Futbol Değer Zinciri: Brezilya - Portekiz - üçüncü ülkeler arasındaki işlemler dizisi

Introduction

Football, as a global team sport, is not only defined by what happens on the pitch but also by a complex value chain that drives the sporting and economic success of clubs. This chain rests on four key pillars: early talent identification, strategic player acquisition at an affordable cost, talent development to maximize both sporting performance and market value, and, ultimately, player sales to generate profits that feed back into the cycle. Within this ecosystem, various actors—scouts, agents, youth academies, clubs, and coaches—play critical roles, and access to accurate and timely information is essential for effective decision-making. This article explores market trends that reflect this value chain, focusing on a paradigmatic case: player transfers from Brazilian clubs, which act as "suppliers" of talent, to Portuguese clubs, which serve as "transformers" by developing and revaluing these players for subsequent sales to higher-revenue leagues. Through a data-driven example, we will illustrate how this dynamic generates significant profits for Portuguese clubs and reinforces their strategic position in the global football market.

The Value Chain

Talent identification is the first link in the chain. Scouts and youth academies, particularly in Brazil, are crucial for spotting players with potential before their rivals. Brazil, with its rich footballing tradition and passionate population, produces a steady stream of young talent. Clubs like Flamengo, Palmeiras, or Santos act as nurseries, identifying and nurturing players from an early age. The second step is strategic acquisition. Portuguese clubs, such as Porto, Benfica, or Sporting CP, excel at acquiring these talents at relatively low prices, thanks to their scouting networks and reputation as development platforms. These transactions often occur when players have not yet reached their peak market value, minimizing financial risk. The third link, development, is where Portuguese clubs add significant value. Through skilled coaches, advanced training methodologies, and exposure to high-level European competitions, such as the Primeira Liga or the UEFA Champions League, players enhance their technical, tactical, and physical skills. This process not only contributes to the club’s sporting success but also significantly increases the players’ market value. Finally, the sale of these players to wealthier leagues, such as the Premier League, La Liga, or Serie A, completes the chain. Portuguese clubs achieve substantial profits by transferring players for sums far exceeding their initial investment, reinvesting these gains into new talent and perpetuating the cycle.

Key Actors in the Ecosystem

Each actor in this chain plays a specific role. Scouts provide market intelligence, identifying emerging talent in Brazil. Agents facilitate negotiations and transfers, ensuring alignment between the interests of players and clubs. Brazilian youth academies are the starting point, shaping players in their early stages. Portuguese clubs act as transformation hubs, while coaches are the architects of the players’ technical and personal development. All these actors rely on high-quality information, from performance data to market analysis, to optimize their decisions.

The Process

Scope: We are selecting the most relevant transfers from Brazil to Portugal from 15-16 to 21-22 (there are 52 players involved) 1. Identify talent: Number of players from Brazil to Portugal: 52 players 2. Buy talent: Gross Revenue from Brazil (supplier) to Portugal (transformer): 145.160.000 € 3. Develop talent: Career of these players: a. Remaining at the same club: 2 players b. Being transferred to other markets: 32 players (38 transfers) c. Remaining in Portugal: 5 players d. Retired or without team: 9 players 4. Sell talent: Gross Revenue (plus value) obtained from these players from Portugal (transformer) to other countries (most probably buyers but maybe transformers as well or even suppliers, highly improbable): a. Invested: 145.160.000 € b. Obtained (transfers to 3rd teams): 320.741.000 € c. Benefit: 175.581.000 €

Current Status of Those Players (transferred to 3rd parties)

Solidarity Mechanism Total (Potential) Revenue from external transfers from Portugal:

14,730,000 €

Market Trends

This Brazil-Portugal dynamic reflects several market trends: Globalized Scouting: Portuguese clubs have refined their scouting networks in Brazil, using advanced data and statistical analysis to identify under-21 talents, on our analysis (2015-2022), where % of this transfers involved players under 21. Strategic Investment: Portuguese clubs buy at accessible prices (€5-15 million) and sell for significantly higher amounts (€25-80 million), maximizing returns. However, careful consideration shoud be given to Elite Clubs (Champions League contenders), that are becoming more and more actively involved on this strategy. Development Platform: The Primeira Liga is an ideal environment for the growth of South American players, thanks to its competitiveness and European exposure. Economic Benefits: Portuguese clubs, such as Porto, Sporting CP or Benfica, generate high profit margins, reinvesting in infrastructure, scouting, and new signings. Furthermore: Only 40.4% of all player investments result in a Profit, highlighting a significant Pareto-like imbalance in outcomes. A small proportion of transactions drives the majority of positive returns, suggesting that most investments do not yield gains. This pattern reflects the high-risk, high-reward nature of football transfers, where success depends on a few highly profitable deals. Investment = players continuing at the same club

After being acquired from Brazil, players at their peak are often transferred to acquiring (and wealthy) clubs, generating the highest profit ratios. Domestic transfers within Portugal tend to serve developmental purposes rather than financial gain. Transfers back to Brazil typically involve players in the after-peak or twilight of their careers, a sort of return to their roots, which is why these moves tend to yield the lowest profit ratios.

Conclusion

The football value chain - identification, acquisition, development, and sale - is a strategic model that Portuguese clubs have mastered, leveraging Brazilian talent as raw material. This approach not only ensures sporting success but also guarantees the economic sustainability of clubs in a highly competitive market. Collaboration among scouts, agents, academies, clubs, and coaches, supported by quality information, drives this dynamic. Cases like Militão or Raphinha demonstrate how Portuguese clubs act as transformers, generating substantial profits and solidifying their key role in the global football ecosystem. In a world where data and swift decision-making are critical, this value chain will continue to shape market trends in the years to come. The Future Will this pattern maintain? Or will the Portuguese clubs have to rethink this model? Football is dynamic, and with the know-how imported to Brazil, and the Multi-Club Platforms starting to yield results, will this still be a valid model?