Columbus Crew’s Valuation in Liga MX Context: A Competitive Assessment

Columbus Crew, a formidable team within Major League Soccer (MLS), is garnering attention for its successful run across multiple tournaments. Recently crowned champions of the Leagues Cup 2024, following their MLS Cup victory in 2023, the team is establishing itself as a dominant force on the North American soccer scene. With frequent matches against Mexican clubs over the past year, the Crew aims to add another jewel to its collection this Wednesday at Lower.com Field.

Questions have arisen about how Columbus Crew would fare if they were part of Liga MX, the top professional football division in Mexico. According to Transfermarkt, a specialized sports evaluation platform, Columbus Crew’s roster is valued at approximately 61 million USD, positioning them as the fourth most valuable team in the MLS. In comparison, Inter Miami leads the MLS with a squad worth 108 million USD.

In the hypothetical context of playing in Liga MX, Columbus Crew would not feature among the top four in terms of team value, ranking instead in the seventh position. Club América leads in this league with a roster valued at 114.3 million USD. Following closely are Monterrey and Tigres, with team valuations of 96.5 million USD and 81.5 million USD, respectively. Other Mexican teams such as Toluca and Chivas also hold higher market values than Columbus Crew.

Columbus Crew barely edges out Pachuca, who the Crew defeated in the previous edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Pachuca’s market value is set at 51.76 million USD, affected by the transfer of Erick Sánchez to Club América for nearly 10 million USD.

Columbus Crew’s standout player, Colombian forward Juan Camilo ‘Cucho’ Hernández, carries the highest individual valuation on the team at 14.5 million USD. His performance in the league has sparked interest from international clubs such as Elche in Spain and Watford in England’s Championship. If Hernández were to play in Liga MX, he would hold the highest player valuation, above other significant figures like Juan Brunetta and Sergio Canales.

The upcoming match marks the second encounter of such prestige, perpetuating a history of competitive matches. In 2019, Club América faced Atlanta United and lost 3-2. Columbus Crew also has a precedent; the team defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 in the 2021 edition, aiming now for a second cup win.

Another key player for the Crew is Diego Rossi. The Uruguayan forward, who previously played for Los Angeles FC and Fenerbahce, returned to the MLS and has significantly contributed to Columbus Crew, bringing his valuation to 7.8 million USD.