The 10 most expensive Colombian players of all time

Cameron Smith

• 19 Aug 2024 14:00 BST
• 5 min read

Colombia haven’t won a major men’s international tournament since the 2001 Copa America, but they have produced a number of world class talents over the years.

Many of these have performed well for the national team and several have earned big-money club moves.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Colombian players of all time.

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10. Juan Cuadrado - €31m (Fiorentina to Chelsea, 2015)

Juan Cuadrado arrived at Chelsea in February 2015 having contributed 21 goals and 14 assists in 66 appearances during his final 18 months at Fiorentina.

However, his mid-season move to Stamford Bridge didn’t go as planned. Cuadrado was unable to nail down a starting spot and he amassed just 337 minutes of action in the second-half of the 2014-15 season.

The Colombian joined Juventus on loan six months after arriving in England and he made the move permanent for €20m in 2017.

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9. Carlos Bacca - €33.3m (Sevilla to AC Milan, 2015)

After a successful two-year stint at Sevilla, Carlos Bacca joined AC Milan for €33.3m in 2015 following the departure of Mario Balotelli one year prior.

The Colombian acclimated fairly well in Serie A, but he never quite stood out and left for Villarreal in 2017 having averaged a goal every other game for Milan.

8. Jackson Martinez - €35m (Porto to Atletico Madrid, 2015)

Jackson Martinez was one of the most promising forwards in world football during his time at Porto and his form in Portugal convinced Atletico Madrid to spend €35m on him in 2015.

After just six months, 22 games, three goals and two assists, Martinez left the Spanish giants to join the Chinese Super League.

7. Radamel Falcao - €40m (Porto to Atletico Madrid, 2011)

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 13, 2023

Radamel Falcao made an identical move to Martinez - from Porto to Atletico - back in 2011.

The Colombian was a far more established name, however, and his move to Spain came after 72 goals and 17 assists in just 87 games for Porto.

During his time with Atleti, Falcao established himself as arguably the best striker in the world and he left the club having notched 70 goals in 91 appearances, including a brace in the 2012 Europa League final.

6. Jackson Martinez - €42m (Atletico Madrid to GZ Evergrande, 2016)

Martinez’s aforementioned move to China sees him included in sixth place. The ex-Colombia international left Atletico Madrid for GZ Evergrande for €42m in 2016 after an extremely poor stint in LaLiga.

Martinez spent one-and-a-half years in China, notching only four goals in 16 appearances, before returning to Portugal with Portimonense.

5. Davinson Sanchez - €42m (Ajax to Tottenham, 2017)

After starring for Ajax en route to the 2017 Europa League final, Davinson Sanchez earned himself a €42m move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Eredivisie side turned a huge €36.5m profit on Sanchez, after signing him from Atletico Nacional in 2016, and the Colombian spent six years at Spurs before joining Galatasaray in 2023.

4. Radamel Falcao - €43m (Atletico Madrid to Monaco, 2013)

Falcao’s second inclusion on this list means he is the fourth-most expensive Colombian footballer ever.

His time at Atleti was immense, as mentioned earlier, and he joined free-spending AS Monaco in 2013.

However, Falcao’s career at Monaco was punctuated by injury problems and he joined both Manchester United and Chelsea on loan while owned by the Ligue 1 club. The Colombian left for Galatasaray on a free transfer in 2019.

3. James Rodriguez - €45m (Porto to Monaco, 2013)

James Rodriguez also joined AS Monaco in 2013, with the Ligue 1 side paying €45m to sign him from FC Porto.

Rodriguez left the Portuguese side with 74 goal contributions in 108 games and became an instant hit in Ligue 1.

2. Luis Diaz - €50m (Porto to Liverpool, 2022)

Luis Diaz is the second-most expensive Colombian player in history, courtesy of his €50m transfer from Porto to Liverpool in January 2022.

The speedy winger immediately hit the ground running at Anfield, and his arrival forced Jurgen Klopp to deploy Sadio Mane in a central striker role.

1. James Rodriguez - €75m (Monaco to Real Madrid, 2014)

The most expensive Colombian player of all time is James Rodriguez. He impressed during his only season at AS Monaco, but the main reason for his move to Real Madrid was his immense performances at the 2014 World Cup.

Rodriguez won the Golden Boot, with five goals in six games, as Colombia reached the quarter-finals and Los Blancos snapped him up for €75m.

The Colombian spent six years at the Santiago Bernabeu, registering 79 goal contributions, before leaving for Everton in 2020.

The 10 most expensive Colombian soccer players of all time