Market value of leading football players South Korea 2025

As of January 2025, center back Kim Min-jae of FC Bayern Munich was the highest-valued football player from South Korea, with a market value of 45 million euros. Estimated market values for football players fluctuate over time depending on the player's recent performance or form.

Market values in Korean football

For years, winger Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspurs led the ranking for most valuable Asian footballers in the world. Traditionally, most of the highest valued players hail from South Korea and Japan. Market values are determined via various factors, including the strength of the league or the age of the players. As European leagues dominate international association football, many talented Asian players sign contracts there. The domestic Korean league is thus dominated by international players.

Financial dimensions of international association football

Football is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world. It is therefore well positioned in the global sports market. The highest-rated football players are usually rated beyond the mark of one hundred million euro, and the leading European teams especially boast high brand values rivaling that of US franchises. Given its popularity and marketability, the FIFA World Cup is the second-most popular sporting event in the world.