The best soccer players in the world make more than the top athlete in any other sport. Their salaries and endorsement deals eclipse the biggest names in basketball, American football or even boxing. Now, the best of the best are on display at the World Cup in Qatar. Here are the highest paid footballers in this week’s Five for Friday.
#5: Mohamed Salah
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah makes $35 million solely for his efforts on the field, while his sponsorship and endorsement deals bring in an additional $18 million per year, according to Forbes. A total annual pot of $53 million seems warranted for a player who has won three Golden Boots as the top scorer in the English Premier League. Salah has an endorsement deal with Vodafone Egypt and even starred in an advertisement with Rick and Morty for Adidas. His national team, Egypt, didn’t qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, but at 30 years old, he still has time to make another run.
#4: Neymar
Neymar is like Cher or Madonna, an international icon that goes by a single name. The Brazilian superstar was part of a record $263 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. Neymar’s on-field compensation is $55 million and he makes another $32 million in endorsements, according to Forbes. He left a big contract with Nike to be the face of Puma in 2020. Now he’s hoping to lead Brazil to its sixth World Cup trophy, but that’s contingent on coming back from a nasty ankle injury he suffered during the group stage.
#3: Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo makes more in endorsements than any other footballer at $60 million per year, in addition to his $40 million salary, according to Forbes. He could be in line for the biggest payday in football if reports are true of his intent to sign a $207 million per year deal with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr FC. That will likely have to wait since his national team, Portugal, is still in the hunt for a World Cup title. Ronaldo has sponsorships with Nike and Clear Shampoo, to name a few. He even has an airport in his home country named after him, but it was a humorous bust honoring him that stole all of the attention. Don’t worry, they rectified the situation (sort of).
#2: Lionel Messi
Like the debate over Michael Jordan and LeBron James, soccer fans have been debating whether Ronaldo or Lionel Messi meet the criteria of greatest of all time, or GOAT. While that spat may never be resolved, Messi edges out Ronaldo in pay for now. The Argentine forward makes $65 million per year with Paris Saint-Germain and another $55 million off the pitch, according to Forbes. As Messi enters the twilight of his storied career, there are rumors he could return to Barcelona or even come stateside and join Inter Miami. He isn’t expected to make a decision until after Argentina’s World Cup run.
#1: Kylian Mbappé
At 23 years old, Kylian Mbappé is the youngest player on the list and the only one to already score a World Cup title. Mbappé shares the pitch with Messi and Neymar at PSG, collecting $110 million per year in salary with $18 million in endorsements, according to Forbes. Mbappé is also on the Nike roster, an ambassador for Dior and has been on the cover of EA Sports FIFA for the last three years. The French national team is hoping to win its second consecutive World Cup, which would surely add more to his bottom line.