The two dominant nations of Europe continue their lofty valuations in midfield. Mesut Ozil, Andres Iniesta and Xavi will all drain 13 stars from your transfer horde. From those, it’s the little German plying his trade in North London that could be the most lucrative signing. Ozil scored the most goals from midfield in qualifying and created the second most chances. Despite an indifferent domestic season, expect the midfielder to be the centre-piece of a flowing German team.
Of course, it’s up front where the biggest bucks are spent. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona ingénue Neymar all cost the maximum 15 stars. Ronaldo has spent another season breaking records – 51 goals from 47 appearances – but in a tough qualification group made up of Germany, Ghana and the US, will he repeat his domestic dominance internationally? Messi or Neymar may perhaps be better options if you are looking to splash the biggest cash up top. Argentina look like a safe bet for the final, with the Blue and Whites finally tuned in to Messi’s frequency. Brazil could well ride the euphoria of the home advantage all the way to victory. If they do, Neymar will be integral - the team’s success hinges on him delivering.
Value and quality
The founding father of fundamental investing, Benjamin Graham, was a passionate advocate of value investing. No matter how big or successful a company is, a value investor is not interested if the shares are too pricey. Warren Buffet, a disciple of Graham’s, took this one step further - how to find high-quality companies for less than their intrinsic worth. ‘It’s far better’, Buffet once opined, ‘to buy a wonderful business at the right price than a fair business at a wonderful price.’
So, which players can deliver you great returns at the right price and, most importantly, boast the economic moat so desired by Buffet? Think strategically here - you’ll have substitutions to make throughout the tournament, so in the early stages look to the teams that have the competitive advantage in their group.
France, some might say are lucky to be dancing to the samba beat in Brazil this summer, have managed to land themselves in the easiest group, facing the minnows Switzerland, Honduras and Ecuador. And while leading man Frank Ribery will set you back 12 stars, there’s plenty of value to be had from the rest of the team. Les Bleus have dynamism through Paul Pogba (11 stars) and Blaise Matuidi (10 stars), while Raphael Varane - in excellent form for Real Madrid this year - sets you back just six stars.
