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Footballers make a lot of fortune from transfer contracts, endorsement deals, and more as players of the most famous sport on earth, which boasts a net worth of $600 billion as of 2023.
Today’s richest soccer players are all billionaires, all of those who play for elite leagues are wealthy. This showcases the game’s incredible wealth potential, with athletes living their dream lives.
Discover the highest-paid footballer in history and more facts about how much these soccer players get paid. Who could it be? Keep reading to find out.
Editor’s Choice
- Three soccer players dominate Forbes’ latest top-paid athletes.
- Cristiano Ronaldo becomes 2023’s highest-paid athlete in the world, with over $200 million in annual income package.
- The most expensive contract of all time is Lionel Messi’s renewal contract worth $674 million with FC Barcelona in 2017.
- Benzema joins Al Ittihad and is set to earn a whopping $321 million.
- Lionel Messi refused the biggest Saudi offer to date, worth over $1 billion, and joins Miami MLS this 2023.
- Mbappé is the only player under 30 with the 3rd highest salary in the sports world.
- Neymar‘s transfer from Barcelona to PSG is the most expensive transfer, worth €222 million.
Who is the Highest Paid Soccer Player?
As of 2023, Cristiano Ronaldo holds the title of the highest paid salary soccer player in the world. His two-and-a-half-year contract with Al-Nassr has propelled his earnings to extraordinary heights.
Here is a summary of the remarkable figures that underline Ronaldo’s financial prowess:
- Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr contract: $215 million until 2025.
- Basic salary: $75 million.
- Additional earnings from image rights and commercial deals.
- Potential earnings from Saudi Arabia’s 2023 World Cup bid: £1.2 billion ($1.44 billion).
This deal solidifies Cristiano Ronaldo’s position as the highest-paid soccer player in history, with other players on this list closely trailing in terms of contracts and net worth.
The upcoming sections will provide detailed statistics and insights on player salaries, contracts, and the broader economic impact of soccer trends.
Soccer Contract Statistics
To stay competitive, professional soccer team leagues invest extensively in acquiring and retaining high-end talents.
These leagues understand the significance of talented players in their success and are willing to make substantial financial commitments to secure their plays.
Each year, a new list emerges, revealing the highest-earning athletes. Now, it’s time to reveal the statistics surrounding soccer contracts, exploring the most lucrative player deals in the sport’s history.
1. Three soccer players top the list of most lucrative earners in sports worldwide.
(Forbes, Insideworldfootball)
Soccer superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé bagged over $120 million in their total earnings.
LeBron James, the basketball legend, is just a little behind regarding total earnings, with just a 0.5 difference at $119.5 million. Canelo Alvarez is next in line with $110 million in total revenue putting him in 5th place.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 highest-earning athletes:
| RANK | NAME | SPORTS | TOTAL EARNINGS | ON-THE-FIELD EARNINGS | OFF-THE-FIELD-EARNINGS |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | $136 M | $46 M | $90 M |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | $130 M | $65 M | $65 M |
| 3 | Kylian Mbappé | Soccer | $120 M | $100 M | $20 M |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | $119.5 M | $44.5 M | $75 M |
| 5 | Canelo Alvarez | Boxing | $110 M | $100 M | $10 M |
| 6 | Dustin Johnson | Golf | $107 M | $102 M | $5 M |
| 7 | Phil Mickelson | Golf | $106 M | $104 M | $2M |
| 8 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | $100.4 M | $48.4 | $52 M |
| 9 | Roger Federer | Tennis | $95.1 M | $0.1 M | $95 M |
| 10 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $89.1 M | $44.1 M | $45 M |
2. With $136 million of total earnings boosted by his Al Nassr contract, Ronaldo dominates the ranks for the highest-earning athletes across all sports in 2023.
(Forbes, CNN)
Cristiano Ronaldo, who has topped the Forbes list three times, showcases his great success as one of the most marketable athletes in the world.
