The 10 highest paid footballer in the world for 2024

Football today is indeed a fierce money game. Football clubs are willing to spend lavishly to attract stars to their teams, especially in the Saudi Pro League. Players like Ronaldo, Benzema, or Kante come to the SPL with astronomical salaries. Not only that, they also receive significant bonuses based on their performance on the field as well as advertising contracts. Do you know who the highest paid footballer in the world are? Where do Ronaldo and Messi rank? Let’s find out together with Kingsoccertips admin.

Top 10 highest paid footballer in the world

1/ Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 Million) – Highest paid footballer

The Portuguese star has been persuaded by the wealthy elites of Saudi Arabia since he left Manchester United. With his central role in the development project of Saudi Arabian football and being the player to kick-start the wave of superstars joining the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo has been “rewarded” deservedly in financial terms.

CR7 is the highest-paid player in the world this year

Ronaldo has helped promote Saudi Arabia through sports activities. The player, who has won the Ballon d’Or five times, continues to earn a lot of money through Instagram posts, as well as advertising for Herbalife. In addition to the $ 200 million earned from playing, CR7’s income from commercial contracts is about $ 60 million.

2/ Lionel Messi ($135 Million)

The World Cup winner is the only player on the list to earn more off the pitch. Messi’s mania has arrived in Florida and David Beckham knows all too well how the Argentine will attract audiences in the US, after bringing him to Inter Miami to promote MLS development.

Leo Messi is behind Ronaldo in the Top 10 highest paid players

Messi admits he has moved to an “inferior league” but from a financial and status perspective it was a smart decision by M10. The Athletic (UK) reported that by signing with Inter Miami, Messi will receive revenue shares from Apple and Adidas. Messi also pocketed large sums of money from Apple TV, which released a documentary about Messi as soon as he arrived at Inter Miami.

3/ Neymar ($112 Million) – Highest paid footballer

PSG used to pay very high salaries for Neymar but the Brazilian superstar did not have a full career at the Ligue 1 champions. Many thought that Neymar left Europe too early, wasting his talent, but Neymar chose to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps and he now plays for Al Hilal.

In 2023, Neymar earns $ 80 million from contracts with PSG and Al Hilal

Neymar is out of action for the rest of the season but Al Hilal are leading the Saudi Pro League standings. Off the pitch, Neymar collaborated with Puma, Konami and Red Bull. More recently, the Brazilian striker announced a partnership with… Portugal’s Team Campline horse breeding farm.

4/ Kylian Mbappe ($110 Million) – Highest paid footballer

The striker born in 1998 is the youngest in the top 5 highest earning players in the world. PSG paid Mbappe $90 million. Off the field, he earned $20 million. The 25-year-old star decided to leave PSG after this season and his income will surely increase significantly when he signs for his new club – most likely Real Madrid.

Kylian is the most sought-after star at the moment

K. Mbappe has received a huge bonus when he signed a contract to stay at PSG until this summer. Mbappe’s power has also increased as PSG have insisted he is at the forefront of the club’s new project. Mbappe remains the most powerful name in French sport.

5/ Karim Benzema ($106 Million)

It was a shock that the French striker decided to leave Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia, but Benzema is one of many superstars who cannot resist the attraction of the Saudi Pro League. Benzema currently plays for Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad. However, Benzema has not lived up to expectations and there are reports that he is no longer interested in staying at Al Ittihad.

Benzema has scored 12 goals in 20 appearances for the Saudi Arabian side

In June last year, Benzema said of his decision to leave Europe for Asia to play: “That’s where I want to be, because it’s important for me to be in a Muslim country where I feel like everyone is like me. It will allow me to have a new life and I can’t wait to live there.”

6/ Erling Haaland ($58 Million) – Highest paid footballer

Haaland has clinched a treble in his debut season with Manchester City, breaking numerous goal-scoring records, and his salary reflects that excellence. Haaland, along with Mbappe, is considered one of the hottest superstars in the football world, but he earns significantly less than the PSG player.

The Man City striker finishes second in The Best 2023 poll

Manchester City is ready to negotiate a new deal with the desire to retain Haaland’s services for a long time. Off the pitch, Haaland’s reputation is soaring. The Norwegian player has a lucrative contract with Nike and appears on the cover of the EA Sports FC 2024 video game.

7/ Mohamed Salah ($53 Million)

Wealthy Saudi clubs were willing to pay huge sums of money to buy Mo Salah from Liverpool last summer. In the end, Salah remained at The Kop this season, but Salah’s move to the Middle East could happen in the coming years. Salah is an iconic Muslim player. His contract with Adidas is bringing him a sizable sum of money.

Salah is an irreplaceable star at Anfield

Mo Salah appeared in magazines such as GQ and Time, in which they listed Salah as one of the world’s most influential people. The Egyptian star’s 2023 earnings are around $53 million. That’s not to mention the revenues from advertising and TV rights.

8/ Sadio Mane ($52 Million) – Highest paid footballer

Mane left Bayern Munich and went to Al Nassr to pair up with Ronaldo. Mane only earns about 1/5 of Ronaldo’s salary, but that’s still enough to make him one of the highest earners in the world in 2023. Two years ago, Mane also signed a contract extension with New Balance.

The Senegalese star is iconic in his country. Mane is famous for his charity work, pouring huge amounts of money into improving infrastructure in his native Senegal. He was Ronaldo’s teammate at Al Nassr. Mane’s income ($ 52 million), quite high compared to the general level but far behind the Portuguese superstar.

9/ Kevin De Bruyne ($39 Million)

As the best team in the Premier League in recent years, City have paid decent wages for Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliance. Off the pitch, De Bruyne is not a big name attracting brands. As a result, the majority of De Bruyne’s income comes from his base salary at City.

The conductor of Man City and Belgium - K. de Bruyne — The conductor of Man City and Belgium – K. de Bruyne

In March last year, De Bruyne signed a contract with McDonald’s. $39 million is how much Kevin De Bruyne earns in 2023. He has just returned from a long injury and immediately showed his level of form. The Citizens may find it difficult to find a replacement for De Bruyne.

10/ Harry Kane ($36 Million) – Highest paid footballer

After a lot of fuss and gossip, Kane decided to leave his beloved Tottenham in search of trophies when he joined Bayern Munich last summer. As one of the best strikers in the world right now, Kane is paid a commensurate salary by the German club. Kane has signed a 4-year contract with Bayern Munich, which will make him one of the highest earning players in the Bundesliga.

H. Kane is in the race with Bayern for the title

Harry Kane proved to be worth the money Bayern Munich invested in him by scoring so many goals. Off the pitch, Kane signed a multi-year partnership with the Fanatics, becoming the first British athlete to collaborate exclusively with the Fanatics.

Conclude

Here is the ranking and statistics of the top 10 highest paid footballer in the world in 2024. It’s not surprising that the names listed are all highly successful in their careers. Receiving massive salaries is not unexpected for them. However, it comes with tremendous pressure and intense work and training schedules. So, always support and accompany your favorite team and players.