Barcelona! The Catalan giants have claimed 10 La Liga titles in the 21st century, peaking under Pep Guardiola’s golden generation of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets. But ever since Guardiola’s departure in 2012, the club's spending has exploded, with managers trying to create the next great team.

Between 2013 and 2025, Barca spent $1.8 billion (£1.4bn), one of the largest expenditures in world football. They also controversially racked up a wage bill of $773 million (£580m), the highest in Europe at its peak. This led to Messi’s emotional exit in 2021 as the club could no longer afford his salary under La Liga’s financial rules.

Club President Joan Laporta was also forced to sell off future TV and merchandising rights as part of “economic levers” just to register new signings like Robert Lewandowski and Jules Koundé in 2022.

The world's biggest-spending sports teams, graded by results