2022 World Cup Qualifiers: Nigeria’s starting XI against Liberia cost ₦87.2b

The three-time African champions started their 2022 World Cup Qualifying campaign with a routine home win against their West African rivals, which is expected given the difference in the value of the two teams

Nigeria’s starting XI in their first match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia on Friday cost a whopping €178.5m.

A first-half brace from Kelechi Iheanacho helped the Super Eagles secure a routine win over the Lone Stars at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The result should not come as a surprise as the three-time African champions are ranked 34th, 114 places above their rivals, who are 150th in the world on the FIFA rankings.

Also, the massive difference in the value of the two squads showed that anything other than a win last Friday would’ve been a disaster for Gernot Rohr’s men.

According to the transfer markt valuation of each player, Nigeria’s starting XI on Friday cost €178.5m which is ₦87.2b in Nigerian naira. In contrast, Liberia’s entire squad has a market value of €7.25m according to transfer markt.

Rangers defender Leon Balogun is Nigeria’s least valuable player in the XI with a market value of €800k. He’s followed by Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who has a market value of €900k. 

Paderborn left-back Jamilu Collins is valued at €1.30m, while William Troost-Ekong costs €4.0m. Torino’s defender Ola Aina is Nigeria’s most valuable defender with a market value of €6.0m. 

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is the country’s most valuable player with a value of €60.0m. Rangers star Joe Aribo has an estimated value of €6.5m while Everton’s Alex Iwobi will cost potential suitors around €22.0m. 

Nantes winger Moses Simon is valued at €7.0m, while the match hero of the day, Kelechi Iheanacho, has an estimated value of €20.0m. 

Victor Osimhen led the line, and he’s Africa’s most expensive player, but he surprisingly has an estimated value of €50.00m. 

Meanwhile, the value of the starting XI is expected to fall massively when the team takes on Cape Verde on Tuesday as the UK players won’t be part of the game due to the Uk covid-19 rules.