You just have to look at how big the worldwide TV rights deals are to realise how lucrative football is as an industry.
The figures often soar past the billion dollar mark, which in turn means that many clubs around the world rake in huge sums of money every year. These vast sums of money often filter down through them and into the salaries of the players. Some of whom earn more, it seems, than the entire GDP of certain small countries!
But which footballers earn the most?
In October last year, Forbes published its annual list of the world’s highest-paid footballers. The list is determined by the total sum of money each athlete earns, both on the pitch and through their brand and endorsement deals.
The figures are published in US dollars. Here are the top players who earned the most for the recently finished 2022-23 season.
10. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Overall earnings: $29 million
Salary: $25 million
Endorsements: $4 million
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best midfielders in the world game right now. So, the fact that he only features 10th on this list might be seen as a travesty by some.
Born in Belgium, he started his professional career at Genk before moving to Chelsea in 2012. He also played for VfL Wolfsburg in Germany before joining Manchester City in 2015.
De Bruyne is known for his exceptional passing ability, vision, and technical skills. He possesses great awareness on the field, which allows him to deliver pinpoint passes and create scoring opportunities for his teammates. His ability to control the tempo of the game and his remarkable range of passing makes him a crucial playmaker for both club and country.
Regarded by many as a ‘complete’ footballer, he can also play upfront in a supporting role to the main striker and can chip in with a number of assists and his fair share of goals too. His powerful long-range shots and ability to score from set pieces have made him a consistent threat in front of goal.
De Bruyne’s contributions to Manchester City have been instrumental in the team’s success, helping them win numerous domestic titles, including multiple Premier League championships and the FA Cups. He has earned several individual accolades, including the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the UEFA Midfielder of the Season award.
9. Andres Iniesta – Vissel Kobe
Overall earnings: $30 million
Salary: $25 million
Endorsements: $5 million
Andrés Iniesta is an incredible footballer whose legacy on the beautiful game will last long after he has retired – which, despite currently being 39 years old, doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon!
Considered one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, he has spent most of his 22-year professional career at Barcelona. His contributions there have been immense, helping the club win 32 domestic and international titles, including multiple UEFA Champions League trophies and La Liga championships. He also formed a formidable midfield partnership with Xavi Hernández, with the duo being instrumental in Barcelona’s possession-based style of play known as ‘tiki-taka’
Arguably the highlight of his career came in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final when he scored the winning goal for Spain. The goal secured Spain’s first-ever World Cup title and cemented Iniesta’s legacy as one of the all-time greats of Spanish football.
Overall, Iniesta’s playing style is characterised by his exceptional ball control, vision, and technical skills. He has incredible dribbling ability, allowing him to navigate through tight spaces and easily evade defenders. He also is renowned for his ability to deliver defence-splitting passes.
8. Eden Hazard – Real Madrid
Overall earnings: $31 million
Salary: $27 million
Endorsements: $4 million
Eden Hazard is another Belgian to feature on this list.
Known for his exceptional dribbling skills, creativity, and ability to influence matches, he began his professional career at Lille in France before making a high-profile move to Chelsea in 2012. He currently plays for Real Madrid, whom he joined in 2019.
Hazard has a low centre of gravity, quick feet, and close ball control, enabling him to manoeuvre past defenders easily. His dribbling skills, vision, and passing ability make him a constant threat in the final third of the pitch.
Hazard has displayed a penchant for scoring crucial goals and providing assists throughout his career. He is known for his ability to make decisive contributions in important moments, helping his teams win several domestic and international titles. These include two Premier League titles at Chelsea and one Champions League, one European Super Cup, two La Liga titles and two Spanish Super Cups at Real Madrid.
7. Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona
Overall earnings: $35 million
Salary: $27 million
Endorsements: $8 million
Robert Lewandowski is a Polish striker that is right up there with the world’s best right now.
His prolific goal-scoring ability, exceptional technique, and versatility on the pitch strike fear into his opponents. Lewandowski’s goal-scoring record is truly remarkable, thanks to his deadly combination of clinical finishing, intelligent movement, and aerial prowess. He consistently finds the back of the net with unnerving precision and can score goals from various positions on the pitch. Among his goalscoring records are the most scored in a Bundesliga season and Poland’s all-time goal-scorer.
Beyond his goal-scoring prowess, Lewandowski is also known for his excellent hold-up and link-up play and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates.
Beginning his professional career in Poland with Delta Warsaw, he made a move to Borussia Dortmund in 2010. After 4 impressive years which he scored 74 goals for the club, he joined Bayern Munich, where 238 goals in 253 games have solidified his status as one of the greatest strikers of his generation.
Now at Barcelona, Lewandowski’s performances have earned him numerous individual awards and accolades, including FIFA’s Best Men’s Player award and the European Golden Shoe.
6. Erling Haaland – Manchester City
Overall earnings: $39 million
Salary: $35 million
Endorsements: $4 million
Erling Haaland is arguably the hottest property in world football right now.
Son of the Leeds legend Alf-Inge Haaland, the Norwegian has enjoyed a phenomenal first season at Manchester City. He has scored 36 goals in 35 games, in the process helping them win the Premier League and FA Cup. He could also win the Champions League Final if they beat Inter Milan.
The forward possesses exceptional physical attributes, speed, and a natural goal-scoring instinct. He also has a keen sense of positioning and impressive athleticism.
Haaland began his professional career at Molde FK in Norway before making a move to Red Bull Salzburg in 2019. At Salzburg, he gained widespread recognition, scoring 17 goals in only 16 appearances and catching the attention of top European clubs. In 2020, he joined Borussia Dortmund, where he continued his goal-scoring exploits, netting 62 times in 67 games.
