Dazzling stadiums around the world, football has not only enthralled fans but also minted some of the wealthiest athletes on the planet. The realm of soccer boasts not just heart-stopping goals and nail-biting matches, but also eye-popping paychecks that reflect the global adoration for the sport.
From iconic legends to rising stars, these players have earned a place in the highest echelons of sports salaries. Join us as we unveil the coveted roster of the 10 highest-paid football players in the world, where the intersection of talent, fame, and financial rewards paints a fascinating portrait of modern sports success.
The statistics provided are accurate as of February 2023.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Al-Nassr ($214 million)
One of the most famous football players and celebrities in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo has had an amazingly successful career. He started professionally playing in 2002 and has played in major teams like Man United, Real Madrid and Juventus. That paired with his commercial deals with Nike amongst other brands has garnered him a massive following and a huge accumulation of wealth. But just how much does he earn?. With his recent transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, he signed a contract worth $214 million. This makes his annual earnings around $75 million, that along with the rest of his income made from image rights and commercial deals makes him upwards of $150 million annually. Al-Nassr also pays him $4.5 million weekly.
Kylian Mbappe: PSG ($128 million)
Kylian Mbappe is one of the brightest young football stars in the world at the moment. He has achieved tremendous success playing, which has given him massive financial reward. In 2021 he signed a contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain, making him around $1 million a week. That along with his endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Hublot puts him amongst the highest paid sports stars in the world. All in all he receives around $100 million as his annual salary plus benefits and another $20 million from endorsements and brand deals. A very impressive feat for someone who hasn’t even reached his prime.
Lionel Messi: PSG ($120 million)
Labelled the best football player in the world by many football fans, Messi has naturally accumulated a huge following and massive amount of wealth. He has played his way into Barcelona’s hall of fame and now plays for the French team PSG. They pay him $960,000 weekly making his salary alone roughly $65 million. On top of that he earns around $55 million from endorsement and brand deals. It’s safe to say he has had an amazing career as a footballer and continues to shock watchers even in the later years of his career.
Neymar: PSG ( $87 million)
Once again the French team spent a buck load of money on this famous football star, with a $222 million signing contract from Barcelona in 2017. He got a pay rise when he signed for another 4 years in 2021, making his annual salary around $55 million. That paired with his $32 million in yearly endorsements, Neymar is amongst the highest paid athletes in the world.
Mohamed Salah: Liverpool ( $53 million)
The Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah once had many fans questioning his skill. Up until he joined Liverpool in 2017, people believed he didn’t have that star quality in him. However after his amazing season scoring 31 goals and 16 assists in the 2021/2022 term, he forced football fans to acknowledge his greatness. Liverpool currently pays him $497,000 per week making him around $35 million.That paired with his $18 million brand deals and endorsement put him at a grand total of $53 million annually, giving him a place in this top ten.
Erling Haaland: Manchester City ($39 million)
Another young star rivalling Mbappe in terms of age, skill and overwhelming presence in the footballing world. After moving to Man City from Dortmund, the youngster broke record after record with the club. The club pays him around $39 million annually. Although not as much as Mbappe, $39 million isn’t bad for a 22 year old.
Robert Lewandowski: Barcelona ($35 million)
Lewandowski is one of the best and efficient strikers in the world of football. The polish star has a successful career and has received a high annual salary because of that. At 35 years old and approaching the end of his career he still earns a crazy $35 million form La Liga football club every year. During his years at Bayern Munich he scored five goals in nine minute giving him the record for fastest hattrick in Bundesliga history. Oh and he loves posting Tik Toks!
Eden Hazard: Real Madrid ( $31 million)
A very skilled player who at the height of his career transferred to famous team Real Madrid. With his renowned playing style that shows his technical ability and his great pace, Hazard was a star that everyone had their eyes on. Unfortunately the transfer to Barcelona didn’t go to plan and he didn’t do so well for the Spanish team. Despite this he still earns a crazy $31 million making him amongst the highest paid football stars in the world.
Andres Iniesta: Vissel Kobe ($30 million)
After a massively successful career at Barcelona along side star like Messi, radjaspin he transferred to Japanese team Vissel Kobe. The Japanese teams pays the Spaniard $572,000 a week making his salary form the team roughly $26 million. He has also started his own football boot brand called Capitten and although unspecified makes him roughly another $4-5 million annually. These combined factors are what puts him on this top ten list.
Kevin De Bruyne: Manchester City ($29 million)
The Belgian team captain, Kevin De Bruyne, is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game of football. His large success with Man City with his amazing passes and brilliant ball playing ability is what sets him apart from many players in the same position. The club pays him $497,000 a week, making him around $29 million annually plus endorsements. The 31 year old is one the nest players to ever grace the world of football and gets paid accordingly, making him among the highest paid football players in the world.
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