Top 10 richest football players in the world

Football is a wealthy sport and there are a few well-known individuals who have amassed a decent amount in their careers.

Football is a global phenomenon and making it big in the game comes with a lot of perks and money. The players are paid handsomely due to the short life-span of their careers. The biggest stars are paid out worldly for their exceptional talents, often making them one of the richest football players in the world.

However, their net-worth is further increased after signing lucrative deals with sponsors and investing their wealth smartly.

The list of the richest football players in the world has some very obvious names but it is interesting to see how these players have managed to amass such massive wealth in their careers.

10. Paul Pogba – $85m

The Manchester United star is second amongst the highest-paid players in the team, earning up to £290k every week. 

The French international also won the FIFA 2018 World Cup in Russia with Les Bleus and has a lucrative deal with Adidas, Pepsi as well among others.

9. Eden Hazard – $100m

Belgian national team captain and currently playing for Real Madrid after securing a lucrative move from Chelsea FC, Eden Hazard is considered to be one of the best players in Europe at the moment.

He takes home £400k every week on top of having sponsorship deals with Nike and Electronic Arts.

8. Andres Iniesta – $120m

The legendary former Barcelona player currently plies his trade in Japan for Vissel Kobe, taking home $576,923 every week. He is one of the most decorated players in Spain’s history, having won both the UEFA Champions League with FC Barcelona and the FIFA World Cup in 2010 with Spain.

Iniesta also owns his own winery, Minuto 116 (the minute when he scored the winning goal at the FIFA World Cup in 2010) and also has an endorsement deal with Asics.

7. Gareth Bale – $125m

The Welsh international and Real Madrid CF player was bought from Tottenham Hotspurs for a world-record sum of £85m. He takes home a hefty £350k per week.

Valued at £125 million, Bale has various endorsement deals with Adidas, Nissan, Konami and more. He is also on the radar of various football clubs in the Chinese Super League as well.

6. Wayne Rooney – $160m

The legendary England striker and former Manchester United player, Wayne Rooney has made an iconic comeback to English football after signing for Derby County in the EFL Championship. Rooney has won almost every accolade in his club career with United, including five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League triumph.

Amongst his long list of endorsements are Samsung, Coca Cola, EA Sports and Nike which makes him of the richest football players in the world.

5. Neymar Jr. – $185m

Neymar Jr. was involved in the most expensive transfer of all time worth €222m when he was signed by Paris-Saint Germain from FC Barcelona. He receives a mind-boggling €707k every week from the Ligue 1 giants for his services.

He has a long list of sponsorships as well, due to a global image that he carries. Some of the well-known brands he is associated with are Nike, Electronic Arts and Gillette. 

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – $190m

Zlatan Ibrahimovic defies age, and at 38, still had the capability and confidence of making the transition from MLS to the Serie A, where he joined AC Milan. The Swede has changed clubs 11 times in his career, excelling at every stage.

He is handsomely paid and has a long list of sponsorships including deals with Nike and Microsoft Xbox. 

3. Lionel Messi – $400m

One of the best footballers to have ever graced the sport, Lionel Messi has won it all at club level with FC Barcelona and is one of the most decorated footballers around. He earns around €565k per week by the club for his exceptional services.

Another player with a long list of endorsements, some of the well-known brands Messi is associated with are Adidas, Pepsi, Huawei and MasterCard.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo – $450m

Cristiano Ronaldo is up there with Messi as one of the best and most gifted footballers in the world. He has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid and is now plying his trade at Juventus FC. The Portuguese skipper has won accolades at both club level and international levels, namely the UEFA Champions League (x5) and UEFA Euro 2016 among others. 

Ronaldo is famous for his modelling endeavours outside of football and has lucrative endorsements with brands such as Nike, Electronic Arts and more.

1. Faiq Bolkiah – $20b

Faiq Bolkiah, a name that not many might have come across is actually the richest footballer in the world when it comes to net-worth.

Although Bolkiah plays for Leicester City’s developmental side, earning a meagre $1000 every week, he is the son of the Prince of Brunei, Jefri Bolkiah and his net worth is a massive $20b.

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