With great popularity and viewership, comes a great salary for the players. Being one of the most beloved sports across the world, it’s no surprise that soccer players take home some of the highest sporting salaries there are.

As a result of their unique skills and talent – and the support of multinational corporations – salaries for soccer players have been rapidly rising over the years. While players do receive a large sum for their hard work and skills that they bring to the table, many players also sign lucrative endorsement deals that both support their image and their wallet.

Now, let’s take a look at the top 5 players who bring home the most earnings in a year playing the beautiful game!

5. Mohammed Salah – Liverpool

Total Earnings (estimated): $53 million USD

After signing a new three-year deal with Liverpool during July 2022, this made him the highest paid athlete in the history of the club. However, this is well deserved as seen by his staggering 176 goals for the club at the time in only 290 games at Anfield. Salah also benefits from his global marketing image by taking home millions for being the face of some of the world’s largest athletic brands, including Adidas!

4. Neymar Jr. – Paris Saint-Germain

Total Earnings (estimated): $96 million USD

The first of three Paris Saint-Germain stars to make the top five, Neymar Jr. will be loyal to the Parisian kit until the summer of 2025. After a record-breaking transfer deal in 2017 to PSG, the Brazilian icon has done well for the club and their viewers. While he’s one of the biggest soccer celebrities in the world by design, he also earns some extra pocket cash with more than a dozen endorsement deals in Europe, Asia, and South America.

3. Lionel Messi – Paris Saint-Germain

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Total Earnings (estimated): $120 million USD

Third place is reserved for the Argentinian superstar and arguably the best player in history, Lionel Messi. After his performance at the World Cup in Qatar, it would be difficult to deny him a good pay day. With the final months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain coming up quick, we will have to wait and see if Barcelona’s financial situation is good enough for him to make a sensational return to La Liga.

2. Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain

Total Earnings (estimated): $128 million USD

At just 24 years old, Mbappe takes home more total earnings in a year than some of the world’s most beloved soccer icons. These earnings are largely a resemblance of his mega three-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain that was made ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window. However, he certainly deserves his place at the top of the earnings list after his stunning displays of talent for the French national team and the Parisian club. 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr

Total Earnings (estimated): $208 million USD

When Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr, he officially became the highest paid soccer player in the world. One of the greatest players in the history of the game, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner transferred to the Saudi Arabian club after he “won everything in Europe”. With a whopping estimated $75 million USD salary and even more in endorsements, Ronaldo finds himself topping the list of the highest paid soccer players in the world!

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