It’s no secret that the world’s best footballers earn an astronomical amount of money. Although they are undoubtedly talented, there is much debate about whether or not they deserve to earn what they do. In this post, we take a look at the highest-earning soccer players as ranked by betting website Findbettingsites.co.uk and how much money they make.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Total annual income: US$105million
It’s little surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-earning footballer in the world. CR7’s brand is so powerful that he racks up an incredible $45million in endorsements and sponsorships alone. Financially, the Juventus superstar is in a league of his own and is the first footballer ever to earn more than $1billion in his career.
Lionel Messi
Total annual income: $104million
As with pretty much all aspects of their lives, very little separates Messi and Ronaldo. A product of La Masia and widely regarded as Barcelona’s best-ever player, Messi nets a whopping $72million in salary and bonuses every year from the Catalan giants. When looking at his finances, it’s little wonder that Messi has stayed loyal to Barca for his whole professional career so far.
Neymar Jr.
Total annual income: $95.5million
Brazil’s golden boy, PSG star Neymar Jr. is the third highest-paid footballer in the world. Although many viewed his transfer away from Barcelona as a step in the wrong direction, Neymar has proved them wrong, lapping up a string of French titles and some significant sponsorship and endorsement deals with the likes of Nike and EA. His $70million annual salary isn’t bad, either.
Mohammed Salah
Total annual income: $35.5million
The highest-paid African footballer in the world, and also the English Premier League’s highest earner, Mo Salah has developed a reputation as one of football’s nice guys. Despite an unsuccessful stint at Chelsea earlier in his career, his time at Liverpool has been nothing short of outstanding, as he has a Premier League title and a Champions League winners medal to his name. Liverpool pay him $23.1million each year in salary and bonuses, and he has returned the faith by becoming their joint highest Champions League goalscorer, alongside club legend Steven Gerrard.
Kylian Mbappe
Total annual income: $33.8million
The mercurial French youngster is arguably Europe’s most exciting player. Mbappe plays alongside Neymar for French giants PSG and has already won the World Cup with his country and a string of French titles with his club. It’s widely thought that he will take over the mantle from Messrs Ronaldo and Messi and become the best player in the world in years to come. It’s likely, too, that his $20million a year salary will increase, particularly if he bags a move to Real Madrid, as many in the media speculate.
Andres Iniesta
Total annual income: $29.6million
The first player to feature on this list to ply his trade outside Europe, Andres Iniesta turns out for Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe. Since Iniesta left the heart of the Barcelona midfield, it would be fair to say they haven’t been the same. It’s nigh on impossible to replace a player of Iniesta’s once in a generation quality, and Barcelona haven’t yet found his replacement. Iniesta is joined at Vissel Kobe along with former Barca players Thomas Vermaelen and Sergi Samper, although they earn nowhere near the $26.6million that Vissel pay Iniesta for his services.
Mesut Ozil
Total annual income: $28.7million
Mesut Ozil is a divisive figure. A legend in his native Germany after helping his team win the 2014 World Cup, the same can’t be said about his popularity in North London. This season, Ozil was actually omitted from the Arsenal first-team squad by Mikel Arteta, a decision that his coach may well be regretting after his slide slumped to their worst ever start to a Premier League season. Given that he is the seventh highest-paid player in world football, Arsenal fans are understandably frustrated that Ozil can’t even be selected in the matchday squad.
Paul Pogba
Total annual income: $28.5million
Similar in some respects to Ozil, Paul Pogba is a man who is failing to live up to his hype. Signed by Manchester United to be their midfield general, he struggles to hold down a place in the starting eleven, and nobody really understands where his best position is. Pogba is United’s second-highest earner, just behind Alexis Sanchez, who hasn’t played for the club in two years after being shipped out to Inter Milan on loan. It seems that United have fallen into the trap of paying over the odds for players who don’t deliver on the pitch.
References
Real time soccer earnings – https://www.findbettingsites.co.uk/soccer-earnings/
