Top 10 biggest boot deals in football

Football players cut a huge deal for the pair of cleats they wear.

After guiding Paris Saint-Germain to their first-ever Champions League final, Neymar signed a record-breaking Puma shoe deal. In doing so, he left his competitors in his trial as he accepted a deal worth a record-breaking £23 million annually. But who else is wealthy while donning branded boots?In this article, we include the greatest shoe agreements in the industry together with the yearly salaries of the athletes.

10. Mohamed Salah/ Adidas - £2.5M

Particularly in Africa and the Middle East, the Liverpool attacker has emerged as one of the most recognizable players in the league. Together with significant sponsorship arrangements with companies like Pepsi and Vodafone in Egypt, he is sponsored by Adidas. Mo Salah is rewarded handsomely for donning the X18 football boots.

9. Marco Verratti/ Puma - £2.5M

When Marco Verratti's contract with Puma terminated in 2017, the PSG midfielder started practising with Puma evoTOUCH footwear that was blacked out. He ultimately inked a significant contract with Nike and laced on a pair of the Hypervenom Phantom IIIs. The length of the deal is unknown. But, £2.5 million is not a chump change.

8. Paul Pogba/ Adidas - £3M

The £3 million contract Juventus midfielder receives from Adidas is very reasonable. He not only appears in practically every television commercial the company produces, but he also appears on every poster promoting the most recent Predator boots. His £30 million, 10-year contract is not up until 2024. Another player who Nike was eager to sign was Pogba.

7. Antoinne Griezmann/ Puma - £3.5M

Antoine Griezmann increased the annual value of his boot contract with Puma to £3.5 million in 2015. He left Atletico Madrid for Barcelona during that time and rose to international fame; however, he has since returned to the Spanish capital. Griezmann's special boot, a limited-run Future 4.1 NETFIT Grizi priced at £229, was introduced in 2019 to commemorate his ten years with Puma. Before Neymar arrived, he was a star player for Puma.

6. Gareth Bale/ Adidas - £4M

Prior to leaving Real Madrid earlier this summer, the Welsh wizard, who retired recently, earned about £18 million annually from the club. He continues to hold exclusive sponsorship agreements with brands like Adidas, Lucozade, and EA Sports, to mention a few. But, Gareth Bale's most lucrative contract is with German sportswear companies, which pays him about £4 million annually. It is undoubtedly plenty to keep Bale using golf clubs.

5. Mario Balotelli/ Puma - £5M

2014 saw Mario Balotelli of Italy at the pinnacle of his career for AC Milan. He was an important member of Italy's national squad and its best chance for success. So, Puma swooped in with a 10-year deal for almost £5 million annually when his relationship with Nike terminated. The 31-year-old is at a crossroads in his career after joining Adana Demirspor in Turkey and is less marketable than he previously was.

4. Kylian Mbappe/ Adidas - £14M

Kylian Mbappe, the face of Nike in 2019, was the subject of a bidding battle between his present partners and Adidas. He signed a 10-year contract for almost £140 million, which is reportedly still in effect as long as he competes in a top league. According to reports, the PSG sensation was inspired to join Nike and emulate his idol, Ronaldo. Even at the young age of 23, he has the potential to push Neymar for the top spot.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo/ Nike - £15M

Ronaldo is Nike's prized asset and their highest-paid athlete. But, Neymar's deal is now £8 million larger than his. Ronaldo can take solace in the fact that his contract, which is allegedly worth £780 million over his lifetime, will pay out more than Neymar's. Only LeBron James and Michael Jordan have signed lifetime contracts with Nike, and Al-Nassr CR7 is the third athlete to do so.

2. Lionel Messi/ Adidas - £18M

Messi ranks second on the list of the greatest boot deals ever. Cristiano Ronaldo became the initial football player to become a billionaire. The Barcelona icon, who startled the world by moving to PSG in 2017, extended his boot agreement with Adidas in 2017 and now has a lifetime deal with the brand. He became the initial player to introduce the Adidas Messi, a sub-brand of Adidas boots. That might be just as profitable for the forward as the Air Jordan brand Nike built for Michael Jordan as time goes on and Messi finally hangs up his boots.

1. Neymar/ Puma - £23M

The mysterious Brazilian forward left Nike to sign with rival Puma, and as a result, he received the biggest individual sports sponsorship deal in history. Although the length of the contract is unknown, his 11-year pact with Nike was worth half as much as his new Puma contract. "I grew up watching films of great football icons like Pele, Cruyff, Eusebio, and Maradona, who each played in Puma," Neymar wrote on social media after the incident.