Brazil exports 804 footballers in 2005, value up 55%

Between 1994 and 2005 Brazil exported football players to foreign clubs valued at over US$ 1 billion, reported the O Estado de S. Paulo. T newspaper. The 2005 value was actually 55 percent higher than 2004, partially a result of the sale of young star Robinho from Santos to Spain's Real Madrid at an estimated figure of US$ 18 million. However 2006, a World Cup year, also shows an interesting surge with football player "exports" representing US$25 million for Brazil, according to a report from the Central Bank.

Brazil Football Confederation statistics confirm that Brazil is the largest market for overseas clubs looking for promising football stars at relatively cheap prices. In 2005 a total of 804 Brazilian football players were transferred overseas, a slight drop from 2004 with 857. Of that number 40 went to Japan; 20 to Germany; 15 to Saudi Arabia; 14 to Venezuela; 12 to the United States; 9 to Iran; 7 to Austria; 6 to Bosnia-Herzegovina; 5 to China; 5 to Hong Kong and 3 to Angola with the rest to other countries in all continents.