The 5 Highest-Paid Footballers in the World

With football fever spreading thanks to the World Cup, the players are rightfully in the spotlight. But that bright light widens enough to shine on the incredible amounts of money flowing through global football, too.

For the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, FIFA, football’s global governing body, reported revenue of $4.8 billion. Its profit for that four-year cycle: $2.6 billion. And that just covers the international competition.

In 2018, FIFA will award $400 million to the 32 teams in the World Cup, with the winning team earning $38 million. Some of that money will trickle down to the players. However, most players make the bulk of their money outside of their national teams.

Pinning down exact income can be tricky. Generally, players earn salaries and bonuses from their club teams and from team performance, and they often earn money from endorsements. There are, however, gray areas in terms of salary reporting. Final numbers can be unclear, as can bonuses. The figures here also dependent on currency conversion rates at the time of publication.

This list is based on the best available information from Forbes and other sources surrounding some of the world’s best football players, and how much they’re being paid in salary and bonuses in 2018.

Here the list!!!!!!!

1.Lionel Messi

Pay: $84 million

Club: Barcelona

National team: Argentina

Position: Forward

Age: 30

The incredibly talented Argentinian forward not only earns a huge salary and garners hefty bonuses. He also has large endorsement deals that make his already big income even bigger.

What would you expect for one of the best players in the game — ever.

2.Neymar

Pay: $73 million

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

National team: Brazil

Position: Forward

Age: 26

Neymar has played for two of the best clubs in Europe, his current Paris Saint-Germain squad and Spanish powerhouse Barcelona.

He’s also one of the best players on one of the best World Cup teams, Brazil.

And he shows no signs of slowing down.

3.Cristiano Ronaldo

Pay: $61 million

Club: Real Madrid

National team: Portugal

Position: Forward

Age: 33
Over the years, Ronaldo has become one of the most internationally famous players ever. He scores a ton of endorsement deals as a result.

Rumors surround his next move. He’s said to be unhappy at Real Madrid, and could earn even more next season with a move to another team.

4.Gareth Bale
Pay: $28.6 million

Club: Real Madrid

National team: Wales*

Position: Forward

Age: 28

• Bales didn’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup

Bale is one of the highest paid and best players in the game, but Wales, his national team, isn’t competing in the 2018 World Cup. It didn’t qualify.

He’s made quite an impact on Real Madrid, though, and continues to be a major player in the sport.

5.Ezequiel Lavezzi

Pay: $26.8 million

Club: Hebei China Fortune

National team: Argentina*

Position: Forward

Age: 33

*Not participating on Argentina's team in the 2018 World Cup

A key player for the Argentinian team in the 2014 World Cup, Lavezzi has had an incredibly successful career. This year, however, he’s not joining his teammates on the World Cup pitch.

That hasn’t stopped him, though, from drawing a huge salary from his Chinese club.