As the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) approaches, the website Transfermarkt has released a ranking of the most valuable national teams based on the market value of their players. Senegal tops the list with a total squad value of €343.5 million, making them the richest team heading into the tournament. They are followed by Ivory Coast (€270.95 million) and Egypt, the host nation, with a squad valued at €184 million. At the other end of the spectrum, Mauritania has the lowest squad value, just €3.25 million.
Here is the full ranking of market values for the 24 teams competing in AFCON 2019:
- Senegal – €343.5 million
- Ivory Coast – €270.95 million
- Egypt – €184 million
- Ghana – €142.70 million
- Algeria – €141.5 million
- Nigeria – €135.25 million
- Morocco – €129.6 million
- Cameroon – €111.6 million
- Mali – €92.5 million
- Democratic Republic of Congo – €66.45 million
- Tunisia – €42.1 million
- Guinea – €36.7 million
- South Africa – €33.63 million
- Kenya – €27.93 million
- Zimbabwe – €21.05 million
- Angola – €18.15 million
- Benin – €17 million
- Guinea-Bissau – €13.75 million
- Madagascar – €10.43 million
- Tanzania – €10.1 million
- Burundi – €9.5 million
- Uganda – €4.23 million
- Namibia – €3.5 million
- Mauritania – €3.25 million
The ranking reflects not only the individual quality of players but also the investment and development in each national squad. While teams like Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Egypt combine depth and talent across top European leagues, smaller nations like Mauritania, Namibia, and Uganda face a more modest player base.
Although market value can give an idea of a squad’s potential, football is notoriously unpredictable, and history has shown that lower-valued teams can sometimes cause major upsets on the continental stage. Still, the Transfermarkt rankings provide an interesting perspective on which teams are expected to be the most competitive in AFCON 2019.
