Football is the most popular sport worldwide. It is a multibillion-dollar industry, and players who thrive at the highest levels are paid well.
Top football players are among the world’s wealthiest people, thanks to their massive incomes, which have been fueled by their big fan base, lucrative sponsorship deals, and huge contracts.
Factors outside of this beautiful game might contribute to each player’s total net worth. Some agencies have worked tirelessly to acquire the best deals for their clients, but the top players frequently receive the best offers in this regard. With that said, let’s look at 10 richest football players in the world.
Also Read: 5 Legendary Players Who Represented Both Bayern Munich and Inter Milan
Top 10 Highest Paid Soccer Players In The World (2024):
1. Faiq Bolkiah
Net Worth: £16 billion
Many would be unfamiliar with the name Faiq Bolkiah, who is widely regarded as the world’s richest football player with a net worth of $20 billion, thanks in large part to his royal ancestry. It’s not even close to the top players, including Messi and Ronaldo, but the American-born winger’s fortune stems from his wealthy background.
Bolkiah, hailing from Brunei, represents both the Brunei national team and Chonburi FC in Thailand as a winger. He is the Prince of the Kingdom of Brunei because his uncle is the Sultan of Brunei; basically, he comes from an exceptionally wealthy royal family, and his net worth is extraordinarily high due to his familial wealth and royal background, as evidenced by his weekly football earnings of $1,000. Faiq Bolkiah now plays as a midfielder for the Portuguese team Maritimo.
2. Lionel Messi
Net Worth: £516 million
Lionel Messi secures the second spot comfortably, leaving his closest rivals behind. As the greatest player of all time, he naturally enjoys the financial benefits of being an elite athlete, second only to Bolkiah.
Spending over two decades with one of the world’s most powerful clubs, Barcelona, before joining one of the richest, Paris Saint-Germain, it’s not surprising that the Argentine has made an incredible fortune over his career. Other sources of revenue are included in the eye-watering £516 million amount, including his significant Spotify endorsement as part of the lucrative contract he signed with Inter Miami in 2023.
Messi’s remarkable career includes seven Ballon d’Or awards, a record, and six European Golden Shoes.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Net Worth: £476 million
Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese football star, captains Portugal and plays forward for AI Nassar in Saudi Arabia. He holds the European record for most Ballon d’Or wins with five. Ronaldo is the all-time top international goal scorer and a football legend who is often compared to Lionel Messi.
Ronaldo’s reported net worth is lower than that of his long-term opponent on the pitch. Nonetheless, his £500 million total is massive, over double that of the fourth-placed person on the list. Many sponsors have supported the Portuguese superstar during his career, and he is currently the highest-paid player in the world.
The 39-year-old signed a lucrative contract with Al-Nassr in the newly formed Saudi Pro League in January 2023, which is the reason for his massive net worth. His name alone is quite valuable, thus his £173 million annual pay isn’t as crazy as it seems.
4. Neymar Jr.
Net Worth: £198 million
Neymar Jr. is a Brazilian football forward who represents PSG and the Brazil national team. He is regarded as the best Brazilian football player of all time by his teammates and fellow citizens. His main accomplishments in his career include two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey trophies, and the UEFA Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona. His friendship with Lionel Messi has long been a highlight for football fans, as both play for PSG and have a special bond.
His role was crucial in helping Brazil win the Olympic gold medal in 2016 and the Copa América in 2019.
The 32-year-old is a well-known figure outside of football, having secured numerous endorsement deals over his career.
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5. Kylian Mbappé
Net Worth: £143 million
Kylian Mbappé is a gifted young footballer from France who plays forward for Paris Saint-Germain and the French national team. His pace and goal-scoring ability as an attacker make him a formidable opponent. He has won many noteworthy honours in his early career, including four Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France titles, and two Coupe de la Ligue titles with PSG. He’s also won the Golden Boot award. His friendship with fellow footballer Achraf Hakimi, as well as his rivalry with Messi on the field, were the highlights of the 2022 World Cup, which was heavily hyped by fans.
Being so high on the list at the age of 25 shows the superstar status that the 2018 World Cup winner has achieved in the first half of his football career. He collaborates with well-known businesses such as Nike and has appeared on the front cover of multiple FIFA game covers. This, combined with his extremely expensive football pay, makes Mbappe one of only five players on this list who have earned more than £100 million.
