The total market value of the Korean national soccer team was found to be the second highest in Asia after Japan. 메이저놀이터

Japanese media 'Football Channel' reported on the 19th (Korea Standard Time) that "Where is the highest amount in Asia? The national team's latest market value ranking top 10."

In the recent A-match period in March, soccer teams around the world, including Asia, convened their best players.

Several Asian countries, including South Korea and Japan, will play the 7th to 8th round of the third qualifying round in Asia, where qualification for the 2026 North-China World Cup (co-hosted by copyright, the U.S., and Mexico) is at stake during the A-match period in March.

In commemoration of the A-match period, the media calculated and ranked the total amount of the Asian teams' squad ransom based on the market value of the player set by the German transfer market media Transfermarkt.

As a result of adding up the ransom of the players included in the March A match call-up list, the Japanese national soccer team, with a total market value of 306 million euros (about 486.3 billion won), ranked first in Asia.

The media explained, "Japan proudly topped the Asian national team's market value ranking," adding, "Japan's market value has greatly pushed other Asian countries even if several players are missing."

Among the players who have joined the Japanese national team, the player with the highest market value is Premier League winger Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion). With eight goals and three assists in the Premier League in the 2024-25 season, Mitoma is valued at 45 million euros (about 71.5 billion won).

After Japan, the country with the highest market value for the team is South Korea, which has 134.1 million euros (about 213.1 billion won). 

Regarding the South Korean national soccer team led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, the media said, "The highest market value among the Korean national team players is Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), who has 45 million euros (about 71.5 billion won), but he was excluded from the call-up due to an Achilles injury," adding, "As a result, Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), who has 38 million euros (about 60.4 billion won), has become the No. 1 market value in South Korea."

The media picked Lee Jae-sung (Mainz) as one of the Korean national teams to pay attention to during the A-match in March.

Regarding Lee Jae-sung, the media said, "Lee Jae-sung is 32 years old, scoring six goals and six assists in the league, renewing his career high season, and is in charge of attacking the club that is making strides," adding, "He is a particularly brilliant player this season even within the Korean national team, which has abundant talents such as Lee Kang-in (PSG) and Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers)."

While Japan and South Korea ranked first and second in Asian market value, Uzbekistan ranked third.

Uzbekistan's team value calculated by the media is 47 million euros (about 74.7 billion won). The highest-paid player in Uzbekistan is Abdukodir Husanov, a 2004 center back who joined Manchester City in January. Husanov's market value is 12 million euros (about 19 billion won).

Iran ranked fourth with 46.3 million euros (about 73.5 billion won), while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by head coach Paulo Bento, ranked fifth with 44.35 million euros (about 70.4 billion won). Indonesia, which has recently increased the number of naturalized players, has risen significantly in the market value of its squad to 36.53 million euros (about 58 billion won), ranking sixth.

Saudi Arabia ranked seventh with 30.65 million euros, while Australia ranked eighth with 23.75 million euros. Qatar came ninth with 23.13 million euros, while Iraq ranked 10th with 13.98 million euros.