Manchester United top 2012 Forbes' Football Clubs list

Manchester United has topped for the eight year in a row the Forbes magazines rich list of the Most Valuable Football Clubs in the world ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

Manchester is now valued at US$ 2.235 Billion, a 20% increase from last year with Real Madrid second at a valuation of US$ 1.877 Billion and Barcelona at US$ 1.307 Billion. The top five is completed by FC Arsenal and FC Bayern Munich, who both are the two other clubs valued at over a Billion US$.

Forbes determined its valuations by combining its own review of financial documents and interviews with sports bankers along with Deloitte LLP's annual 'Football Money League' report, which in February 2012 ranked Real Madrid as the richest club by sales/turnover ahead of FC Barcelona and Manchester United.

Manchester United's massive value not of comes from its on-field success but also their 330 million fans around the world, which makes them the most valuable sports team in the world.


2012 Forbes' list of the Most Valuable Football Clubs

1. Manchester United - 2,235 Million USD
2. Real Madrid - 1,877 Million USD
3. FC Barcelona - 1,307 Million USD
4. FC Arsenal London - 1,292 Million USD
5. FC Bayern Munich - 1,235 Million USD
6. AC Milan - 989 Million USD
7. Chelsea FC - 761 Million USD
8. Liverpool FC - 619 Million USD
9. Juventus Torino - 591 Million USD
10. FC Schalke 04 - 587 Million USD
11. Tottenham Hotspurs - 564 Million USD
12. Internazionale Milan - 490 Million USD
13. Manchester City - 443 Million USD
14. Borussia Dortmund - 394 Million USD
15. Olympique Lyonnais - 385 Million USD
16. Hamburger SV - 355 Million USD
17. AS Roma - 354 Million USD
18. Olympique Marseille - 349 Million USD
19. FC Valencia - 288 Million USD
20. SSC Napoli - 283 Million USD