Billions vs Millions: How Hakim Ziyech's Sh 508M Value Alone Eclipses Nairobi United's Entire Team

FKF Cup champions Nairobi United are set to face Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca a in the upcoming Group B opener of the CAF Confederation Cup.

The match-up between the two sides highlights a staggering financial gulf when comparing their market valuations on Transfermarkt.

Not much however  is widely known about the specific qualities Kenya's representatives possess thus the headlines will invariably be dominated by the Casablanca heavyweights, a club that enters the competition as one of the clear favourites to lift the entire trophy.

The Moroccan side is not only highly-rated for its storied continental pedigree and the intimidating atmosphere from its intense home support, but that formidable reputation is directly mirrored in the monetary value of its players, allowing them to boast one of the most expensively assembled squads in the competition.

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Illustrating this financial power, recent blockbuster signing Hakim Ziyech immediately became the highest-valued player at the club, with the renowned Moroccan international valued at a staggering €3.5 million (approx. KSh 508 million) by the transfer data website Transfermarkt.

Following closely behind Ziyech in the highest-valued players bracket at Wydad is goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid, who is rated at €1.3 million (approx. KSh 189 million), followed by attacking midfielder Hamza Sakhi, valued at €1.0 million (approx. KSh 145 million).

The total collective value of the Wydad Casablanca squad is estimated by Transfermarkt at a massive €16.95 million, which translates to an eye-watering KSh 2.46 billion, cementing their status as one of the undisputed financial powerhouses of the tournament.

In stark, almost unbelievable comparison, our very own Kenyan minnows do not even come close, as their total squad valuation is estimated to be over 339 times less than that of the Moroccan giants, registering at a modest €50,000 (approx. KSh 7.3 million).

This incredible gulf in valuation is made even more stark by the fact that only one single player at Nairobi United currently has a registered market value on the Transfermarkt database.

That player is 19-year-old centre-back Manzur Okwaro, who shoulders the entire official market valuation of the club with his €50,000 (approx. KSh 7.3 million) price tag.

The rest of the Nairobi United squad, which heroically battled through the FKF Cup to secure this continental opportunity, consists of players who currently have no official market valuation listed, a fact that truly highlights the monumental, David-vs-Goliath task that lies ahead for the Kenyan side.

The first highly anticipated meeting between these two financially disparate sides in the group stage will take place on 23 November in Casablanca.