5 most valuable players at the time of retirement

#3 Philipp Lahm - €11 million

Lahm was one of the most humble players and a true gentleman

From one Bayern Munich right-back to another, Philipp Lahm filled in Sagnol's boots perfectly and went the extra mile by cementing his status as a legend. Lahm was nicknamed the "Magic Dwarf" and Pep Guardiola claimed he was "the most intelligent player" the Spaniard had ever coached.

The German displayed his versatality on the field throughout his playing career, playing out of his natural positions as a left-back and even as a midfielder. He had the tendency to cut in from the wide side and find inch perfect passes and it wasn't easy to stop him in his stride.

He set an example since taking on the captaincy of Germany and Bayern Munich about how one should carry themselves both on and off the pitch. Lahm read the game at a greater pace than anyone else on the pitch and hardly had a lapse in judgment.

The legendary right-back captained Germany to their 2014 World Cup triumph and Bayern Munich to their first ever treble in 2013. It was only fair that when he retired, even the market valued him at €11 million. Lahm made a total of 517 appearances for the German giants and won 22 trophies in his career.

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#2 Zinedine Zidane - €12.5 million

Zidane is widely rgarded as one of the best ever players

The skills, the vision, the goals, Zinedine Zidane was simply the definition of poetry in motion roaming around a football pitch. Undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game, when he retired in 2006, he was worth €12.5 million despite spending his last season trophyless.

Zizou's arrival at Juventus saw the limelight move away from Alessandro Del Piero and soon The Old Lady became all about the Frenchman. He guided Juventus to two consecutive Serie A titles and two Champions League finals, albeit losing on both occasions.

He was sublime with the ball at his feet and it was routine for him to wriggle past one, two, or even three men. Zidane was a game changer and until the final whistle had been blown, you couldn't rule out the French legend from impacting the game.

A national hero for his side, Zidane helped the France team win the 1998 World Cup and the Euro 2000. He was named the player of the tournament in the latter tournament. In 2001 he joined Real Madrid for a then club-record fee of €77.5 million.

He retired from the national side in 2004 but returned in 2006 to help a struggling France qualify for the World Cup. He went on to captain them until the finals where he floored Marco Materazzi with his famous headbutt.

In his club career, Zidane made a total of 631 appearances, registering 121 goals and 119 assists. He won a total of 15 trophies in his esteemed career and the Ballon d'Or in 2000.

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#1 Andre Schurrle - €20 million

Schurrle prought a premature end to his career

In what will become an example for generations to come and put focus on the mental health and well-being of sportspersons, Andre Schurrle retired at the age of 29. Many players peaked at that age, but the German was experiencing big lows in his life that made him vulnerable.

He was a key player in Germany's World Cup triumph of 2014 and provided the assist for the crucial Mario Gotze goal that helped them win the title. In his international career with the German side, he played 57 games and struck 22 goals.

At Chelsea he won the Premier League and also won the DFB-Pokal with Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund. Schurrle's 16-minute hat-trick for Chelsea against Fulham and his man-of-the-match performance in Arsenal's thumping 6-0 defeat by the Blues were his best moments. The German canceled his contract with Dortmund in 2020 and brought a premature end to his career.

He reminded us all that despite loving the game, it was important to love ourselves more and to seek help in the face of mental health issues. He made a total of 373 appearances in his senior club career and contributed with 86 goals and 51 assists.