On the one hand, a waste of money (especially if the amount is expressed in a nine-digit figure) is an act of faith in a particular football player. On the other hand, a money transfer places the burden of hopes and hopes of the team and its fans on the shoulders of this football player himself. And it can cause a violent reaction if a football player does not meet expectations.
But let's leave the lyrics, and move on to the specific numbers. Here are the top ten most expensive transfers in the history of football, with the names of the players and the amounts that paid for them.
10. Eden Hazard
Price: 100 million euros.
In the summer of 2019, Eden finally completed his transition from Chelsea to Real Madrid. The football player himself has repeatedly stated his desire to leave foggy Albion and move to more sunny places, but the “blue” managed to keep the Belgian at home for another year.
Over the season, this creative and speedy footballer scored 21 goals and gave 17 assists, confirming his reputation as a high-class player.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
Price: 100 million euros.
One of the most beautiful football players in the world has already reached an advanced age for the athlete (he is 34 years old). He moved from Real Madrid to Juventus in 2018, thus becoming the oldest player in the top 10 most expensive transfers.
Although the age of the football icon of Portugal was worrying, the game of Cristiano is still brilliant. It seems like good wine, Ronaldo's age only colors.
8. Gareth Bale
Price: 100.8 million euros.
In 2013, Bail's transfer from Tottenham to Real Madrid broke all world records. This football star cost the new team even more than Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
At this price, of course, everyone expected Bale to play at or above Ronaldo, but his first six months at Real Madrid were marred by injuries. However, fans received their dose of happiness watching the sensational victory over Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Cup.
So far, Bale is considered one of the fastest players in the world, as proved by two goals scored in the match against Liverpool in the Champions League final. Bale actually won this match for his team. True, the athlete did not like a long stay on the bench, and he began to talk about a possible departure from the club. Perhaps he is waiting for another phenomenally expensive transfer.
7. Paul Pogba
Price: 105 million euros.
It's funny, but the seventh number in the list of the most expensive transfers in the world is a kind of return transfer.
Back in 2012, Manchester United allowed Paul to leave the team in order to buy him back four years later. And for a much larger amount, and after Juventus Pogba turned into one of the best midfielders.
True, in the new-old team, Paul had difficulties - he did not have a relationship with the head coach of the team, Jose Mourinho. But after the Portuguese left, good times came again for Pogba, and his game improved markedly. The new coach, Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskher, has not yet complained about Paul’s improper attitude.
6. Usman Dembele
Price: 105 million euros.
Barcelona took risks by buying Usman out of Borussia Dortmund. However, for the very first season of the game for Germany, Usman showed excellent results, in fact becoming one of the leading players in the championship.
Alas, just a couple of months later, Dembele was injured, a tendon rupture, and was forced to spend almost six months without a game. However, “Barcelona” does not think it has lost, because with the restoration of Usman shows all the best and best results. And his game has a truly mesmerizing spectacle for fans: it’s difficult to convey in words the reaction of the stands to the sensational blow in Seville, as well as the feeling of speed and power that a football player radiates.
5. Antoine Griezmann
Price: 120 million euros.
In July 2019, one of the longest and most expensive transfers in the history of football ended, and Antoine finally moved from Atlético Madrid to Barcelona.
Rumors about a possible transition began to be circulated two years ago, but after several weeks of lively discussion of this exciting topic in the football press, Griezmann picked up and decided to extend the contract with Atlético.
However, in 2019, the price for his ransom fell to 120 million euros, and the amount, although still large, ceased, apparently, to be unbearable for the club.
4. Juan Felix Sequeira
Price: 126 million euros.
Almost all the major European clubs were hunting for a promising player in the face of a Portuguese who scored twenty goals in the season 2018/2019. However, he got Atletico Madrid, moving to it from the actually grown Juan (as a professional) Portuguese “Benefits”.
3. Philippe Coutinho
Price: 160 million euros.
In January 2018, Filippe moved from Liverpool to Barcelona in pursuit of progress, recognition and money. It seemed that he got what he wanted, because his new team won the title of champion of Spain twice in a row.
However, Coutinho could only watch helplessly watching his former club tear apart Barcelona on the way to the Champions League final. It is clear that this fact added to the ambitious football player's emotions and, it seems, the transfer was not as good for him as expected. It is unlikely that when in the history of the most expensive transfers so much money did not entail so much disappointment.
It seems that this summer for Barcelona and Coutinho will be interesting. The club is going to cut costs (despite the fact that Filippe has not yet received all the additional payments), and the player has not yet decided what to do.
2. Kilian Mbappe
Price: 180 million euros.
Kilian Mbappe showed the phenomenal game at the 2018 World Cup. He became the second footballer after the legendary Pele to score a goal at the World Cup. He became one of the best goals in the history of football.
It is not surprising that at the end of the World Cup in Russia he was unanimously recognized as the best young player of this season. And among the French players, Kilian’s record was absolute, since before him none of the French had done anything like that.
Of course, the expectations of the fans focused on Kilian, who became their new football messiah, a worthy replacement for the already age-old Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It is not surprising that Paris Saint-Germain poured so much money for him, making Kilian the most expensive footballer in the world to come of age.
However, Mbappé is not going to rest on his laurels, because Paris Saint-Germain has not yet been able to get out of the Champions League quarter-finals. For professional growth and new achievements, Mbappe may have to look for another team. Rumor has it that he is already thinking about it.
1. Neymar
Price: 222 million euros.
Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain became the most expensive transfer in the history of football. Yes, what “became” there, he surpassed all previous transfers, like a chicken dinosaur, and left them in the distance to swallow dust.
And, of course, only a super-rich could pay so much money for one football player, albeit an Olympic champion (it’s no secret that Paris Saint-Germain is the pride of the Qatari billionaire).
Was the transfer worth the money? Neymar performed well, and although Paris Saint-Germain lost to Real Madrid, he came off in France, capturing all possible and impossible trophies and regaining the champion's title. It was assumed that Neymar would also win the Golden Ball for PSG, an award that only the best players of the year were awarded. However, she went to Luca Modric from Real Madrid. And if Neymar does not receive the coveted prize this year, it is likely that they might point him to the door.
