Observatoire du football CIES

Player exports: Brazil ahead of France

Roger Besson — 2026-05-13T05:04:50Z

The 546th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 50 nations worldwide with the highest number of expatriates currently playing in 135 professional leagues across the globe. As last year, Brazil remains the leading exporter (1,455 players abroad, +37), but is being hotly pursued by France (1,275, +86), with reigning world champions Argentina in third place (1,016, (...)

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Two-thirds of coaches in the job for less than a year

Roger Besson — 2026-05-06T05:00:16Z

The 545th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post shows that 65.2% of teams across 55 leagues worldwide have changed their head coach at least once over the past year. This proportion is close to that recorded on the same date last year (see here). This finding reflects chronic instability in most clubs.

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Highest-rated young goalkeepers

Roger Besson — 2026-04-29T04:56:58Z

The 544th Weekly Post lists the 100 goalkeepers who did not yet turn 23 with the highest estimated transfer value, as calculated using the CIES Football Observatory statistical model. Topping the list with a value of €47 million is Mike Penders, the Belgian goalkeeper on loan from Chelsea to RC Strasbourg.

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Most powerful football agencies: global ranking

Roger Besson — 2026-04-22T04:55:56Z

The 543rd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the world's most powerful football agencies. The ranking is based on the aggregate transfer value of the players represented by the companies or for whom the latter hold transfer negotiation rights, according to publicly available information.

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Top U23 outfield players: 67 leagues

Roger Besson — 2026-04-15T05:05:59Z

The 542nd CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the U23 outfield players currently active in 67 leagues worldwide who have performed best over the last six months. The rankings have been compiled based on players' performances across eight game areas (Impect data), the sporting level of matches played, results and playing time.

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Top development clubs: use of U21 players

Roger Besson — 2026-04-08T04:41:22Z

The 541st CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post highlights the clubs currently competing in 50 top divisions worldwide where footballers who had not yet turned 21 have played the highest percentage of minutes in domestic league matches over the last five years. Denmark's FC Nordsjælland top the list with no less than 44.7% of minutes by U21s.

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Most profitable football academies: last decade

Roger Besson — 2026-04-01T05:20:13Z

The 540th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 clubs worldwide that have earned the most from the transfer of players from their youth academies over the last ten years. The top three are Portugal's SL Benfica (€589 million), Netherlands' AFC Ajax (€454 million) and England's Chelsea FC (€442 million).

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Transfer to a top flight club: most expensive U23s

Roger Besson — 2026-03-25T06:17:39Z

The 539th Weekly Post presents the hundred U23 players not yet under contract with one of the ten most powerful clubs worldwide* with the top estimated transfer value according to the CIES Football Observatory's statistical model.

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Long-term squad management: global index

Roger Besson — 2026-03-18T06:18:26Z

The 538th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the global ranking of clubs whose squad management is most focused on the long term, based on an index combining four indicators : the number of players used in league matches over the last three years (the lower the better), the average stay of current players in the first team squad, the average remaining contract length of those same players, and their average age at the time of signing (the lower the (...)

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Value of players owned: Chelsea in the lead

Roger Besson — 2026-03-11T05:57:15Z

The 537th CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the 100 teams in the world with the highest aggregate transfer value of players owned, estimated according to our statistical model. Chelsea tops the ranking with a total of €1,732 million spread across 54 players, ahead of Manchester City (€1,608 million, 47 players) and Real Madrid (€1,541 million, 36 players).

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