Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi remains the world's most respected football player, although his crown slipped this season, a market study showed on weekday.

In its annual report on the player market, the Swiss-based CIES soccer Observatory place Messi's price at 216 million euros ($294 million).

Even though Messi's lower performance levels slashed nineteen million euros from his market price, he was still price virtually doubly the maximum amount as arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, second within the ranking on 114 million euros.

CIES aforementioned that Messi's higher price was in the main associated with his younger age -- he turns twenty seven this month, whereas Portuguese icon Ronaldo is already twenty nine.

Ronaldo's heroics this season with Champions League winners Real capital of Spain meantime saw his market price climb by four million euros.

The study additionally showed that Real capital of Spain did the worst deal -- in market terms -- for a single player after they spent a record one hundred million euros to sign Welshman Gareth Bale from London club Tottenham.

"Real capital of Spain clearly paid over the percentages to win over Tottenham to unharness the player," CIES aforementioned, underlining that Bale's market price was currently thirty seven million euros but he value the Spanish club.

Real spent a mean of thirty two.3 million euros per player to make its Champions League squad -- the foremost dear line-up on record.

Champions League runners-up Atletico capital of Spain, UN agency this season additionally tight the Spanish title, created do with four.3 million euros per player.

Other clubs wherever results outstripped outlay enclosed Crystal Palace in England, Elche in Spain, Guingamp in France, Augsburg in Deutschland and metropolis in Italian Republic, the study showed.

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