Getty/Marc Atkins
- Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has been named as the most valuable player in the world soccer.
- Research group the CIES Football Observatory value the 23-year-old at $203 million.
- Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland is valued as the world’s second most expensive player at $186 million, while Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is third.
- Rashford has been in sparkling form for United this season, scoring 14 times and assisting seven in 26 games.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is the most valuable player in the world soccer.
That’s according to the CIES Football Observatory, who deem the 23-year-old to be valuable than Erling Braut Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Jadon Sancho.
The research group, which takes into account age, contract length, and form, values Rashford at $203 million, while Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland is valued as the world’s second most expensive player at $186 million.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who recently spoke to Insider, is third, valued at $185,500, just $500,000 less than Haaland.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes is fourth with a value of $185 million, while Paris Saint Germain and France star Kylian Mbappe comes in fifth with a value of $183 million.
Making up the top ten are Dortmund's Jadon Sancho, Atletico Madrid playmaker Joao Felix, Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, and English Premier League duo Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz.
Rashford has been in sparkling form for United this season, scoring 14 times and assisting seven in 26 games to help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side to joint top of the Premier League table.
While it's unlikely to have impacted his value, Rashford has been busy off the pitch too. The England international has also been making the headlines thanks to his campaign to fight child poverty in England.
Rashford has twice prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to overturn decisions not to fund free school meals for impoverished children across the country throughout the year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
His work also inspired businesses around the country to start their own campaign to provide free school meals during the holidays, with Rashford retweeting the locations of those who offered to help.
In October, he was given an MBE by the Queen in her Birthday Honours list, while in December, he was given an Expert Panel Special Award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.
"For everyone who, over the last 12 months, has stepped in to support our most vulnerable children, thank you," Rashford tweeted after collecting his award last month. "This one is for you."
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