After 104 matches in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the first 48-team World Cup concluded with Spain winning the title. However, several players saw their market value increase, led by Swiss player Yohan Manzambi, while reports indicated that FIFA achieved unprecedented revenues of up to $15 billion during its current financial cycle.

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Swiss Manzambi's value rises to 20 million euros

According to the "Football Benchmark" player valuation update, the 20-year-old Swiss midfielder's value increased by approximately 20 million euros, from 40.4 million euros before the tournament to 60.2 million euros after it. He later joined Aston Villa for a transfer fee that reports indicate is largely in line with his estimated market value.

In contrast, Moroccan Ismail Saibari (25 years old) recorded the second largest increase, with his estimated market value rising by more than 14 million euros as he completed his move to Bayern Munich, the German champions, before the tournament ended.

Manzambi

Meanwhile, Pau Cubarsi continued to solidify his status as one of the world's top young football talents. After winning the Best Young Player award at the tournament, the Spanish defender remained the highest-valued center-back in the world, with his estimated value increasing by more than 12 million euros.

Beyond individual rankings, the data reveals several broader trends. Spain claimed multiple spots, as did Morocco among the top 20 players, showing how a successful international campaign can boost the estimated market value of several players from the same team.

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Cubarsi

Stoppage periods generate 250 million from advertising revenue

The scheduled mid-half breaks, primarily introduced as a player protection measure, sparked widespread debate, not only about player safety but also about their sporting impact and commercial potential.

It is estimated that Fox network generated approximately 250 million dollars in advertising revenue from the water breaks alone.

The results indicate that while the breaks may have had some limited effects, they did not fundamentally alter the flow of matches.

The impact seemed more pronounced after the first-half break compared to the second-half break, with the average expected goals after the first-half break rising by 38.7%, versus a slight increase of only 2.8% after the second-half break.

More importantly, when analyzing only the ten minutes following each water break, none of the four statistical categories recorded a statistically significant change.