6. Paul Pogba
Net Worth: £99 million
Paul Pogba may have become a largely forgotten figure during his football suspension, but the Juventus star was once one of the most marketable players in the world. When the midfielder returned to Manchester United in 2016, brands were desperate to work with him. Endorsements with Adidas, Pepsi, and his own fashion business have helped Pogba’s bank account grow significantly his status as one of the richest football players in the world.
That transfer made Pogba the most expensive Premier League signing of all time, but it rapidly became a disaster. While he did not perform up to expectations on the field, the 30-year-old’s money account has stayed severely low ever since. His standing has dropped in the game since his disappointing tenure-track at Old Trafford went south, but he is still doing exceptionally well for himself.
7. Antoine Griezmann
Net Worth: £71 million
Antoine Griezmann has been a fantastic player for nearly a decade, and it appears that the Atletico Madrid star is now receiving the credit he deserves as one of the world’s top forwards.
Griezmann was one of the poster boys for France’s Euro 2016 campaign. The host nation lost short in the final, but the attacker’s stock rose from there. A disastrous period at Barcelona obscured his impressive career, but his return to Atletico has helped him reclaim his status as a fantastic player. The transfer to Camp Nou may have been ill-advised in terms of football, but it has had no negative impact on his net worth.
The Atletico Madrid star’s status has risen following a big-money move to Barcelona, and he is expected to be one of the highest-paid players in 2024.
8. Mohamed Salah
Net Worth: £71 million
The English Premier League is one of the world’s most expensive football leagues, with players earning astounding salaries, particularly at the elite clubs.
In 2023, rumours circulated about a possible mega-money transfer to Saudi Arabia, which could have seen the 31-year-old’s salary skyrocket even higher than his deal at Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool in July 2022, becoming the club’s highest-paid player with a weekly salary of approximately USD 423,000.
Salah is also a prominent Adidas brand ambassador. His global prominence, particularly in the Arab world and Africa, as well as his good image as a unifying force, have influenced corporates to sign him up for brand endorsements. Forbes expects that he will make USD 18 million off the field.
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9. Robert Lewandowski
Net Worth: £67 million
When Robert Lewandowski left Bayern Munich for Barcelona in 2022, he went from being the top star in the Bundesliga to one of the biggest in La Liga, a league brimming with superstars.
At 35 years old, Lewandowski has had a long and brilliant career, and his longevity to this point may play a significant influence in his $35 million fortune firmly establishing himself as one of the richest football players in the world. Nike, Huawei, and Procter & Gamble (an American manufacturing corporation) are among his most important endorsements.
10. David de Gea
Net Worth: £60 million
David De Gea, despite not having a club, ranks in the top ten with a net worth of £60 million. The Spanish custodian has been a free agent since his contract with Manchester United ended at the end of the 2022/23 season. Many rumours have circulated about the shot-stopper’s return, but he has yet to sign a contract with a new club.
He is one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, with probably only Manuel Neuer claiming to be better, and he is the only number one to make the top 16 rich list. De Gea’s return would most certainly come with an enormous pay, which would just add to his already substantial bank balance.
Conclusion:
Football has evolved into more than just a sport; it is now a multimillion-dollar industry with attractive investment opportunities for brands and business owners. Football is also more profitable thanks to its global popularity. All of this has resulted in football players becoming extremely wealthy, particularly at the top. Footballers earn money not only from their salary and bonuses, but also from brand sponsorships, investment partnerships, and other sources. According to a 2023 study, Faiq Bolkiah is the world’s richest football player, with a net worth of $20 billion, followed by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and other top-performing players. Their net worth puts them on par with the world’s top industrials and places them among the ultra-wealthy elites, with the majority of the planet’s resources at their fingertips.
Also Read: 10 Richest Football Clubs In The World In 2024
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Who is the richest footballer in the world?
Faiq Bolkiah is the richest football player with a net worth of $20 billion, largely due to his family’s considerable inheritance.
Who is the second richest footballer in the world?
Lionel Messi is an Argentine football legend who plays forward for Paris-Saint-Germain and heads the Argentina national team. His $600 million net worth makes him the world’s second richest footballer.
Who are The Top 10 Richest Footballers of all time?
The top 10 richest footballers in the world are: Faiq Bolkiah, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Dave Whelan , Neymar Jr., Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kylian Mbappe , Wayne Rooney & Ronaldo Luís Nazário.
Who is the richest between Ronaldo and Messi?
Ronaldo’s massive social media following, Nike CR7 brand, and endorsement partnerships with companies such as Tag Heuer, EA Sports, and Sacoor Brothers have contributed to his estimated $450 million fortune. Messi, on the other hand, is valued almost $400 million less than his former rival.
