International transfers: clubs spent €39.7bn in transfer fees between 2011 and 2020 (FIFA)

$48.5bn (€39.7bn as of 31/08/2021) was spent on transfer fees from 2011 to 2020, involving 66,789 players, 8,264 clubs and 200 FIFA member associations, according to a report by the International federation entitled "Ten Years of International Transfers" published on 30/08/2021.

"From 11,890 transfers conducted in 2011 to a peak of 18,079 in 2019, a total of 133,225 international transfers and loans of professional players took place. Brazilian nationals moving to foreign clubs topped the list with 15,128 transfers (over 10 years), followed by Argentinian (7,444), British (5,523), French (5,027) and Colombian footballers (4,287)," said FIFA.

"During the last decade, the number of clubs conducting international transfers grew by more than 30%, from 3,167 in 2011 to a peak of 4,139 in 2019. The list of top 30 clubs in terms of transfer fee spend was made up solely of European clubs: England (12 clubs), Spain and Italy (5 each), Germany (3), France and Portugal (2 each), and Russia (1). Those 30 clubs alone spent a total of $22.8bn (€18.6bn) on transfer fees, representing 47% of the…