The 10 highest-paid footballers in 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi once again top the list
Money in football has always been a controversial subject. Footballer salaries are higher than ever right now, with the sport watched around the world, TV rights skyrocketing, and the Saudi Pro League throwing cash at the sport with reckless abandon. It’s often hard to pinpoint exactly how much footballers are being paid because contracts come in all shapes and sizes and include various bonuses, revenue shares and clauses.
The English top-flight (Premier League) may be the most lucrative on the planet, but clubs from across the world can boast some of the highest-paid footballers. Here we take a closer look at the ten players who are the highest-paid footballers in 2024 (data via Forbes):
10. Kevin De Bruyne – $39M
Age: 33 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Belgium | On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $4 million
Pep Guardiola, hailed Kevin De Bruyne as one of the greatest players of Manchester City. That lofty status is evident based on his healthy salary, but the Belgian could have ranked even more if he had accepted the offers he received from Saudi Arabia over the summer. Off the pitch, De Bruyne works with a half-dozen brands, including Nike and McDonalds.
9. Sadio Mane – $52M
Age: 32 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Senegal | On-Field: $48 million • Off-Field: $4 million
Mane joined Liverpool from Southampton FC and then helped the Reds to win many trophies and became a fan favourite. After that, he joined the Bundesliga side Bayern Munich but he was not able to perform as per expectations.
After that, he moved to Al Nassr, in Saudi Arabia and is playing alongside the Portuguese superstar Ronaldo. Beyond the eight-digit salary, Sadio Mane cited the cultural benefits of moving to Saudi Arabia. For years, Mane has been using his multimillion-dollar salary to effect change in his native Senegal.
8. Mohamed Salah – $53M
Age: 32 | Club: Liverpool | Nationality: Egypt | On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $18 million
Mohamed Salah‘s status as the best-paid Liverpool player of all time underpins his healthy bank balance, which is boosted further by a slew of lucrative sponsorship deals. The goalscorer has been the face of the club for years now. His power extends from the Premier League to North Africa and the Middle East, making him a hot commodity for brands operating in that region. he has worked with Vodafone, Mountain View Egypt and Adidas, to name a few.
7. Vinicius Jr – $55M
Age: 24 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: Brazil | On-Field: $40 million • Off-Field: $15 million
Vinicius, the only newcomer on this year’s earning list has been with Real Madrid since he was 18 years old. A few years ago he was one of the club’s lowest-paid players. But after his recent performance with the Los Blancos, his value has grown a lot. Real Madrid have rectified its economic value. The Brazilian has 11 brand deals, including Sony’s PlayStation, Pepsi and Clear Shampoo.
6. Erling Haaland – $60M
Age: 24 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Norway | On-Field: $46 million • Off-Field: $14 million
He is probably the best striker in the Premier League and has helped his team to win many trophies in England’s top flight. Manchester City were one of the several clubs willing to trigger the buyout clause in Haaland Borussia Dortmund’s contract, but offered the most attractive financial package, making him the best-paid player in the Premier League. His popularity within the brands is huge and in the near future, it can grow even more.
5. Kylian Mbappe – $90M
Age: 25 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: France | On-Field: $70 million • Off-Field: $20 million
The captain of the French National team certainly deserves his place towards the top of this list thanks to his dazzling displays. Kylian Mbappe left PSG for Real Madrid this summer, however, he had to take a major pay cut to complete the move. He is also keeping a large percentage of his image rights. His departure has been felt all across French football. After his move to Los Blancos, his value has already increased and in future, it will rise a lot more.
4. Karim Benzema – $104M
Age: 36 | Club: Al Ittihad | Nationality: France | On-Field: $100 million • Off-Field: $4 million
Karim Benzema brought the curtain down on his hugely successful spell at Real Madrid by leaving the Bernabeu upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2022-23 season. The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner then stunned the footballing world by putting pen to paper on a two-year contract with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ittihad. Even though he has had some trouble adapting to the league, he is expected to perform well this season.
3. Neymar – $110M
Age: 32 | Club: Al Hilal | Nationality: Brazil | On-Field: $80 million • Off-Field: $30 million
Neymar‘s tenure in Saudi Arabia has hardly gone according to the plan. The Brazilian got injured very early last season and has been out since then. He is expected to be back on the field in late October. Neymar enjoys a host of benefits from his Saudi employers, including a fleet of supercars, a private jet, and a mansion with its own swimming pool. He has partnered with Puma, Blaze Casino and many more top companies.
2. Lionel Messi – $135M
Age: 37 | Club: Inter Miami | Nationality: Argentina | On-Field: $60 million • Off-Field: $75 million
The little man from Rosario shunned a switch to Saudi Arabia and an emotional return to Barcelona in order to join David Beckham’s Inter Miami on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired. The World Cup winner is in the final years of his career but he has had a major impact on the MLS outfit’s fortune. Messi boasts an impressive portfolio of partners off the field, including Adidas, Apple TV and Konami.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $285M
Age: 39 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Portugal | On-Field: $220 million • Off-Field: $65 million
One of the greatest players in the history of the game attracted plenty of criticism for moving to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League after a mutual termination of his contract at Manchester United in 2022. Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most popular athletes on the planet. he recently opened his own YouTube channel in August.
He needed only 90 minutes to cross the one million subscriber mark, shattering the platform’s record. Ronaldo’s most traditional partnerships include Nike, Herbalife and Whoop. He also has his CR-branded hotels, fragrances and underwear. All of these business endeavours and his contact with Al Nassr helps him to get so much money.
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