Messi, the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, is valued less than young talent Endrick

Lionel Messi, regarded as one of the greatest figures in football history, has made a name for himself in golden letters with his goals in World Cup tournaments. So far, the Argentine star has signed 19 goals in these organizations, a number that could increase with the match against Cape Verde. However, Messi cannot translate this impressive performance on the field into his market value, and the player's current transfer fee remains well below the peak of his career. Experts point out that the transfer value is decreasing due to the age factor and that sporting success does not translate into economic data.

According to data from market analysis platforms like Transfermarkt, Lionel Messi's current market value is found at the level of 15 million euro. This figure had risen to 180 million euro in 2018 when he wore the Barcelona jersey. In that period, Messi was one of the most expensive and valuable names in the football world, but his value showed a steady decline with his advancing age and entering the final stages of his career. Especially after leaving Europe and transferring to Inter Miami, one of the MLS teams, the loss of value accelerated and fell to the current figure.

When Messi transferred to PSG in France in 2021, his value dropped to 60 million euro, and two years later with his move to the USA, it declined to 35 million euro. During his time wearing the Inter Miami jersey, the downward trend continued and regressed to the current 15 million euro figure due to his advancing age. This situation means that it is only slightly behind the 11 million euro value of Wagner Pina, Cape Verde's most valuable player who plays for Trabzonspor. This dramatic drop in Messi's value is accepted as a natural result of his move away from European football.

In order to better understand this drop in market value, Messi is in a disadvantaged position even when compared to Brazil's young star Endrick, who is currently waiting on the bench at the World Cup. 18-year-old Endrick, who transferred to Real Madrid but plays on loan at Lyon, has a market value determined to be 40 million euro. The Brazilian talent's value is found at nearly three times the level of Messi, who has achieved countless successes in his career.

Experts emphasize that the age factor is one of the determinants in the transfer market and this is clearly seen in Messi's case. While the value of Messi, who turned 39 and is considered to be in the final period of his career, is reduced, the high value of Endrick, who is young and carries potential, reveals the working logic of the markets. Despite Messi's talent and skills on the field, the limitations brought by biological age become a topic of discussion regarding how they affect economic value.