Belgium vs Italy squads: Market values and most expensive players

Belgium host Italy at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Sunday in the final game of Nations League A Group 1.

Italy sit first on 10 points after defeating France 3-1 on Thursday, while Les Bleus are second on 10 points (behind on goal difference), and Belgium are third on nine points.

Both teams are also under a new head coach, with Roberto Mancini back for a second spell with Italy, while Mark van Bommel is Belgium’s new coach. 

With the two heavyweights set to face each other, we take a look at the team with the most expensive players and their market value.

FootballWhispers explores both squads, their most expensive players, and transfer records, with all market values taken from Transfermarkt.

Belgium vs Italy squads: Market values

Belgium’s squad market value stands at €564.80M (£470.7M), the eighth-highest of the nations in the Nations League, while Italy’s squad is valued at €922.00M (£768.3M), which ranks 5th.

The gap between the two complete squads is €357.20M (£297.6M), meaning Italy’s squad is worth about 63.2% more than Belgium's on paper. 

Despite this value deficit, Belgium proved superior on the pitch in September, when they won 2-0 in Rome. 

Belgium are playing this window without elite goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who has taken a break from international duty.

The actual value gap between the available players would be narrower if his valuation were factored into the active squad.

Belgium vs Italy squads: Most expensive players

Belgium’s most expensive player in the squad is Jeremy Doku (€75m/£62.5m), who returns after missing the opening four games. 

Diego Moreira is next (€45m/£37.5m), followed by Youri Tielemans and Mika Godts (both €40m/£33.3m).

Matias Fernandez-Pardo (€55m/£45.8m) is Belgium’s second most valuable player overall, but he has been left out after being ill.

Meanwhile, Italy’s most expensive player is Sandro Tonali (€90m/£75m), the most valuable Italian in Transfermarkt history.

Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori follow at €65m (£54.2m) each, while Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco and Pio Esposito are all valued at €50m (£41.7m).

The two squads are built very differently. Belgium’s most valuable players are mostly attackers, with Doku, Moreira and Godts all in the top four. 

On the other hand, Italy’s are mostly defenders and midfielders, with Esposito the only forward in their top six.

Belgium vs Italy squads: Transfer records

Belgium’s transfer history is dominated by Romelu Lukaku, who is in the squad for this Nations League game. 

His €113m (£94.2m) return to Chelsea from Inter in 2021 is the second most expensive transfer in Belgian history, behind only Eden Hazard’s move to Real Madrid.

Doku cost Manchester City a reported £55m from Rennes in 2023, so his €75m valuation is well above that fee.

Tonali is Italy’s most expensive transfer of all time after joining Tottenham from Newcastle in a deal worth €115m (£95.8m), including add-ons.

The Italian midfielder had previously shattered his records after moving from Milan to Newcastle for €70m.