March 22 – Portugal’s Primera Liga is the “stepping stone par excellence” for players being prepared for entry into Europe’s Big 5 leagues, according a CIES Football Observatory report into transfer values for players across 66 leagues worldwide.
March 15 – As Roma, Inter Milan and Arsenal are the three most lethal teams when it comes to taking goal chances in Europe’s Big 5 leagues.
February 26 – England is the dominant force in the world transfer market according to the latest report from the CIES Football Observatory which shows €75 billion was earned by clubs worldwide with about two-thirds from international transfers and the rest from domestic ones.
February 7 – Statistics from the CIES Football Observatory have revealed Manchester City’s Rodri as the top midfielder for ball retention ‘under high pressure’ in Europe’s Big 5 five leagues, but an MLS player has pipped him to the worldwide top spot.
January 13 – There have been 119 minors (players under the age of 18) who have played in the big-5 European leagues before turning 18 during the 15-year period from January 2009 to December 2023.
January 26 – France’s LOSC Lille and Netherlands’ Ajax head a ranking of clubs that are the smartest traders of non-academy players. At the other end of the scale Barcelona and Chelsea have lost the most money.
January 18 – Liverpool skipper Virgil Van Dijk has been revealed as the most aerially dominant central defender in world football, according to the latest study by the CIES Football Observatory.
January 12 – The latest report from the CIES football observatory has ranked Liga Portugal side Benfica as the club with the most profitable academy in world football.
January 4 – Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham is the most valuable player in world football at €267.5 million according to the latest report by the CIES Football Observatory. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland ranks second at €251.2 million and Vinicius rounding out the top three.
January 3 – The CIES Football Observatory has ranked 270 players to watch with England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham (pictured) leading the pack in a report focussed on young and developing players born in 2003 or later.
December 21 – The CIES Football Observatory has revealed the tallest and shortest teams in world football in its latest study, which ranks the clubs in 53 leagues around the world according to the average size of the line-ups fielded in the current or last completed season.
December 14 – The CIES Football Observatory has partnered up with Skillcorner to analyse the strongest ‘Marathon runners’ and ‘Sprinters’ (their definitions) across the top 40 leagues in world football.
December 8 – Manchester United Captain Bruno Fernandes is Europe’s most ‘active’ outfield player, according to the latest study conducted by the CIES Football Observatory.
November 30 – A superb start to life in Munich has seen England captain Harry Kane top a ranking of the best finishers in world football according to data from the CIES Football Observatory.
November 9 – Manchester City are the least direct team across the top 27 leagues in world football, according to the latest data report by the CIES Football Observatory.