Manchester United tops world rich list

By David Gold

July 18 – Forbes has named Manchester United as the most valuable sports team in the world, just ahead of American Football giants the Dallas Cowboys and baseball’s New York Yankees.

The English Premier League champions, owned by the Glazer family, have an estimated worth of $1.86 billion (£1.15 billion/€1.30 billion).

The next most valuable football team in the list is Real Madrid, who come in fifth at $1.45 billion (£900 million/€1.02 billion).

Arsenal, recently taken over by United States billionaire Stanley Kroenke, are the third most valuable football team at $1.19 billion (£740 million/€840 million), coming in seventh on the list overall.

Further down the list are Bayern Munich in 19th place with a $1.03 billion (£640 million/€725 million) value and European champions Barcelona, who surprisingly only make it into 26th position, with an estimated worth of $975 million (£600 million/€685 million).

Also in the top 50 are AC Milan (34th, $838 million/£500 million/€560 million), Chelsea (46th, $658 million/£410 million/€465 million) and Juventus (49th, $628 million/£390 million/€440 million).

Meanwhile, the magazine Capital has confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo’s status as the world’s most valuable footballer by revealing that he has sold 1.5 million Real Madrid shirts with his name on the back this year alone.

Though he continues to play second fiddle to Argentine star Lionel Messi, the double World Player of the Year, his Barcelona rival sells half the number of shirts that Ronaldo does.

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