Lionel Messi, a six-time Ballon d’Or winner as made the top highest-paid soccer player in the world while sensational Ronaldo made the 7th list.
This means, however, Messi who joined PSG as a free agent, tops the list as he will be going home with a whopping €35m annually and Cristiano Ronaldo is now the fifth highest-paid footballer after his return to Manchester United.
Messi’s teammate Neymar is second on the list grossing €30m while a former Barcelona legend who now plies his trade in the J-League is third with Vissel Kobe with a yearly income of €25m.
Meanwhile, ex-Chelsea midfielder Oscar who now plays for the Chinese Super League side Shanghai Port earns €24m annual salary.
10. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) – 483,000 dollars per week
The only Bundesliga player on the list, Lewandowski was named FIFA’s Men’s Player of the Year in 2020 and has an incredible scoring record in addition to a large trophy collection. The Polish striker is the Bundesliga’s all-time leading foreign scorer and has won the German top flight in nine of his 11 years in the country, twice with Dortmund and seven times with Bayern.
9. David de Gea (Manchester United) – 517,000 dollars per week
The only Spanish player on the list, De Gea is the top-earning goalkeeper in the world. Manchester United signed him from Atletico Madrid over a decade ago for a then-record Premier League fee for a goalkeeper and he has been the club’s No.1 pretty consistently since then.
8. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) – 531,000 dollars per week
With his new contract, the Belgian midfielder is the joint-top earner in England and has the highest wage at a club that boasts many high earners. De Bruyne has been a terrific player for the Citizens and vital in their winning three league titles in his six years in Manchester.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 531,000 dollars per week
The Portuguese forward has dropped down this list with his summer transfer from Juventus, where his wage was more than double what he’ll earn at Old Trafford, but he is still the joint-top earner in the Premier League. Ronaldo is one of the most recognisable athletes on the planet and possibly the most popular footballer in the world, with his sponsorships and other interests worth in the region of 470m dollars per year.
6. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – 566,000 dollars per week
The lowest-paid of PSG‘s top three stars but still a top 10 earner worldwide, Mbappe is sure to remain on this list for at least the next decade, wherever he is playing his football.
5. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – 690,000 dollars per week
Despite the dent his reputation has suffered in recent years, Bale remains one of the highest-paid players in the game and sneaks into the top five courtesy of Ronaldo‘s move to Manchester United. The Welshman’s days on this list might be numbered, but the return of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid has given him a second chance that he appears to be grasping.
4. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) – 793,000 dollars per week
After the departure of Lionel Messi, Griezmann is Barcelona‘s only representative in the top 10. His hefty wage is a burden for the Catalan club with their struggles and, after a disappointing few years, he needs to start justifying his salary on the pitch this season.
3. Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) – 793,000 dollars per week
Perhaps a surprise in the top three, Suarez has been proving Atleti spent their money well and that he can still do it at the top level. After being allowed to leave by the Blaugrana, Suarez has excelled at Griezmann‘s former club, helping them win the LaLiga Santander title in his first season.
2. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – 836,000 dollars per week
