Warning: mysqli_query(): (HY000/1030): Got error 28 from storage engine in /home/sportsun/public_html/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 1942

According to Forbes’ annual list, Real Madrid is once again the most valuable soccer team in the world. However, Spanish la Liga arch rivals Barcelona are narrowing the gap. Madrid, the current European champions, tops this list for the third year in a row. Forbes also states that the 20 most valuable clubs have all seen their value rise by 11 per cent on average over the past 12 months. But oddly enough, Madrid’s value actually fell by five per cent.

Still, they topped the table and also raked in a revenue of $746 million, which is the most of any sports club on the globe. Madrid’s value was listed at $3.26 billion and was followed close behind by Barcelona at $3.16 billion, which is just $100 million behind. Manchester United of the English Premier League ranked third with an estimated value of $3.10 billion. There’s a good chance that figure should rise next year since it looks like United will be back in the European Champions League in the 2015/16 season.

Fourth place belongs to German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at $2.35 billion. That’s quite a drop off between third and fourth and the drop between fourth and fifth is even larger since Manchester City is ranked at number five at $1.38 billion, which is basically $1 billion less than Bayern Munich. Another English team, Chelsea, is right behind Man City at $1.37 billion. Chelsea just wrapped up the Premier League title a week ago.

The Blues London neighbours Arsenal come in at number seven as they’re worth $1.31 billion. Fellow Premier League side Liverpool is number eight at $982 million followed by Italian Serie A champions Juventus at $837 million. Rounding out the top 10 is at $775 million is another Italian Serie A club AC Milan. Forbes reported that the average value of the top 20 soccer teams rose to $1.16 billion, which is an increase of 84 per cent over the past five years.

The magazine believes the reason for the huge increase in value is because of television broadcasting fees and shirt sponsorship. Eight of the top 20 clubs belong to the English Premier League and this is partly due to the strength of the British pound in relation to the American dollar and the euro. In addition, the English clubs all benefited from a huge multi-billion dollar broadcasting deal. There were four Italian sides in the top 20 as Inter Milan is worth $439 million while and Napoli ranked at $353 million.

However, the highest team was Juventus at number nine and Forbes stated that the Serie A brand has fallen during the past 10 years due to things such as match-fixing scandals, rising debts and out-of-date stadiums, not to mention a drop in talented players on the pitch. Forbes should be releasing the newest list of the world’s top sports clubs in the next couple of months and there’s a good chance Real Madrid will top that one too.