15 Highest Paid Soccer Players Around The Globe

With a stunning £173 Million per year in earnings, the Portuguese superstar presently leads the list. His move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr earlier this year came with a hefty contract that made him the highest paid player in soccer.

The contract is valid until June 2025, allowing Ronaldo the opportunity to establish himself in Saudi Arabian football and possibly extend his playing career.

In addition to his pay, Ronaldo earns a sizable income via endorsements with prominent businesses such as Nike, Herbalife, and Emirates.

Because of his global recognition and influence, he is in high demand as a marketing partner and is the highest paid soccer player in the world.

Neymar Jr.’s recent move to Al Hilal also received headlines, with a two-year contract of £86 million per year inked in August 2023, making him one of the highest paid football players in the world as of December 2023.

This is much more than his previous annual compensation at PSG, which was believed to be €57.2 million ($61.3 million/£49.2 million).

He also receives a bonus of around USD 87,000 for each match in which he appears and Al Hilal wins.

Karim Benzema’s arrival to Al-Ittihad in June 2023 also made attention due to his lucrative contract. He agreed to a three-year contract with a one-year extension option.

His annual salary of £85 million places him among the top three highest-paid players in the world, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr.

The fact that he will be paid tax-free sweetens the deal even further, as Saudi Arabia does not have an income tax, unlike his prior wage at Real Madrid (which was thought to be €28 million gross per year).

It reinforces his place as one of the world’s most valuable players.

Kylian Mbappé’s contract with PSG is a difficult and fascinating transaction, with multiple layers of details to unpack as he is one of the highest paid athletes in the world.

Mbappe’s current annual gross salary of £62 million, making him the highest-paid player in Ligue 1 and one of the highest-paid players in the world. That means he will earn £5.17 million per month pre-tax, which equates to about £2.3 million after taxes.

He will get a signing bonus of £155 million divided over three years, guaranteed even if he leaves PSG before the end of his deal and if he stays at PSG for the 2023/24 season, he will receive around £60 million loyalty incentive.

So, his total gross earnings is £542 million estimated at the end of his contract in 2025.

He signed a new contract in May 2022, which was originally a three-year deal with a two-year extension option at Mbappé’s option.

Lionel Messi’s current deal with Inter Miami, signed until 2023, contains some intriguing aspects. The MLS Players Association confirmed a base pay of $12 million per year, making him the highest paid MLS player.

As per the 2023 pay update, the total guaranteed compensation is $20,446,667. Messi’s estimated annual earnings are thought to be $54 million to $60 million, including salary, signing bonus, and possibly some ownership stake in the club.

Messi signed a two-year contract on July 15th, 2023, as it will end on December 31, 2025, with an option to extend for an additional year.

The highest paid MLS player, Messi’s contract with Inter Miami represents a huge step forward in his career, taking him to a less competitive league while also providing him with financial security, ownership opportunities, and a luxurious living in Miami.

Riyad Mahrez who joined Al-Ahli from Manchester City is another high-profile transfer to the Arab nation. His annual pay is projected to be €52.2 million, making him one of the highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League.

This equates to about €4.35 million each month, €1.038 million per week, and €148,226 per day.

Mahrez signed with the Saudi club in July 2023 for a four-year contract that includes performance-based bonuses, potentially increasing his overall salary even further.

Sadio Mané’s transfer to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia has created a bit of buzz in terms of pay and contract details. His weekly pay is projected to be £650,000, translating to a stunning yearly salary of £33.8 million (roughly $43.18 million/€40 million).

Because Saudi Arabia does not have an income tax, its entire profits are considerably more attractive.

If Mané stays with Al Nassr until 2027, he will earn a total of £136 million ($172 million/€160 million) during his contract. He joined the club in June 2023 signing a 4-year deal, with a transfer cost of roughly £24 million.

Jordan Henderson’s salary and contract details have been a topic of discussion since his transfer to Al-Ettifaq in July 2023.

