Real Madrid tops Forbes' list as most valuable club for 4th straight year

Stop us if you've heard this before: Real Madrid is the most valuable football club on the planet. Chances are that sounds pretty familiar; it's now happened four years in succession.

The Spanish giant once again topped Forbes' list, which was released on Wednesday. The American business magazine claims Los Blancos are valued at £2.52 billion, with an annual revenue of £480 million. Both figures put the capital-based side narrowly ahead of bitter rival Barcelona, who slotted into the second spot on the list with a valuation of £2.46 billion.

Across the sporting landscape, Madrid ranks as Forbes' second-most valuable franchise, behind only the Dallas Cowboys (£2.77 billion).

Six Premier League clubs feature in football's top 10, with Manchester United's struggles on the pitch doing little to hinder its value; the Red Devils dwarf their English counterparts with a valuation of £2.3 billion.

Bayern Munich and Juventus are the only sides to crack the monopoly that La Liga and the Premier League enjoy in the rankings.

The full list of Forbes' 10 most valuable football clubs is as follows:

1. Real Madrid - £2.52 billion
2. Barcelona - £2.46 billion
3. Manchester United - £2.3 billion
4. Bayern Munich - £1.85 billion
5. Arsenal - £1.4 billion
6. Manchester City - £1.33 billion
7. Chelsea - £1.15 billion
8. Liverpool - £1.07 billion
9. Juventus - £900 million
10. Tottenham - £704 million