Players who are moving up…

The World Cup is a smorgasbord for fans, but it can be just as much a feast for agents and football-club owners, who treat the tournament as a giant showroom for potential talenteven in this era of nascent financial parsimony. While some players disappear into oblivion in the face of international pressure, others rise to the challenge. Here, with the help of football agent Athole Still, who represents England manager Sven-GOran Eriksson, TIME analyzes some of those players who excelled and looks at how they increased their market value.

RIO FERDINAND, 23, ENGLAND
In 2000, Ferdinand was sold to the English Premier League club Leeds United from West Ham United for a record $26 million, yet the defender was still a relative unknown when he arrived at World Cup 2002. Not any more. His lithe movement and pinpoint tackling earned him plaudits as one of the players of the tournament. His kind of authority at the back lends itself to any scheme of play. Manchester United has put in a bid for as much as $53 million.
VALUE: $53 million, up from $26 million

MIROSLAV KLOSE, 24, GERMANY
At week’s end, he was a contender for the World Cup’s Golden Boot, with five goals including a hat trick against Saudi Arabia. But there remains some doubt that the Kaiserslautern forward is merely a youthful fish in an otherwise aging German pond. Nevertheless, strikers are valuable and will always command good prices.
VALUE: $12 million, up from $6.5 million

ELHADJI DIOUF, 21, SENEGAL
Before World Cup 2002, Diouf came with a question: Could the Senegalese striker with the dazzling skills also show the world he can conquer his erratic temperament? Liverpool seems to think so. Last week, Diouf was thought to be on the verge of completing a $15 million move to the English Premiership giant.
VALUE: $15 million, up from $6 million

HASAN SAS, 25, TURKEY
Outstanding throughout the tournament, the attacking Galatasaray star always looked like a name to watch in his nation’s industrious advance through World Cup 2002both for his physical and technical strength and for his enterprising moves.
VALUE: $12 million, up from $6 million

DAMIEN DUFF, 23, IRELAND
Coming off a good domestic season with Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League, Duff excelled in attack for the plucky Irish. He can both create and finish, and has also shown he can take the pressure of international football matches.
VALUE: $12 million-$15 million, up from $7 million

AHN JUNG HWAN, 26, SOUTH KOREA
Scoring the Golden Goal that knocked out the Italians certainly elevated his value. At week’s end, he had reportedly signed a new deal with his Italian side Perugiaafter the club had first said it would sack him for saying that Korean football was better than the Italian sort.
VALUE: $6.5 million, up from $1.5 million

JUNICHI INAMOTO, 22, JAPAN
Signed by English club Arsenal last season, he saw little top-tier action. But the midfielder turned his fortunes around at World Cup 2002, scoring two goals. That seems to have restored the faith of the European marketplace in himPerugia and England’s Fulham are said to be interested.
VALUE: Holding steady at $6 million

…and one on his way down

JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON, 27, ARGENTINA
Almost exactly a year ago, Manchester United paid a then-record $43 million for Veron’s services. But between his domestic season with Man U, where he failed to stamp his authority on the midfield, and his recent anonymity at World Cup 2002, where he also failed to stamp his authority on the midfield, the Argentine skipper could be forgiven for wondering where it all went wrong. The rumor mill says Man U will sell Veron to finance the purchase of Ferdinand, but it is not known whether the English side will recoup its initial outlay.
VALUE: $38 million, down from $43 million

Numbers

100,000 Koreans who joined pep squads for non-Korean teams
10,000 Journalists accredited to cover the World Cup
1,072 Football hooligans banned from leaving Britain
736 Players who participated in the World Cup finals

17 Appearances at the World Cup by Brazil, the only country to have qualified for every tournament since the first in 1930
7 Appearances in the final by Brazil and Germany, though the two never played each other until Sunday

17 Yellow cards each against Germany and Turkey, the worst-behaved teams through the semifinals of the tournament
1 Red cards against coaches. During his team’s match against Paraguay, Slovenian manager Srecko Katanec became the first person to be sent off from the bench twice in a career

52 Years since the start of the Korean War, which North Korea marked by broadcasting the U.S.’s 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Germany
80 Calls a day to the Westin Awaji Island Resort, where the England team stayed in Japan, from fans who want to sleep in David Beckham’s bed

SOURCES: FIFA; AP; CNN; REUTERS