The world of Football is crazy and wild. Once the footballers came under the spotlight, the Door of the ridiculous amount of money was open to his face. Clubs first spent big on their transfers fees and then signed the player for a hefty amount. Once the contract was signed, it doesn’t matter if the player keeps with his performance or not, he will get paid no matter what. Similarly signing a contract with clubs like City, Madrid, United and Barcelona brought endorsements deals for players as well. So in today’s post, we will see the Highest Paid Footballers in the world and ranked their earnings on the two factors:
- Base Salary from the club
- Earning from Endorsement and Sponsership deals.
The top 25 Highest Paid Footballers are selected based on the above mention Factors. Total earning will include both Salary and Endorsements deals.
Highest Paid Footballers
Content Summary
10). Eden Hazard
Age: 30
Total Earning: $29m
Salary: $26m
Endorsements: $3m
Team: Real Madrid
Country: Belgium
Hazard is making around $29 million this year from both football salary and endorsements. He’s a Belgian winger for Real Madrid in La Liga and is the current captain of Belgium’s national team. He joined Madrid in 2019 and already has five goals.
Hazard previously spent seven years with Chelsea, scoring 110 goals in that span. With 606 career games played, he has accumulated 165 goals, 159 assists, and 10 major trophies.
9). Gareth Bale
Age: 32
Total Earning: $32m
Salary: $26m
Endorsements: $6m
Team: Real Madrid
Country: Wales
Bale is making around $32 million this year from both football salaries and endorsements. He’s a Welsh winger for Real Madrid in La Liga, joining the team in 2013. Since then, he has also spent 1 year on loan with Tottenham Hotspur.
Bale holds a record with six Welsh Footballer of the Year awards, including four consecutive. In 538 career games played, he has 183 goals, 152 assists, and has won 25 major trophies.
8). Paul Pogba
Age: 28
Total Earning: $34m
Salary: $27m
Endorsements: $7m
Team: Manchester United
Country: France
He is making around $34 million this year from both football salaries and endorsements. He joined the club in 2016 and has had 38 goals and 51 assists ever since. His contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the 21/22 season.
The 28-year-old is in the middle of a ten-year shoe contract with Adidas that is worth an estimated $45 million.
7). Andres Iniesta
Age: 37
Total Earning: $35m
Salary: $31m
Endorsements: $4m
Team: Vissel Koe
Country: Spain
Magician of football is making $35 million this year from both football salaries and endorsements. He is a Spanish midfielder for Vissel Kobe of the J1 League in Japan.
He moved to Japan on a 2-year contract in 2018 after spending 22 years in Barcelona. This past April, on his 37th birthday, he signed a contract extension to keep him with the club until 2023.
6). Robert Lewandowski
Age: 33
Total Earning: $35m
Salary: $27m
Endorsements: $8m
Team: Bayern Munich
Country: Poland
The Bayern Munich Goal machine is set to earn $35 million this year from both football salary and endorsements, according to Forbes. He is a Polish striker for Bayern Munich of the Bundesliga and has been with the club since 2014. His current contract with the club will expire in 2023.
Moreover, He has launched his RL9 brand of clothing, adding to his endorsement earnings from Nike, Huawei, and Head & Shoulders, among others.
5). Mohamed Salah
Age: 29
Total Earning: $41m
Salary: $25m
Endorsements: $18m
Team: Liverpool
Country: Egypt
Egyptian king is set to earn $41 million this year from both football salaries and endorsements. Salah is captain of Egypt’s national team and a key player for Klopp.
He has been with Liverpool since 2017. However, he wants to renew the contract. With two years remaining on the 29-year-old’s current deal, Salah and Liverpool are in negotiations to keep the star striker at Anfield.
4). Kylian Mbappe
Age: 23
Total Earning: $43m
Salary: $28m
Endorsements: $15m
Team: Paris Saint-German
Country: France
The Ninja Turtle and France Golden boy will make $43 million this year from both football salary and endorsements. He was loaned to PSG in 2017 and his transfer was made official in 2018. In 264 career games played, Mbappe has scored 180 goals and 111 assists.
PSG offered him a contract in summer 2021, but Mbappe shows a clear intention to play for Real Madrid. Real Madrid made an offer of a $180 million transfer fee which PSG rejected. In summer 2022, he will be a free agent.
Currently, Madrid offers him a 42 million euro deal per season. However, PSG is not letting go of the ace striker and offered him a million euro per week deal in counter. That will award him annually 52million euros.
3). Neymar Jr.
