Deloitte analysis of the World Cup squads, announced today, has shown that English clubs lead the world, contributing one in seven 2006 FIFA World Cup team players.

Dan Jones, Partner of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, commented: "English clubs provide more World Cup players than any other country’s clubs, which again emphasises the strength and popularity of the game in this country.  Record levels of revenue generation over the last decade have provided the clubs with the financial muscle to attract some of the world’s top football talent to play in England.  The recently announced, enhanced values of broadcasting deals, effective from 2007/08, should help English football retain its domestic and world popularity.”

Key findings of the analysis of the official player lists by the Sports Business Group at Deloitte include:

• Over 100 players from English clubs are named in the 2006 FIFA World Cup squads, equivalent to one in seven of the total
• The top four clubs are Chelsea (16 players in official player lists), Arsenal (15), Manchester United (12) and Liverpool (9)
• Hosts Germany has the next largest contingent of players (contributing over 70 players)
• Around 350 of the players in the squads are with clubs in the ‘big five’ European countries (England, Italy, France, Germany and Spain).  The ‘big five’ countries generate around 70% of the total revenue of the European football market
• Only two national squads – Italy and Saudi Arabia - are made up entirely of players from clubs from their own country

Dan Jones added: “Already ‘the financial champions of the world’, let us hope that England can also become the football champions of the world.”   

Next month, the 15th edition of the Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance will be published, providing analysis of football’s finances in England and around Europe.

Ends

Note to editors

About the Sports Business Group at Deloitte
Over the last 15 years Deloitte has developed a unique focus on the business of sport. Our specialist Sports Business Group offers a multi-disciplined expert service with dedicated people and skills capable of adding significant value to the business of sport. Whether it is benchmarking or strategic business reviews, operational turnarounds, revenue enhancement strategies or stadium/venue development plans, business planning, market and demand analysis, acquisitions, due diligence, expert witness, audits or tax planning; we have worked with more clubs, leagues, governing bodies, stadia developers, event organisers, commercial partners, financiers and investors than any other adviser.

For further information on our services you can access our website at www.sportsconsulting.co.uk 

About Deloitte
In this press release references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte & Touche LLP which is among the country’s leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting and corporate finance services. Known as an employer of choice for innovative human resources programmes, it is dedicated to helping its clients and people excel. Deloitte & Touche LLP is the United Kingdom member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (‘DTT’), a Swiss Verein whose member firms are separate and independent legal entities.  Neither DTT nor any of its member firms has any liability for each other’s omissions.  Services are provided by member firms or their subsidiaries and not by DTT. 

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The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.