Still only 22 years old, Haaland’s potential is mindblowing. He has already broken numerous records, including becoming the youngest player to score ten goals in a single UEFA Champions League campaign. Who knows what else he will achieve?
5. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool
Overall earnings: $53 million
Salary: $35 million
Endorsements: $18 million
Coming in at number five is Mohamed Salah. A striker of exceptional pedigree, Salah has remarkable speed, technical ability, and goal-scoring prowess.
Salah’s journey to stardom began in Egypt before he made his mark in Europe with clubs like Basel, Chelsea, Roma, and Liverpool. It was at Liverpool where he truly flourished and achieved extraordinary success. Salah’s blistering pace, exceptional dribbling skills, and clinical finishing have made him a nightmare for defenders.
His standout season came in 2017-2018 when he set a new record for the most goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season. He has also been a key player in Liverpool’s triumphs in the UEFA Champions League, Premier League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
In addition to his goal-scoring prowess, Salah is known for his selfless play, creating scoring opportunities for his teammates and contributing to the team’s overall attacking play. He also possesses excellent vision and passing ability within his armoury.
4. Neymar Jr – PSG
Overall earnings: $87 million
Salary: $55 million
Endorsements: $32 million
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, or Neymar Jr. as he is better known, is one of the more flamboyant footballers on this list.
The Brazilian forward began his professional career at Santos and quickly grew to prominence for his incredible dribbling ability, impressive agility, and razor-sharp goal-scoring prowess. In 2013, he joined Barcelona with huge fanfare, forming the formidable ‘MSN’ attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, helping them win numerous domestic and international titles, including the UEFA Champions League.
After just four years at the Nou Camp, Neymar Jr. made a record-breaking transfer to PSG for a jaw-dropping $266 million, becoming the most expensive player in football history. Though some will say this is money well spent, given his return of over 120 goals in six seasons.
Aside from his goal-scoring prowess, the Brazilian is renowned for his quick feet, exceptional ball control and ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations.
3. Lionel Messi – PSG
Overall earnings: $120 million
Salary: $65 million
Endorsements: $55 million
When he took Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, Lionel Messi cemented his spot as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
A true footballing legend, Messi was earmarked for success from an early age when he joined FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, at the age of 13. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his first-team debut in 2004.
Whilst at Barcelona, Messi played an instrumental role in the club, winning several international and domestic, including multiple UEFA Champions League trophies and La Liga championships. He formed a formidable partnership with players like Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, and his ability to score goals and provide assists has been crucial to Barcelona’s many triumphs.
Messi’s individual achievements are unparalleled. He has been awarded the coveted Ballon d’Or award several times, establishing himself as one of the greatest individual talents in the history of the sport. He also holds several records, including the most goals scored in a calendar year and the most goals in a single season.
Overall, Messi’s playing style is perhaps best defined by his incredible dribbling ability, close ball control, and agility. His low centre of gravity and quick acceleration enable him to navigate through tight spaces and leave defenders in his wake.
Now playing for PSG, which he joined in 2021, his impact on the game of football is immeasurable. His unrivalled skills, consistency, and ability to dominate matches have made him an icon of the sport.
He is also a player who has redefined the standards of excellence, which should ensure his influence and legacy will continue to inspire scores of footballers and fans around the world for generations to come.
2. Kylian Mbappé – PSG
Overall earnings: $128 million
Salary: $110 million
Endorsements: $18 million
If Erling Haaland isn’t the hottest property in football right now, then Kylian Mbappé surely is.
Still only 24, Mbappé seems to have been around for quite some time, having made his professional debut at AS Monaco when he was only 16 years old. He soon caught the footballing world’s attention with his incredible speed, technical ability, and maturity on the pitch. So much so that barely a year later, he joined PSG.
It didn’t take him long to break into the national team, where he won his first FIFA World Cup for Les Bleus when he was only 19. In the process, he became only the second teenager after Pelé to score in the final.
On a domestic level, Mbappé has won multiple domestic titles with PSG. Among his best qualities as a footballer are his electrifying pace, exceptional dribbling skills, and clinical finishing ability. He also possesses an uncanny ability to beat defenders and create goal-scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Additionally, his composure in front of goal and his knack for making decisive contributions in crucial moments make him one of the game’s most lethal threats in the attacking third.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr
Overall earnings: $245 million
Salary: $200 million
Endorsements: $45 million
After his highly publicised move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, it is no surprise to see Cristiano Ronaldo head the list of the highest-paid soccer players in the world for 2022-23.
His record-breaking, two-year contract will earn him about $200 million per year, extending his career into the 21st year.
Undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time. Ronaldo has achieved extraordinary success throughout his time as a footballer. He began his professional journey at Sporting CP in Portugal before moving to Manchester United in 2003, where he rose to prominence, winning multiple domestic and international titles under Sir Alex Ferguson.
In 2009, he joined Real Madrid in a record-breaking transfer, shattering their goal-scoring records while winning numerous Champions League trophies. He went on to become Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 311 goals. In 2018, Ronaldo joined Juventus before returning to Manchester United.
Ronaldo is a complete forward renowned for his incredible physicality, lightning-fast speed, and exceptional technique. He possesses a powerful shot, extraordinary heading ability, and impeccable goal-scoring instincts. His aerial prowess and ability to score from almost any position on the field is legendary.
Ronaldo’s individual accolades are staggering. He has won numerous Ballon d’Or awards, establishing himself as one of the most decorated players in history. He has also consistently been among the top goal-scorers in every league he has played and has contributed significantly to the success of both his club teams and the Portuguese national team.