Valverde has become the modern tournament midfielder.
That matters in valuation talk. He is not just a gifted midfielder; he is a manager’s solution to several problems at once. In a World Cup setting, where adaptability is everything, that pushes his profile even higher.
The report places João Neves second and Vitinha third, which says plenty about where Portugal are heading.
Neves appears to be valued for his range and maturity despite his age. Vitinha, meanwhile, has built a reputation as the kind of midfielder who can own a game without chasing headlines. If Portugal arrive in the United States, Canada and Mexico with momentum, both could look even more valuable by kickoff.
Seeing Bellingham fourth and Pedri fifth is not a slight. It is a reminder that market value often reacts to timing.
Both have had stretches where fitness or form became part of the conversation. Even so, few midfields in the world are better for balance and imagination when those two are sharp.
These rankings will keep moving before the tournament starts. That is the real story to watch: not just who tops the list now, but who arrives at the 2026 World Cup looking like the midfielder no team can live without.