It is appropriate to start with a clarification: it is not really about who the best individuals are, position by position that the Qatar 2022 World Cup will offer. But a sort of wide selection of the most sought-after players. and that sense the age of the players is essential to take into account some notorious absences among the “peaks”.

According to the specialized site Transfermarkt, the following are the players with the highest market value among those who will participate in the World Cup but also among those who are left out with their team. A list that obviously offers and will offer space for discussion. Indeed, none of the five great figures of the last decade like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo or of the last five years like Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski does not appear in the top positions. Not even the three best players of the last World Cup appear: Luka Modric, Eden Hazard and Antoine Griezmann. Come and see:

in the bow

The immense Thibaut Courtois –great figure of the Champions League final that Real Madrid beat Liverpool and the Belgian goalkeeper– is number one. Its market value of 60 million euros.

The second, Gianluigi Donnarumma (50 million; from PSG) will not be at the World Cup. He was chosen as the best goalkeeper and best player at Euro 2020 and participated in the record of 37 unbeaten games held by Italy. But the surprise of North Macedonia in the Repechage left him with no possibility of showing himself in the Persian Gulf.

In the next two locations there are two Brazilians: Alisson (50 million; from Liverpool) and Ederson (45 million; from Chelsea). Fifth another who is not at the World Cup: Jan Oblak (45 million; from Atlético de Madrid).

Argentine Emiliano Martínez (28 million; of Aston Villa) was chosen as the best goalkeeper of the Copa América won by the national team in Brazil, with the final at Maracana included. He is tenth (eighth among those who will be in Qatar).

defenders

The most wanted is English right-back Trent Alexander Arnold (80 million). Key player of Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool. He is 23 years old and is already consolidated in the English team (the one with the highest market value, ahead of France).

The most popular of the central scorers is the Portuguese Ruben Dias (75 million; from Manchester City). Then there are three other defenders valued at 70 million: left-back Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich player; Liberia-born representative of the surprising Canada, winner of the CONCACAF finals); Matthijs de Ligt (central defender for Holland and Juventus) and Brazilian Marquinhos (PSG defender; they can also play as central midfielder).

The first Argentine in the standings of defenders is Cristian Romero (48 million). skin, center scorer of Tottenham Hotspur, is a property for Lionel Scaloni. He ranks 22nd.

midfielders

Another Englishman leads the ranking of midfielders: it is Phil Foden (90 million), who stands out in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, where he usually plays as a forward. The second place is shared by a companion of that splendid team put together by the coach of Santpedor, the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne (85 million), together with the Portuguese Bruno Fernandes, player of the archrival of the citizens, Manchester United. The former Sporting Lisboa player was instrumental in qualifying the Lusitanos: he scored the two decisive goals in the playoffs against North Macedonia.

Behind that podium appear six players worth 80 million. These are the Spaniards Pedri (from Barcelona; 19 years old and 12 games with The Red) and Rodri (of Manchester City); Englishman Jude Bellingham (from Borussia Dortmund) he is 18 and the youngest of the top 10 midfielders; This sextet is completed by Declan Rice (representing England and playing for West Ham), German Joshua Kimmich (of Bayern Munich, who can also play as a full-back or center-scorer) and Portuguese Bernardo Silva (of Manchester City, champion of the last Premier League).

Among the Argentines the first to appear is Rodrigo De Paul (40 million). Consolidated in the Scaloni team, he has it the same rating as N’golo Kanté (31 years old; possibly the best central midfielder in the world). Both share the 40th position in the ranking in their field.

The Croatian Luka Modric is a special case: Ballon d’Or in the last World Cup and decisive figure in Real Madrid, champion of the Champions League and of the Spanish league. He is worth 10 million and ranks 288th among midfielders. The explanation: he is 36 years old.

Front

The ranking seems inevitable (especially for the question of age), It is led by Kylian Mbappé. The PSG striker, where still waiting for the Champions League, is the most expensive of all with 160 million. He was already world champion with the French national team. In addition, in Russia 2018 he was chosen as the best youngster.

Whoever finishes second will not be able to show their skills or objectives in Qatar. This is Erling Haaland (born in Leeds, England, but Norwegian from where you look at it). The Scandinavian national team he represents he didn’t even appear in the playoffs. Its value: 150 million. He played for Borussia Dortmund and is now one of Manchester City’s best signings. I am 21 years old. One of the great absentees.

The podium is completed by the Brazilian Vinicius (one of Carlo Ancelotti’s great bets for Real Madrid who won the championship and the Champions League last season). the far left It is quoted at 100 million, it is one of the three that reaches that figure according to the Transfermarkt measurement.

The fourth, Mohamed Salah, another universal star, will miss the World Cup. His country of him, where he is treated like a superhero, was excluded on penalties against Senegal. As a result, Qatar will be deprived of seeing Liverpool idol, one of the best African footballers of all time. His quote: 90 million.

Also 90 million is the price of the England striker, Harry Kane, one of the candidates to become a World Cup top scorer according to bookmakers. And also by specialists. We will see.

Then follow: the Serbian Dusan Vlahovic (85 million, from Juventus) and the French Christopher Nkunku (80 million, from Leipzig). And there are four of them worth 75 million: Lautaro Martínez (the Argentine with the highest market value of Inter Milan)Brazilian Neymar (from PSG), England’s Jadon Sancho (from Manchester United) and South Korean Heung-min Son (from Tottenham Hotspur)

While, Lionel Messi (34, 50 million, of PSG) is in 31st place among the forwards; the Polish Lewandowski (33 years old, 45 million, of Bayern Munich), in 37; The Frenchman Antoine Griezmann (31, 35 million, of Atlético de Madrid) in 54 and Benzema (34, 30 million, of Real Madrid and great candidate for the Ballon d’Or) in 71. The Frenchman shares that position with the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (37, of Manchester United). Meanwhile, Eden Hazard -Silver Ball in Russia 2018- is worth 12 million. At 31, he is ranked 250th in his field.