Soccer, beyond being the most practiced and consumed sport in the world, is an industry that moves billions of dollars each year. Although income comes from the sale of tickets, t-shirts and other items, the buying and selling of footballers is one of the central axes of the business.
“Like any business model, the sustainability of this football player export industry is guaranteed to the extent that the raw material, that is, the players, continues to flow. The advantage that football has is its wide dissemination and popularity,” he said. Rodrigo Sandovalprofessional Xaverian Sports Training Center and professor at the Faculty of Education.
A report made by the Cies He highlighted that Colombia is among the three Latin American nations that export the most soccer players, only surpassed by the two powers, Brazil and Argentina, birthplace of some of the best players of history.
“Exporting soccer players stopped being a sporting anecdote to become a measurable item in the balance of services, and the end of 2026 confirms this with unprecedented figures for Colombia. In 2025, Colombian soccer recorded US$19 million in income from international sales, compared to just US$2.77 million spent on transfers. That is, a sports commercial surplus close to US$16.2 million in a single year,” he assured. Lorena Cruz Gutiérrez Medinadean of the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences of the University of Saint Bonaventure.
Colombia exported more than 500 players last year, with Brazil being the main destination with 52 players. Peru and Mexico were the other most relevant destinations, with 44 and 33 players, respectively.
Within the first three places in the ranking, Brazil and Argentina occupied first and third, respectively. The green and yellow nation contributed a total of 1,445 players, while the Albiceleste barely exceeded 1,000 footballers expatriates.
“The most successful teams are not necessarily those that export the most. Brazil has led the world ranking of expatriates for almost a decade without having won a World Cup in that period, while nations with powerful internal markets, such as Spain, England and Germany, combine export with retention. The sporting benefit depends on the competitive level of the destination club, not on the migratory volume,” he mentioned. Cross.
France took second place with 1,275 players. Spain (681) and England (610) closed the list of the top five territories.
