Saudi Arabia has shaken up the football world by offering astronomical contracts to its stars. This has had a significant impact on the annual incomes of the highest paid footballers.
Cristiano RonaldoLast year, Kylian Mbappe became the world's highest paid footballer. It seemed that the leader of Paris Saint-Germain had finally broken the hegemony of Ronaldo and Messi. However, the year 2023 brought everything back to normal again.
The authoritative publication Forbes published a list of the 10 highest-paid footballers for 2023. 38-year-old Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the throne after a year of absence. Thanks to the generosity of the Saudis, his income was supplemented by $260 million. This amount includes money received for playing on the football field - 200 million, as well as a variety of commercial agreements - 60.
Ronaldo's eternal rival, Argentine Lionel Messi, is on the second line. He will receive on account of the amount almost half as much - 135 million dollars. In the back of veterans breathe Messi's ex-partners on the French PSG: Neymar and Mbappe. They will receive 112 and 110 million respectively.
And closing the top five richest ex-Real Madrid star Karim Benzema, who was also tempted by the big money and moved to Saudi Arabia. He got rich to the tune of 106 million.
Top 10 highest paid footballers of the season
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr) - $260 million ($200 million on the pitch, $60 million off the pitch)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) - $135 million ($65+70 million)
- Neymar (Al-Hilal) - $112 million ($80+32 million)
- Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - $110 million (90+20 million)
- Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) - $106 million ($100+6 million)
- Erling Holland (Manchester City) - $58 million ($46+12 million)
- Mohamed Salah ("Liverpool") - $53 million (35+18 million)
- Sadio Mane ("Al-Nasr") - $52 million (48+4 million)
- Kevin De Bruyne ("Manchester City") - $39 million (35+4 million)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) - $36 million (26+10 million)