A breakdown of Ronaldo’s earnings reveals that his off-field income of $90 million is relatively higher than his on-field earnings of $46 million.
This stark contrast highlights Ronaldo’s ability to leverage his brand and commercial ventures, solidifying his position as one of the most financially successful athletes in the world.
3. The official biggest soccer contract in history is Lionel Messi’s $674 million renewal contract back in 2017 to 2021 with FC Barcelona.
(Statista, Planetfootball)
Lionel Messi’s renewal contract with FC Barcelona from 2017 to 2021, worth an astounding $674 million, holds the title as the biggest soccer contract in history.
This deal not only solidified soccer as the most expensive sport but also showed the club’s financial mismanagement, leading to Messi’s departure from the team he had known throughout his career.
4. Messi’s 2-and-a-half-year Inter Miami contract is estimated to be between $125 million to $150 million.
(The Athletic, Sport, Talksport)
Lionel Messi’s contract with Inter Miami goes beyond his wage. It involves him receiving a share of the revenue from his sponsors, Apple and Adidas, making it a unique arrangement for the soccer legend.
The Spanish media outlet claimed his contract would be worth $54 million per season, guaranteeing Messi’s spot as the highest MLS earner.
5. Ronaldo’s staggering pay surpasses Messi’s by threefold.
(PulseSports, Sporting News)
The salaries of Messi and Ronaldo have been provided in a clear and comparative format, allowing for easy understanding. Please note that these figures are stated in British Pounds (GBP).
These figures are further broken down into monthly, weekly, daily, hourly, and even per-minute and per-second rates, revealing the significant disparity in earnings between the two football icons.
| Details | Messi (Per Year) | Ronaldo (Per Year) | Salary difference |
| Yearly | £47.7 million | £177 million | £70 million |
| Monthly | £3.36 million | £14.75 million | £11.39 million |
| Weekly | £918,369 | £3.4 million | £2.48 million |
| Daily | £131,196 | £484,931 | £353,735 |
| Hourly | £5,466 | £20,205 | £14,739 |
| Per minute | £91.11 | £336.75 | £245.64 |
| Per second | £1.52 | £5.61 | £4.09 |
6. Benzema joins a king contract set to earn $321 million if he keeps playing for the full contract term from 2023-2026.
(Si, DailyMail)
Following Ronaldo’s move to join the Middle Eastern Pro League, another Saudi Club (Al Ittihad) is spending big on household names like Fabrizio Romano Benzema.
This offer indicates that Benzema will be paid $107 million (€100 million) tax-free annually.
7. Messi declined the Saudi offer is worth over $1 billion.
(CBSsports, Sportingnews)
Saudi League makes another billion-dollar offer following the imminent closing of Messi’s PSG contract, which runs until the end of this month.
However, Messi officially signed a deal with Inter Miami MLS. This left soccer fans eager to learn what compelled him to sign and decline the massive Saudi offer.
Statistics of the Highest-Paid Soccer Players Per Country
Soccer players are currently among the world’s highest-paid athletes, famous for their hefty paychecks and handsome remuneration packages.
One might be curious about the highest-earning footballers from their own country. Here’s a quick rundown of the most notable top earners and leagues by country.
8. With total earnings of $85 million, Neymar Jr. is the highest-paid Brazilian footballer.
(Forbes, Sportmob)
Forbes places the Brazilian ace playing for PSG in fourth place among 2022’s highest-paid athletes. His net worth is estimated to be between $250 million to $260 million.
His income with PSG in 2022 amounted to $50 million for his on-field earnings. Neymar earned $35 million for his off-field endeavors as the face of big brands like Red Bull and Puma.
9. At just 24 years old, Mbappé is the highest-paid athlete in France, holding a 3rd spot in the sports world with $120 million in total earnings in 2022.
(Forbes)
Mbappé’s on-field profits from PSG totaled $100 million, and $20 million from sponsorships and other off-field revenue.
