In the exhilarating realm of professional football, where breathtaking goals and thrilling matches captivate millions, there exists a select group of athletes who have risen to the pinnacle of wealth and success. In this article, we delve into the lives of the Richest Footballers in the World, exploring the lucrative contracts, endorsement deals, and business ventures that have propelled them to the apex of financial prosperity. From awe-inspiring earnings to luxurious lifestyles, join us on an intriguing journey through the fortunes and fame of these global football icons, as we unveil the stories behind their remarkable rise to fortune.
Here are the top 20 richest footballers in the world today.
20. Sergio Ramos Net Worth – $85 Million
Sergio Ramos was crucial member of the Real Madrid team since 2005 after joining them from Sevilla. Starting out as a right back in the early years of his career then transitioning into a center back, his prowess as a defender is rivalled by few.
His contract with Real Madrid expired in 2021, where he was forced to join PSG on a free transfer. He is one of PSG’s highest earners – earning over £200,000 per week. His net worth in 2023 is estimated to be $80 million.
Sergio Ramos was crucial member of the Real Madrid team since 2005 after joining them from Sevilla. Starting out as a right back in the early years of his career then transitioning into a center back, his prowess as a defender is rivalled by few.
His contract
with Real Madrid expired in 2021, where he was forced to join PSG on a free
transfer. He is one of PSG’s highest earners – earning over £200,000 per week.
His net worth in 2023 is estimated to be $80 million.
19. Robert Lewandowski Net Worth – $85 Million
Robert Lewandowski moved from Borussia Dortmund to FC Bayern in 2014. He established himself as one of the most lethal strikers in recent times and has scored over 500 goals.
He was the best paid football player in Bundesliga. where he earned a weekly salary of £350,000 until 2022 when he joined Barcelona.
Lewandowski’s net worth in 2023 is approximately $85 million.
18. Mohamed Salah Net Worth – $90 Million
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Salah joined Liverpool in 2017 for a fee of £36.5 million, Salah penned a £90,000 per week salary deal spanning for 3 years. In 2022 he signed a contract extension to keep him at Anfield up to 2025 and earn £350,000 per week. He is also the best paid African footballer at the moment.
The contract extension made Salah one of the best paid football players in the premier league rubbing shoulders with the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin Debruyne, Jadon Sanco and Bukayo Saka who are the best earning players in EPL.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates Mo Salah net worth to be $90 million which is a surge from a mere $3 million at time of joining Liverpool.
17. Mesut Ozil Net Worth – $120 million
In early 2018, the player renewed his contract with Arsenal and boosted his pay, earning $23.7 million.
Additionally, he earns $6.5 million in endorsements and sponsorships. He boasts deals with Adidas, Mercedes Benz and Beats by Dre.
16. Andreas Iniesta Net Worth – $120 million
According to Forbes he was the 5th best paid player in the world 2019 taking home $32.5 million.
He currently plays for UAE Pro League side Emirates. After moving to Kobe, the player ended his long-running sponsorship with Nike and signed on with Asics and also endorses Mikakus.
He earns $2.5 million in sponsorships total. He also earns extra income from Bodega Iniesta, his winery in Albacete, Spain.
15. Eden Hazard Net Worth — $120 Million
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Eden Hazard earned £12.4 million ($16 million) per year at Chelsea and he was one of the best earning players at Real Madrid.
Hazard is currently considered as one of the best professional footballers in the world today.
14. Zinedine Zidane Net Worth - $120 Million
Zidane was renowned for his elite play making, impeccable technical skills, great vision and elegance.
The French man started his career at Cannes before evolving into one of the best players in Ligue 1 at Bordeaux.
In 1996 after a stellar season with Bordeaux he joined Serie A giants, Juventus. At Juve he established himself as one of the best players on the planet.
His spell with Juve came to an end in 2001 after Real Madrid paid a world record fee of £47 million to secure his signature.
The 3-times FIFA World player of the year was also an important figure during France's 1998 world cup win and Euro 2000 triumph.
Zidane's main sponsors are Adidas and Orange but he previously dealt with Christian Dior, Audi and Kanakia Group.
13. Paul Pogba Net Worth – $125 Million
The French man re-joined Juventus in the summer of 2022 after 6 years with Manchester united. His current weekly salary of £130,000 pales in comparison with £290,000 he earned at Old Trafford. According to Forbes, Pogba’s was the 5th highest paid footballer in 2018 making $29.5m.
But, like many athletes, his income is heavily boosted through commercial deals and endorsements. In 2016, Pogba sealed a 10-year sponsorship contract with Adidas worth £31m. Pogba also has endorsements with Pepsi, TCL and Call of Duty.
