After two seasons without a title, Bayern Munich dominated European football in 2012/13. Bayern won the Bundesliga title with 91 points and then the DFB Pokal and the Champions League final against rivals Borussia Dortmund. As part of 20 years of market values on Transfermarkt, we look back to the most valuable players of every season since 2004. Despite dominating Europe, not a single Bayern player, including Franck Ribéry, made the most valuable XI. The Frenchman, who had a market value of €42m, was also overlooked at the Ballon d’Or despite being one of the favorites.
Instead, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo won the trophy ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who, with a market value of €120m, remained the most valuable player on the planet. The Argentine scored 60 goals in 50 games, leading the Catalans to the Spanish league title. But in the Champions League, Barca was demolished by Bayern Munich, losing 7-0 on aggregate in the semifinals. Ronaldo managed 12 goals in the Champions League, but Real Madrid were eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals of the Champions League.
In the form of Gerard Piqué, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, and Cesc Fàbregas, four of Messi’s teammates were in the most valuable XI of the 2012/13 season. In Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Iker Casillas, Real Madrid had three players in the most valuable XI. The Portuguese star won the Champions League Golden Boot with 12 goals and cracked the €100m market value benchmark—the second player after only Messi to hold that record.
Neymar’s last season in Brazil – PSG’s investments pay off
Neymar became the first player not under contract in Europe to make it into the most valuable XI of the season. It was his last season under contract at Santos. The 21-year-old would join Barcelona in a deal worth €88m in the summer of 2013. The Brazilian managed 136 goals and 64 assists in 225 games across all competitions. Neymar’s market value was €50m—in 2017, Paris Saint-Germain would make him the most expensive player in history.
PSG already made headlines in the summer of 2012 by investing €151m in new players becoming the club with the highest expenditure that season. PSG signed Thiago Silva for €42m from AC Milan. The Brazilian defender equaled a transfer record set by Javier Pastore. The transfer of the center-back was a decisive factor that season. With just 23 conceded goals in 38 games, PSG would secure the club’s first league title since the 1993/94 season, kickstarting an era in which the club would dominate French football. With a market value of €40m, Silva represented the Parisians in the most valuable XI of the 2012/13 season.
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