Footballers’ salaries have been a source of fascination for decades, as the planet’s biggest stars continue to command eye-watering wages as their fame and profile rise.
As the game continues to expand globally, Europe’s superstar big hitters have seen their bank balances skyrocket, with annual records continually being broken.
The rivalry on and off the field between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has driven a significant part of this growth, with the pair still among the top earners in the game, despite approaching retirement.
However, Forbes’ 2022 list of the richest footballers on the planet shows the rise of the next generation of players, with Messi vs. Ronaldo certainly not going down the order.
That can certainly change. According to Marca, Ronaldo is set to join Al Nasser in January 2023 in Saudi Arabia on a deal worth €200 million ($211.4 million) per season, with a further €100m ($105.7m) remaining through a signing bonus. Such a deal would dwarf even the highest earners of the past 12 months.
10. Kevin De Bruyne
Name: Kevin De Bruyne
From: Belgium
Soccer Club: Manchester City
Annual Earnings: $25m/£21.8m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $4m/£3.5m
9. Andres Iniesta
Name: Andres Iniesta Lujan
From: Spain
Soccer Club: Vissel Kobe
Annual Earnings: $25m/£21.8m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $5m/£4.4m
8. EDEN HAZARD
Name: Eden Michael Hazard
From: Belgium
Soccer Club: Real Madrid
Annual Earnings: $27m/£23.5m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $4m/£3.5m
7. Robert Lewandowski
Name: Robert Lewandowski
From: Poland
Soccer Club: Barcelona
Annual Earnings: $27m/£23.5m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $8m/£7m
6. Erling Holland
Name: Erling Braut Haaland
From: Norway
Soccer Club: Manchester City
Annual Earnings: $35m/£30.5m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $4m/£3.5m
5. Mohamed Salah
Name: Mohammad Salah Hamed Mahras Ghali
From: Egypt
Soccer Club: Liverpool
Annual Earnings: $35m/£30.5m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $18m/£15.7m
4. Neymar JR.
Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Jr
From: Brazil
Soccer Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Annual Earnings: $55m/£48m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $32m/£27.9m
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
From: Portugal
Soccer Club: Free agent (formerly Manchester United)
Annual Earnings (at Manchester United): $40m/£35m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $60m/£52.3m
2. Lionel Messi
Name: Lionel Andres Messi
From: Argentina
Soccer Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Annual Earnings: $65m/£56.7m
Additional Earnings (off-field income) $55m/£48m
1. KYLIAN MBAPPE
Name: Kylian Mbappe Lottin
From: France
Soccer Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Annual Earnings: $110m/£96m
Additional Earnings (off-field earnings): $18m/£15.6m