Some sources first suggested a weekly wage of £700,000, equating to a yearly salary of around £36.4 million. This created headlines and elevated him to the ranks of the world’s highest-paid players.

The former Liverpool captain, in July 2023, signed a three-year contract with Al-Ettifaq that runs until June 2026.

It is surprising to see him on the list but Henderson has become English’s highest paid male soccer player, and he is still hoping to make the squad for Euro 2024.

English club Manchester City’s star Man Kevin De Bruyne is not just the club’s highest-paid soccer player but is one of the world’s highest-paid players.

Man City’s highest soccer player salary is £20.8 million per year, it is just his base salary, making him the highest-paid player in the Premier League following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.

For the 2023-2024 season, his gross compensation is £41.6 million, which includes his basic salary and other potential bonuses. Breaking it down, his weekly earning is £400,000, a substantial sum that places him among the world’s highest earners.

In April 2021, after signing a new contract which was a five-year deal that will last until the end of the 2024/2025 season. Sign-on bonus is rumored to be over £25 million, presenting him with a sizable upfront payment.

The dramatic rise of Erling Haaland has been accompanied by equally incredible contract details. £553,000 a week (£28.8 million per year) places him among the highest earners in the world, second only to Manchester City teammate Kevin De Bruyne.

This number nearly doubles his Dortmund wage of £132,000 per week, showing his current club’s considerable financial strength. His contract contains performance-based bonuses, and there are additional incentives for goals, assists, and other accomplishments, which could increase his overall pay.

Haaland committed to a five-year contract extension with Manchester City in June 2022.

City paid Dortmund a transfer price of £51.2 million up front, with the total cost estimated to be quadruple that amount after agent fees and image rights have been included.

Kalidou Koulibaly departed Chelsea after announcing a move to Saudi Professional League team Al-Hilal for a fee of around £20 million on June 25, 2023.

His annual salary is estimated to be €104,100,000, which works out to €8,675,000 every month, €2,168,750 per week, and €311,250 per day. This amount places Koulibaly among the highest-paid footballers in the world, surpassing his prior wage at Chelsea.

He signed a four-year contract with Al-Hilal in July 2023, after a transfer fee of $23 million from Chelsea, and is committed to the club until June 2027.

Koulibaly’s current wage at Al-Hilal is far more than his former salary at Chelsea, which was reported to be £15.34 million per year.

Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur, signing a four-year contract in August 2023, marking a big step forward in his career.

Harry Kane’s annual salary at Bayern Munich is projected to be over £21 million. Making him one of the top earners in the sport and Bayern’s most paid soccer player.

Although being Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer, Kane was unable to win a trophy with his childhood club and thus moved to Germany in 2023.

N’Golo Kante was persuaded to sign a two-year contract with Saudi Arabia after his contract with Chelsea expired at the end of the 2022/23 season.

His current annual pay is around £21 Million.

The 32-year-old is one of the most decorated players in recent history, having won the FIFA World Cup and the Champions League.

Mohamed Salah is still an important figure at Liverpool FC, both on and off the field. He agreed to join Liverpool from Roma on 22 June 2017 and signed a long-term contract with the Reds.

He also signed a new three-year deal in July 2023 until June 2026.

His weekly salary is estimated at £350,000 (£18.2 million per year). This makes him the highest-paid player in Liverpool’s history and one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

There are also bonuses for performance as additional incentives can be earned for goals, assists, and other achievements, which could increase his overall earnings.

Since his move to Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski’s salary and contract terms have been a topic of discussion as he is the best paid soccer player in Barca.

He joined the Culers in July 2022, and his contract runs until June 2026 (four years), with them paying Bayern Munich €45 million plus an additional €5 million in possible bonuses.

His annual salary with Barcelona is €26,040,000 for the 2023-2024 season, increasing in subsequent years (figures for 2025 and 2026 have not been publicly disclosed).

Robert’s contract had a €500 million release clause. He became the most expensive Polish player in history, as well as the most expensive sale in Bayern Munich’s history.