Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal valued higher than Messi’s Argentina in World Cup squad ranking: Mbappe’s France top the list

Lionel Messi will be looking to lead Argentina to back-to-back World Cup titles after lifting the trophy four years ago in Qatar. To do so, Argentina will have to overcome several major contenders, with other national teams arriving at the tournament in excellent form. That is reflected in the market value of each squad, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal occupying a prominent position in the rankings, although still well behind leaders Kylian Mbappe‘s France.

According to valuations compiled by specialist website Transfermarkt, France have the most valuable squad among the 48 teams competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The combined estimated value of the 26-player roster stands at €1.52 billion, or approximately $1.76 billion.

A significant portion of that figure comes from Kylian Mbappe, who, alongside Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal, is currently the most valuable player in the world. The three superstars are each valued at around $231 million.

France also have another player inside the top 10. Michael Olise climbed to fourth place in the rankings after his performances for Bayern Munich during the 2025-26 season, with an estimated value of $173 million. Other notable French players include Desire Doue (12th at $138 million), Ousmane Dembele (18th at $115 million), and William Saliba (19th at $104 million).

Portugal rank ahead of Argentina

Despite being the reigning World Cup champions and one of the leading contenders to retain the title, Argentina are surprisingly low in Transfermarkt‘s ranking of the most valuable squads at the FIFA tournament.

Lionel Scaloni‘s side sit eighth on the list with an estimated value of €817 million, or roughly $944 million. The most valuable players in the squad are Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez, who are tied for 19th place at $104 million each. Lionel Messi, who is set to turn 39, ranks 363rd among the 1,248 players participating in the World Cup, with an estimated value of $17.3 million.

Portugal, meanwhile, enjoy a much stronger position in the rankings. They sit fourth with a squad value of €1.01 billion (around $1.17 billion), trailing only France, England, and Spain. Joao Neves and Vitinha are both in the top 10 at $161 million, while Cristiano Ronaldo is valued at $13.87 million and ranks 386th overall.

The 10 most valuable squads at the World Cup

1. France — $1.766 billion
2. England — $1.513 billion
3. Spain — $1.452 billion
4. Portugal — $1.174 billion
5. Germany — $1.153 billion
6. Brazil — $1.054 billion
7. Netherlands — $967 million
8. Argentina — $944 million
9. Norway — $694 million
10. Belgium — $626 million