Age: 30
Total Earning: $95m
Salary: $75m
Endorsements: $20m
Team: Paris Saint-German
Country: Brazil
Neyamr Jr will make $95 million this year from both football salary and endorsements. He began his senior career with Santos and eventually moved on to Barcelona before settling in PSG. In 452 career games played, he has 265 goals, 205 assists, and 31 major trophies.
Last summer he signed a four-year contract extension with PSG and will stay in France till 2025. He signed the most Expensive boot deal with Puma £300 million in total payment over the course of the deal.
2). Lionel Messi
Age: 34
Total Earning: $110m
Salary: $75m
Endorsements: $35m
Team: Paris Saint-German
Country: Argentina
The football Genius after departing from Barcelona will earn $110 million this year from both football salary and endorsements. He joined PSG last summer and formed a powerful trio with both Neymar Jr. and Mbappé.
Messi spent the previous 17 years with Barcelona. In 802 career games played, Messi scored 678 goals and dished 409 assists. He has the most number of Ballon d’Ors, 7.
Messi has pocketed $875 million in salary and bonus and another $350 million from endorsements for a total of more than $1 billion over his career.
1). Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 37
Total Earning: $125m
Salary: $70m
Endorsements: $55m
Team: Manchester United
Country: Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo is making around $125 million this year from both football salaries and endorsements. After leaving Juventus, He joined his former club, Manchester United in 202.
Ronaldo has been one of the biggest names in football for almost two decades. In 918 career league games, Ronaldo has 688 goals and 301 assists. He won the Ballon d’Or five times.
Ronaldo earns $55 million from endorsements deals and partnerships with brands including Nike, Herbalife, Clear, and his ever-expanding CR7-branded portfolio that includes perfume, underwear, eyewear, hotels, gyms, and more.
He was the first footballer who earns $1 billion from salaries and bonuses over his career.
Top 10 Highest Paid Footballers
| Rank | Player | Salary | Endorsements | Club | Total Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | $70m | $55m | Manchester United | $125m |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | $75m | $35m | Paris Saint-German | $110m |
| 3 | Neymar Jr. | $75m | $20m | Paris Saint-German | $95m |
| 4 | Kylian Mbappe | $28m | $15m | Paris Saint-German | $43m |
| 5 | Mohamed Salah | $25m | $18m | Liverpool | $41m |
| 6 | Robert Lewandowski | $27m | $8m | Bayern Munich | $35m |
| 7 | Andres Iniesta | $31m | $4m | Vissel Kobe | $35m |
| 8 | Paul Pogba | $27m | $7m | Manchester United | $34m |
| 9 | Gareth Bale | $26m | $6m | Real Madrid | $32m |
| 10 | Eden Hazard | $26m | $3m | Real Madrid | $29m |
| 11 | Antoine Griezmann | $22m | $3m | Atletic-Madrid | $25m |
| 12 | David de Gea | $22m | $3m | Manchester United | $25m |
| 13 | Kevin De Bruyne | $21m | $3m | Manchester City | $24m |
| 14 | Jan Oblak | $20m | $2m | Atletic-Madrid | $22m |
| 15 | Luka Modrić | $18m | $4m | Real Madrid | $22m |
| 16 | Jadon Sancho | $21m | $1m | Manchester United | $22m |
| 17 | Timo Werner | $19m | $1m | Chelsea | $20m |
| 18 | Kai Harvetz | $18 | $2m | Chelsea | $20m |
| 19 | Lukaku | $19m | $1m | Chelsea | $20m |
| 20 | Thomas Muller | $17m | $2m | Bayern Munich | $19m |
| 21 | Harry Maguire | $18m | $1m | Manchester United | $19m |
| 22 | Hakim Ziyech | $16m | $1m | Chelsea | $17m |
| 23 | David Alaba | $12m | $1m | Real Madrid | $13m |
| 24 | Jack Grealish | $12m | $1m | Manchester City | $13m |
| 25 | Marcelo | $9m | $1m | Real Madrid | $10m |
Ronaldo is set to earn $125 million before taxes in the 2021-22 season, with $70 million coming from salary and bonus for his return to United. The rest comes from personal endorsements and partnerships with brands including Nike, Herbalife, and CR7.
Leo Messi will be paid $75 million in salary by PSG and He’ll pad paycheck with an estimated $35 million in endorsements from the likes of Adidas, Pepsi, watchmaker Jacobs & Co., and Budweiser. He will earn $110 million including Endorsement deals.
Conclusion
To put the final words, the top ten highest paid footballers are expected to bag earnings of $585 million this season. Salary and bonus make up the bulk of the total $415 million. with an income of $125 million, Cristino Ronaldo Tops the Highest paid Footballers list.
Also Read: