its current level. Real Madrid, current European champion, is sixth, followed by Manchester United, Juventus, Chelsea and Bayern, respectively. As long as, Barcelona occupies the 13th place.
The other side of the coin is the one that Latin America presents
Despite the vast football legacy of the South American lands, the absence of the teams of this region among the best in the world is noticeable. However, Brazil dominates the second part of the list with 12 teams between 50 and 100 of the report. Atlético Paranaense ranks 61st, followed very closely by Internacional in 63rd place, Corinthians in 71st place, Sao Paulo occupies 84th place, Cruzeiro 85th, and Palmeiras is their immediate follower. Meanwhile, Fluminense, Flamengo, Gremio, Atlético Mineiro, and Santos occupy the last ten.
In Latin America the only clubs within the 50 best in the world are Mexican. The best team is América de México in 40th place, followed by Chivas de Guadalajara in 43rd place and Monterrey in 47th place. Mexico dominates the market in this part of the continent, which is reflected in stellar players from South American leagues playing in Mexico, even though South American football is still considered a step above the Mexican. The Mexican list is completed by Tijuana in step 67, pumas in 68th place, Tigres in 70th place, Cruz Azul 75, and Pachuca and Toluca, in positions 81 and 86, respectively. On the other hand, the only country that accompanies them in Argentina. Boca is ranked 76; River, in 79 and Independent, 93.
Latin American football, especially the South American one, has been considered the biggest exporter of figures. Besides, a few years ago, returning to the times of Di Stefano, Garrincha or Pelé himself, the world scene was dominated. Today, given the economic crisis, corruption and different unequivocal efforts in the respective local leagues and continental events, is a step below the old continent, and the gap seems to increase.
Latin American Post | Helber Rojas
Copy edited by Laura Rocha Rueda