Paul Pogba Car Collection Includes Mercedes-Benz GLS, Audi RS6 Power R, Rolls Royce Wraith, Lamborghini Aventador, Bentley Flying Spur, Maserati Quattroporte, Chevrolet Camaro & Ferrari 812 Superfast.
As of today, Paul Pogba's net worth is believed to be around $125 million.
12. Thierry Henry Net Worth - $130 Million
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Thierry Henry is revered by many as the greatest player to ever grace the Premier League. The French forward scored 228 goals in 377 appearances for Arsenal.
He won the Premier Golden boot four times, two FA Cups and two Premier League Titles with the Gunners.
His record with France national was also outstanding. He scored 51 goals in 123 appearances for his country and was part of the France team won the 1998 World cup and Euro 2000.
Other teams he played for during his illustrious career include Monaco, Juventus, Barcelona and New York Red Bulls.
During his yesteryears in the Premier League, Henry was one of the best paid players in the Division.
His contract extension with Arsenal in 2006 for example saw his weekly wage rise to £112,000, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Barcelona's Ronaldinho, who was earning £111,000 at the time.
He had sponsorship deals with sportswear company Nike at the start of his career before joining Rebook in 2006 and Puma during the later stages. Other companies he endorsed include Renault, Konami, Pepsi, EA Sports, and Gillette.
11. Gareth Bale Net Worth — $145 Million
The Welshman won as many as four Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, and his outstanding appearances at the time earned him lucrative deals with sponsors and a big contract worth $33 million with the LaLiga Santander giants back in 2016.
He previously played for MLS outfit, LA FC, where he was their best paid player, earning $2.4 million annually.
It is approximated that Bale earned an extra $11m a year from sponsorship deals with Nissan, Konami, EA Sports, Foot Locker, BT Sport and Lucozade.
His current net worth is estimated to be $145 million.
10. Kylian Mbappe Net Worth – $150 Million
He is the second most expensive football player of all time behind PSG teammate Neymar.
Business magazine Forbes ranked Mbappe as the 4th best paid footballer of 2020 earning $42 Million – $28 million in salary and $14 million from endorsements.
Due to his rapidly expanding brand it’s hard to estimate Mbappe’s net worth but numerous sources speculate he is worth $150 million.
9. Wayne Rooney Net worth - $170 Million
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Wayne Rooney enjoyed a remarkable career ever since breaking onto the scene as a prodigious 16-year-old in 2002, going on to break records with Manchester United and England.
He was reportedly paid a basic wage of £250,000 a week at Manchester United that rose to £300,000, making him the best paid player in the Premier League at the time.
Rooney's boot sponsorship deal was with Nike and it was worth £1 million a year.
With an estimated net worth of up to $170million, the 38-year-old remains one of football's richest stars.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic Net Worth — $190 Million
He was brought up alongside his four siblings in a dangerous housing project in the center of Malmo. The Swedish striker believes his difficult upbringing shaped him into the self-confident and fearless person we know.
Today, Ibrahimović is one of the world's most famous footballers, having lined out for Barcelona, Inter, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in a lengthy career.
Zlatan was once ranked as one of world's best paid athletes during his tenure at PSG. He also makes big bucks from endorsement deals with Volvo cars, Nivea, Microsoft Xbox and Adidas.
Ibrahimović is also known for his elite taste in cars. In 2019, for his 38th birthday, he bought a rare Ferrari Monza SP2 for a staggering $2 million. He also owns Porsche Spyder worth $1 Million.
His net worth is reported to be in the region of $190 million, which has been acquired during a career spanning over two decades.
7. Dave Whelan Net worth - $210 Million
Dave Whelan has been a well-known figure in English football in the 21st century.
First featuring as a player before becoming an owner of Wigan Athletic several decades later, Whelan made an extremely successful transition from footballer to businessman.
Dave Whelan’s net worth is approximately $210 million. Whelan earned his riches by founding one of the UK's leading sports retail chains, JJB Sports.
6. Neymar Jr Net Worth — $220 Million
Neymar's 2017 transfer from Barcelona to PSG stands as the most expensive ever at $263 million.
At PSG, he's paid $36.5 million yearly, making him the 3rd best paid player at the club behind Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi. He makes around 95 million dollars annually from salary, winnings and endorsements.
In 2020, Neymar ended his long-term partnership with Nike and joined competitors Puma. His deal with Nike was due to run until 2022 and was worth US$105 million.
