5 most valuable football clubs in the world

Football has become so much more than just a game. It is now a multi-billion dollar business, with players paid in millions and transfer fees becoming more astronomical with each passing transfer window. Even the top managers earn in top dollar and have severance packages and bonus clauses amounting to millionsIn this cash rich era of the beautiful game, let us take a look at 5 of the most valuable clubs that are ruling the football world right now.

Disclaimer: All valuations are by Forbes

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#5: Manchester City - $2.083 billion

Manchester City are valued at a shy bit over 2 billion USD

Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), Manchester City have come leaps and bounds since their humble beginnings.

Since their takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008 for a reported sum of £210 million, the club have entered their most successful period in history. With world-class staff and facilities available, the future only looks bright for the Citizens.

By the 2015/16 season, City had the fifth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of €524.9 million. Their stadium, The City of Manchester Stadium otherwise known as the Etihad Stadium, has a capacity of 55,097. With a unique behind the scenes documentary deal with Amazon in place, the financial stength of Manchester City looks secured.

#4: Bayern Munich - $2.713 billion

The Bavarians are Germany's biggest club

As far as clubs with grand histories go, none can better that of German giants Bayern Munich. A club that has won 27 league titles and 18 national cups along with 5 Champions League titles, the Bavarians were and still are a footballing powerhouse.

Bayern is run like a joint stock company, that is a company whose stock is not listed on the public stock exchange, but is privately owned.Three Germany-based corporations, the sports goods manufacturer Adidas, the automobile company Audi and the financial services group Allianz each hold 8.33% of the shares, 25% in total.

Their beautiful stadium, the Allianz Arena, has a capacity of 75,000 and took an incredible €340 million to construct.

#3: Real Madrid - $3.580 billion

Real Madrid have won the champions league back to back for the last two seasons

Real Madrid was estimated to be worth €3.24 billion ($3.65 billion) in 2015, and in the 2014–15 season it was the world's highest-earning football club, with an annual revenue of €577 million.Real Madrid is one of three founding members of La Liga that have never been relegated from the top division and have won the Champions League a record 12 times.They have also won a record 33 La Liga titles and 19 Copa del Rey.

Real Madrid is organised as a registered association. This implies that Real Madrid is owned by its supporters who elect the club president. The club can only spend what it earns, which is mainly derived through merchandise sales, television rights and ticket sales.The members of Real Madrid, called socios, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club.

Their historic 81,044 seating stadium, Santiago Bernabéu, was opened 70 years ago and is the first stadium in Europe to host both a UEFA European Championship and a FIFA World Cup final.

#2: Barcelona - $3.635 billion

Barcelona is a global brand name now

Founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Catalan footballers, Barcelona has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, with the motto "Més que un club" (English: "More than a club").

Owned and operated by its own supporters, it is the second most valuable sports team in the world, worth $3.635 billion, and the world's second richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €560.8 million.The members of Barcelona, called socis, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club.

Their iconic stadium, The Camp Nou, has a seating capacity of 99,354. It is the largest stadium in Spain and Europe, and the second largest association football stadium in the world in terms of capacity

#1: Manchester United - $4.583 billion

After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991, Manchester United was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost £800 million, after which the company was taken private again, before going public once more in August 2012, when they made an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange.

Currently worth $4.583 billion, the club is the only professional English club to have won every ongoing honour available to the first team that is organised by a national or international governing body.

Since the start of the 2015–16 season, Adidas has manufactured Manchester United's kit as part of a world-record 10-year deal worth a minimum of £750 million while a $80m-a-year shirt deal worth $559m over seven years features the logo of General Motors brand Chevrolet.

Their stadium, Old Trafford, has a capacity of 74,994 and opened to the public way back in 1910.