CIES report tracks football migrants with Brazil topping export list

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By Mark Baber
October 8 – The CIES Football Observatory has produced a report titled “Exporting countries in world football” providing an overview of migration of footballer’s around the world and, based on the data used, suggesting Brazil is the most represented country amongst migrant footballers , followed by Argentina and France.

The dataset is not precisely defined but includes “6,135 clubs and 458 leagues of 183 countries.” “18,660 foreign players of 194 origins,” representing 13% of the total number of players included in the analysis, have been identified.

According to the authors: “With 1,784 players, Brazil is the most represented country among foreigners. Brazilians are clearly ahead of Argentineans (929 players) and the French (758). These three nationalities alone account for almost 20% of foreigners present on a global level.”

Other countries with over 500 nationals at foreign clubs include Serbia (607) and Nigeria (596).

Looking at Asian clubs, the report finds Brazilians by far the largest foreign contingent, with Asian clubs tending to favour foreigners from outside of Asia, including Africans who are well represented in the AFC.

Interestingly, Argentinians play a similar role in South America to that played by Brazil worldwide with a massive 30% of foreigners in the Latin America clubs surveyed coming from Argentina.

In European clubs Brazilians form the largest foreign contingent (8.5%) followed by France and Serbia, however 56.1% of foreigners come from other UEFA associations.

One section of the report focuses on the USA, apparently because the game there is “undergoing considerable development.” The USA shows a “marked diversification of international recruitment.”

Although they produce no evidence for their claim, the authors suggest: “The further development of football in the United States will, without doubt, be accompanied by an increase in transfers on a worldwide level. In the race for new talent, US teams will progressively become tougher rivals for European, Asian and South American clubs.”

Main orgins of foreign players – worldwide

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Main countries of origin of foreign players in Europe

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Source: CIES Football Observatory

To view the full report go to http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/pdf/mr08_eng.pdf

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