The former Barcelona man also counts Konami, Qatar Airways, Budweiser, Red Bull, Cadbury and Activision among his commercial partners.
Like many other soccer stars, the PSG forward likes to spend his fortune on cars. His multi-million-dollar car collection includes a $230,000 Ferrari 458 Italia and an Audi R8 Spyder worth $120,000.
The Brazilian has amassed immense fortune since breaking into the spotlight during his days at Santos. He has a reported net worth of $200 million.
5. Martin Braithwaite Net Worth – $250 Million
After making a surprising move to FC Barcelona in 2020 from Leganes, Martin Braithwaite is again surprisingly being ranked as one of the richest footballers today. This is thanks to his off-field investments, in real estate.
4. Ronaldo Nazário Net Worth - $300 Million
Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima is admired by many in football for his terrifying ability, but his charisma off the pitch helped him become an astute businessman.
The vastness of his earnings over the years came from football contracts and endorsement deals, but he has also made investments. As well as putting his money into a sports and entertainment agency, which represented clients such as Neymar and a number of superstar UFC fighters, including Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort and Junior dos Santos.
He also used his wealth to purchase a majority share in Spanish team Real Valladolid in 2018.
Ronaldo has been sponsored by sportswear company, Nike, since the early part of his football career. In the year 1996, Nike signed Ronaldo to a 10-year contract and to a lifetime endorsement deal worth over $180 million.
Ronaldo's net worth is estimated to be around $300 million, though figures vary, and it is difficult to pinpoint the exact number.
3. David Beckham Net worth - $450 Million
David Beckham is famed across the planet for his time as a professional footballer. His sporting career kicked off at Premier League giants Manchester United, followed by periods with Real Madrid, Milan, PSG and LA Galaxy.
He enjoyed huge salaries at each of the top clubs he played. His deal with the LA Galaxy, for example, was worth 250 million dollars across five years.
On top of his wages, Beckham also boasted profitable endorsement deals with Armani, Gillette, PepsiCo, and Adidas.
In 2018, Beckham launched the MLS expansion team Inter Miami. The team joined the MLS in 2020 and boasts an annual revenue of $22.4 million. He also co-owns Salford City in England's League Two.
Beckham struck a MEGADEAL with Qatar in 2021 to become the face of the 2022 World Cup, the 10-year deal will pocket Beckham $177 million.
Beckham's net worth is said to be in the region of 450 million dollars, which becomes less surprising given his reputation on and off the field.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo Net worth - $500 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Football legend and one of the most celebrated football players of all times. Remarkably, he is one of the wealthiest athletes in the world and has a net worth approximated to $500m and annual income of over $200m thanks to his recent transfer to Saudi Arabia side, Al Nasr.
The former Real Madrid man prime source of income is his endorsement deals with Altice, Tag Heuer, MTG, Nike, Herbalife, and Electronic Arts.
Apart from representing a number of brands, Ronaldo has created his own around the CR7 image. His business is focused on his underwear line but has expanded to include various other clothing, leisure and home products. Furthermore, Ronaldo owns a chain of hotels named Pestana CR7, in Portugal.
Away from football, Ronaldo is a fan of cars. He owns a remarkable car collection valued at $20 million. His collection consists of various luxury automobiles and high-performance super cars.
A Bugatti Centodieci worth over $8 million is the most expensive car in his garage. Ronaldo also owns a Bugatti Chiron, Bugatti Veyron, Rolls Royce Phantom Drop Head, Mercedes Brabus, McLaren Senna, and a Rolls Royce Cullinan.
1. Lionel Messi Net worth - $600 Million
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Lionel Messi recently cemented his status as the undisputed GOAT of football after finally taking home the much elusive hardware, the world cup.
The Argentine has enjoyed unrivalled success during a career that has lasted for two decades. He has won the Ballon d'Or seven times and he is poised to win it again after the world cup win in Qatar.
Today, Lionel Messi is one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet. His earnings from salary and endorsements amounted to $130 million in 2022.
His Inter Miami salary alone is worth $42 million per year, and has endorsements and sponsorships with Adidas, Lays, Pepsi, Huawei, Konami, Socios, Gatorade, Tata motors among others.
Messi likes to spend his money on expensive cars. He reportedly bought a 1957 Ferrari 335 Spider Scaglietti, labeled as the “world’s most expensive car”, for around US$37 million at auction.
He also owns a rare $2m Pagani Zonda, a Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale, Mercedes SLS AMG, Range Rover Sport, Ferrari 430 Spider, Range Rover Vogue, and Audi R8 Spyder.
His net worth is approximately $600 million.