Brazilian giants missing from football’s rich list | OneFootball

Flamengo, widely recognized as one of Brazil’s financial heavyweights, has not cracked the list of the world’s richest clubs according to the latest Forbes ranking released on May 31. Despite regularly setting the pace domestically—with the club’s own valuation reaching R$4.5 billion—Flamengo failed to make the global top 30, signaling a persistent gap between even Brazil’s giants and their European or North American counterparts.

Forbes’ methodology factors in club assets and debt, market performance, historical transfer activity, and future outlook. This year’s global ranking is dominated by European sides—22 of the top 30—and rounded out by eight American MLS franchises. European icons such as Real Madrid, valued at US$6.75 billion, lead the field, followed by Manchester United and Barcelona. The final club to make the cut, D.C. United, holds a valuation on par with Flamengo—US$785 million (approximately R$4.5 billion)—underscoring how global football’s upper echelon remains sharply defined by revenue streams outside South America.

Brazilian clubs, including Palmeiras (valued by Forbes at R$3.6 billion), have grown in market strength and organizational stability in recent years, but still trail their international peers, especially in exploiting commercial opportunities and global brand reach. Notably, no Brazilian side has appeared on the Forbes global top 30 since the rankings began tracking football club finances with modern transparency standards.

This assessment reflects broader structural challenges for even Brazil’s most successful clubs: television rights deals, matchday revenues, and merchandise sales lag behind those commanded by the sport's global powerhouses. Nonetheless, Flamengo continues to be a major force regionally. The club remains a model of strong local engagement and revenue leadership within Brazil, consistently boasting some of the highest attendances and sponsorship deals in South America. While absent from global rich lists for now, Flamengo's operational and financial health lays a foundation for continued domestic dominance and potential future influence beyond the continent.

Source: Lance