Brazil’s 23-strong World Cup squad is worth an estimated half a billion euros, Brazilian financial daily Valor reported Thursday, a day after Luiz Felipe Scolari named his list. According to a calculation by Pluri Consultoria consultants, the squad, led by Barcelona superstar Neymar, is worth 514.23 million euros. A pre-announcement in April estimated had valued the potential squad at 470.2 million behind reigning world champions Spain (486.9 million) and Argentina (474.1 million). The April estimates made Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi the most expensive player for the June 12-July 13 tournament starting with a price tag of 138.1 million euros ahead of 107.3 million for Portugal and Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo. Taking estimated marketing pulling power into account, Neymar himself was only given a value of 67.4 million euros ahead of Germany and Bayern Munich forward Mario Goetze (59.7 million). The Brazilian media, meanwhile, pored over Scolari’s choices which contained no major surprises, as he had been expected to leave out former world players of the year, Kaka and Ronaldinho. Milan’s Robinho also failed to make the group. “Felipao opted for a family with ambition,” was the front page headline from Estado de Sao Paulo while Folha de Sao Paulo greeted “the new family” - one containing only six players with previous World Cup experience. Even so, the average age is 28.4 years old compared with 26.7 when a side coached by Scolari and inspired by Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho lifted the 2002 trophy in Japan. In addition, the team is unlikely to be very different from the one which has already tasted tournament success on home soil, at last year’s Confederation’s Cup, when a tired Spain were sent packing in the final.
