UEFA European Under-21
Championship 2025
Market values reveal the strongest squads, most uneven groups,
and rising talents
| Updated: June 10, 2025The latest edition of the UEFA Nations League just concluded with Portugal becoming the only nation to win the title twice. Now the focus of the European audience will switch to the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which is about to kick off in Slovakia on Wednesday. There will be no Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Spanish sensation breaking all kinds of records, as he has already made the jump to men’s football and featured in Sunday’s final between Spain and Portugal. There will be no Jude Bellingham, or Desire Doue, no Joao Neves or Pau Cubarsi – Europe’s brightest U21 talents, but the tournament will still offer a deep pool of quality and future stars.
Sportingpedia presents an analysis based on how much each squad is worth, how these market values shape the group stage of the tournament, and who are the highest valued individuals. One of the most curious revelations is that one nation stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of squad valuation — England. With an estimated worth of €412.2 million, the Young Lions not only have the most expensive squad in the tournament, but are valued higher than than the entire Group D.
European U21 Championship 2025: Teams ranked by Market value (million €)
The Young Lions arrive with the most expensive roster at the competition, estimated at €412.2 million. Their squad alone is worth more than the bottom half of the draw combined, a staggering fact that underscores their financial – and potentially footballing – dominance. In fact, England’s valuation exceeds the combined worth of Spain and Italy, two of Europe’s most storied footballing nations. They are also more valuable than the entirety of Group D, which includes four national squads.
Joining England in the top tier are France (€340.5 million), Spain (€262 million), Germany (€257 million), and the Netherlands (€220.3 million), all of whom boast squad valuations exceeding the €200 million mark. These five nations form the financial elite of the competition and are expected to set the pace as favourites on the pitch.
European U21 Championship 2025: Groups ranked by combined market value
Group A, which features Spain, Italy, Romania, and Slovakia, is another example of a skewed distribution. Spain and Italy contribute €450.25 million out of the group’s €493.76 million total – a 91% share. The remaining two teams are left with minimal market power in comparison, making Group A one of the most top-loaded.
Group C offers a middle ground in both total value and internal structure. France, worth €340.5 million, clearly leads the way, but Portugal’s €164.4 million valuation makes the gap less extreme than in other groups. Poland and Georgia complete the picture with moderate totals of €47.4 million and €18.35 million respectively.
Group D is the least valuable overall at €388.5 million, but also among the most balanced. The Netherlands lead at €220.3 million, but Denmark and Ukraine offer meaningful support at €101.1 million and €67.1 million respectively. Even Finland, the lowest in the group, stands at €20.18 million – not far behind teams like Romania and Slovakia.
The most expensive players at the European U21 Championship 2025
When it comes to individual talent, England stands out once again. They have five of the thirteen most valuable players at the tournament, led by Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri at €55 million. His valuation alone surpasses the full squad values of Slovenia, Georgia, Slovakia, Finland, Romania, Czech Republic, and Poland. Geovany Quenda of Portugal is also among the top names, with a €45 million price tag. France follows with Castello Lukeba (€40M) and Mathys Tel (€35M), while Spain have a trio of €30M-rated players: Cristian Mosquera, Mikel Jauregizar, and Jesus Rodriguez. Ten national teams enter the tournament without a single player valued at €30 million or more, while five entire squads have a total valuation below that mark.