Football, or soccer as it is often called, is currently the most popular sport in the world. It is known as “the world game”, and rightly so, as it is played by more than 250 Million players in over 200 countries of the world! Every year the world of football is changing as big names are transferred from here and there, some worth their heavy price tag, some having only come and disappointed. Money is never short when it comes to transfers, and every transfer season, fans get glued to soccer news for any potential transfer bid. Fans like to see big bids. The following is a list of the top 10 most expensive football transfers in history!10. Hernan Crespo
- Transfer Fee: £43m in 2000 (€51.2m)
- Age: 37
- Position: Striker
- From: Parma
- To: Lazio
- Year: 2000
A striker who was never short of goals, Hernan Crespo made a move to Lazio in 2000 because of his goal scoring ability and positioning, he spent 2 good years at Lazio where he scored 48 times in 73 games for them before moving to Inter Milan.
9. Neymar
- Transfer Fee: £48.6m in 2013 (€57m)
- Age: 21
- Position: Forward
- From: Santos
- To: Barcelona
- Year: 2013
The next Pele, the rising star in Brazil made a big money move to Barcelona for a fee of £48,600,000. Yet to play for a big club, the 21-year-old has created a lot of hype due to his skillful moves, high pace and goal scoring ability having scored 136 goals playing 225 games for santos and still at the age of 21, big things are expected from the lad.
8. Fernando Torres
- Transfer Fee: £50m in 2011 (€58m)
- Age: 29
- Position: Striker
- From: Liverpool
- To: Chelsea
- Year: 2011
Having past his prime years, Fernando Torres made a big money move from Liverpool to their rivals Chelsea FC for a fee of £50,000,000 on the final day of the January 2011 transfer video, although having won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and winning the Europa cup the next season, Torres has not lived up to his price tag having scored only just 34 goals after playing for the club 131 times.
7. Radamel Falcao
- Transfer Fee: £51m in 2013 (€60m)
- Age: 27
- Position: Striker
- From: Atletico Madrid
- To: AS Monaco
- Year: 2013
Truly one of the most deadly strikers of the sport, Radamel Falcao made a big money move to the new power house in French football for a fee of £51,000,000. Along with a few more signings AS Monaco who have just been promoted have shown the world that they mean business.
6. Hulk
- Transfer Fee: £52m in 2012 (€60m)
- Age: 26
- Position: Forward, Winger
- From: FC porto
- To: Zenit St. Petersburg
- Year: 2012
Givanildo Vieira de Souza was given the name hulk because of his resemblance to the actor that played the famous comic book hero the great hulk, but he has lived up to that name having spent glorious seasons at F.C Porto scoring tons of goals, Hulk made a big money move to Russia for a fee of £52,000,000 but hasn’t performed well there having only scored 7 goals in 18 appearances.
5. Luis Figo
- Transfer Fee: £53m in 2000 (€61.5m)
- Age: 40
- Position: Attacking midfielder , Winger
- From: Barcelona
- To: Real Madrid
- Year: 2000
A legend in the mid field, Luis Figo moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid for a fee of £53,000,000 in 2000. Having spent 5 years in Mardid dominating the mid field with his French Partner Zinedine Zidane, the 2000 Ballon d’Or winner and world player of the year moved to spend the final years of his career to Italy.
4. Kaka
- Transfer Fee: £58m in 2009 (€68m)
- Age: 31
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- From: AC Milan
- To: Real Madrid
- Year: 2009
The Brazilian master when it comes to the passing game, the AC Milan legend moved to Real Madrid, having served AC Milan for 6 years, for a fee of £58,000,000. Although his big move has to make Real Madrid over power F.C Barcelona’s reign he hasn’t played to his full potential as he has not been given enough time to play. The 2007 Ballon d’Or winner and world player of the year has only scored 23 times having played 85 times in la Liga in his 4 season time.
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Transfer Fee: £59m in 2009 (€69m)
- Age: 31
- Position: Striker
- From: Inter Milan
- To: Barcelona
- Year: 2009
Considered one of the most deadliest strikers to have ever played the game, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not known is stay at a single club for too long but when he is at a certain club the fans can surely expect tons of goals from him, After moving to the French giants Paris Saint Germen in 2009 for a fee of £59,000,000, the Swedish striker scored 35 goals in all competitions after playing 46 games for them, helping them win the League and winning the golden boot for himself.
2. Zinedine Zidane
- Transfer Fee: £64m in 2001 (€75m)
- Age: 40
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- From: Juventus
- To: Real Madrid
- Year: 2001
One of the greatest legends of the game to have ever played, Zinedine Zidane made a moved from Juventus having played 5 seasons there to Real Madrid in 2001 for a fee of £64,000,000 where he would play a further 5 seasons before retiring from the sport. Currently holds the position of Real Madrid Director of Football, but the fans will always remember him for his killer instincts when it came to goal scoring and also helping them win the UEFA Champions League on his first season and the La Liga the following year.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
- Transfer Fee: £80m in 2009 (€94m)
- Age: 28
- Position: Forward
- From: Manchester United
- To: Real Madrid
- Year: 2009
The second best football player in the world if not the best broke Zidane’s record for the most expensive transfer in football history when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009. Although the fee was at a ginormous figure of £80,000,000, he can say after scoring 201 goals in 199 games for Madrid the 2008 Ballon d’Or winner is worth every penny. Helping the club breaking the dominance of F.C Barcelona by winning the La Liga in the 2011-2012 season along with Supercopa de España the same year.
