Blog post: Small countries show big interest in soccer transfers

Some of Europe’s smallest countries have the strongest interest in high-profile soccer transfers, a new study suggests.

The study conducted by sports journalist and iGaming specialist Martynas Norvilas analysed monthly Google search volumes for 24 player transfer-related terms, writes Andy Weltch.

These included “Kylian Mbappé transfer,” “Mbappé to Real Madrid,” “Florian Wirtz Liverpool transfer,” “Viktor Gyökeres Arsenal transfer,” “Benjamin Šeško Manchester United transfer,” and “Eberechi Eze Arsenal transfer” across multiple European countries.

He compared average monthly searches to population estimates for 2025 to reveal the countries with the highest interest in these transfer rumours.

The result? Small countries showed the greatest interest - Isle of Man ranking top with 166 monthly searches per 100,000 population, followed by Monaco on 78 and Leichtenstein 75.

The top ten is completed by: Andorra (60), Iceland (48), Ireland (46), United Kingdom (45), Malta 42, Luxembourg 26, and Montenegro 19.

Looking at the study, Martynas Norvilas commented: “This data shows how quickly transfer narratives capture public attention across Europe, and where they resonate most strongly.

“For publishers, clubs, and brands, the message is clear: tailor coverage to local interests, time updates around peak demand, and prioritise the specific player queries fans are using.”

What isn’t clear, at least to me, is why small countries should show such higher levels of interest. Perhaps all European countries have a certain mass of people with an interest in these top-level player moves, so in small countries that ‘mass’ is proportionately bigger than in large countries? Or maybe it’s just that countries without a major league of their own take more interest in what’s happening elsewhere.

It’s curious that only one major country makes the top ten – that’s the United Kingdom, home of the English Premier League. You might expect to find similar high levels of interest in other countries with big leagues, such as Spain, Germany, and Italy. But that’s not the case.

It’s certainly an interesting study – not least because it raises as many questions as it answers.

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