The French center forward confirmed this year that he would not renew his contract with PSG, and no new developments are being made regarding what team he’ll transfer to as his contract expires.
10. With a $35 million base salary, Mohamed Salah is Egypt’s top-paid African footballer.
(Forbes, Celebritynetworth)
Salah earned $53 million in 2022, earning $18 million in endorsements and other off-field activities.
This makes him among Forbes’ 50 highest-paid athletes globally, at #28. His current net worth is $90 million.
11. Son Heung-min from South Korea takes the cake as Asia’s highest-paid footballer with £140,000 weekly pay.
(Sportsnile, Futballnews, Sportsbrief)
Son is Tottenham’s 2nd highest earner and highest goal-scorer last year. He signed a $31.8 million contract to play for Tottenham Hotspur in 2015.
He then extended his contract from 2021 until 2025. His current annual playing salary is roughly $10 million annually and $175K per week.
12. With a weekly wage of £400,000, Kevin De Bruyne secures the title of the highest-paid player in England’s Premier League for 2023.
(Sportsbrief)
Known for his impressive shot power, precise passes, and goal-scoring abilities, De Bruyne showcased his skills by leading the Premier League in assists last season.
Regarded as one of the finest midfield maestros in Europe and the Premier League, De Bruyne’s exceptional performance on the field is duly rewarded with his lucrative salary.
Soccer Player Salary Trends.
Soccer players’ salaries have recently seen an upward trajectory, reshaping the sport’s financial landscape.
Discover the current trends and industry insights, from inflation rates of player prices and record-breaking transfers to COVID-19’s impact on the player’s earnings.
13. Player prices have risen 9% each year in the last ten years, from the 2013/14 season to the present.
(CIES)
The price of a million-dollar footballer in the past decade has climbed to $2.16 million, +166%.
Exceptionally high inflation rates per annum were seen in the following cases:
|
+12.2% |
|
+8.4% |
|
+12.5% |
|
+11.1% |
|
+12.7% |
Overall, in the five-season campaigns from 2013 to 2020, player prices climbed at an annual rate of 13.8%among dropping to 0.2% in three seasons right after the pandemic.
14. Brazilian footballer Neymar holds the record-breaking Є222 million transfer from Barcelona to PSG.
(Statista, Goal)
Regarded as the next greatest player after Ronaldo and Messi, Brazillian star Neymar Jr.’s transfer in August holds the most expensive transfers of 2023. Kylian Mbappé closely follows at Є180 million, and third in place is Ousmane Dembélé at Є140 million.
The chart shows the latest highest-priced soccer transfers in euros as of February.
(Source: Statista)
15. 2022/23 brings a more positive outlook thanks to an investment volume of €9.12 billion, the second-highest since 2019/20.
(Statista, Football-Observatory, Insideworldfootball)
The start of 2020 was difficult for sports professionals due to unforeseen industry challenges, severely impacting soccer player market rates.
However, the tides have turned, and the 2022/23 season signals a positive shift, evident in the record-breaking transfers made by Premier League teams during the winter window.
This trend confirms the ongoing recovery and growth within the soccer industry.
Wrapping Things Up
As the sport evolves, players’ salaries, influenced by league competitiveness, transfer, and endorsement deals, remain a topic of interest.
Despite the pandemic, recent seasons showed signs of recovery, a trend that might lead to pre-pandemic records. The future holds the promise of exciting developments in soccer, both on and off the field.
Frequently Ask Questions
Who is highest paid salary soccer player?
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the top paid soccer players salary following his contract with Al Nassr. His estimated total earnings are over $200 million per annum.
Who is the top soccer player in 2023?
According to Forbes’ top soccer salaries in the world, Ronaldo ranks the highest this 2023, followed by Mbappé and Messi, coming in third place.
Who has the highest soccer contract?
Lionel Messi had the highest soccer contract in history. His renewal contract with FC Barcelona amounted to $674 million way back in 2017.
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