It’s known to all that being a fine sportsperson is one of the sure ways to attain financial freedom, the likes of Tiger Woods, LeBron James, and Roger Federer are a testament to this. Now, you don’t need to be told that soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and rightly so. The sport has become a big part of humanity and it is uninspiring to imagine a world without it. The game has seen so many stars in recent history but these are the rich athletes in soccer, at least for the year 2019.
Top 10 Rich Athletes In Soccer
10. Antoine Griezmann ($27.7 Million)
The French player has spent the last five years playing club side for Atletico Madrid, although he announced in May that he would be living the club and later joined Barcelona. While we all have to wait and see if he would live up to expectations in his new club, he remains one of the top 10 soccer earners in 2019. With 133 goals scored in the 260 matches he played for Atletico it’s easy to see why. Griezmann has sponsorship from companies like Huawei and Puma. He earned $23.2 million dollars last year by way of salaries, plus an additional $4.5 million in endorsement deals.
9. Oscar (29 Million)
The former Chelsea player helped his club claim two Premier League titles before departing to go play in the Chinese Super League for Shanghai SIPG. His move happened at the beginning of 2017, but the Brazil native is still being missed in English football. His salary at his new club was doubled twice over, which made his earnings skyrocket. He takes home $27 million in salary and bonuses annually while earning $2 million in endorsements.
8. Mezut Özil (30.2 Million)
Özil’s new contract with Arsenal helped double his earnings, ensuring he remains at the club until 2021. The German national resigned from national football in July 2018 after he faced a lot of backlash for spending time with the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan. The footballer claimed that the actions of the German Federation, as well as that of the media and fans, amounted to racism. Özil is known for his philanthropic efforts such as the 1000 surgeries he just funded for underprivileged children to celebrate his wedding. The footballer pulls in $23.7 million in salary and bonuses. His sponsorship and partnership deal with Beats by Dre, Mercedes Benz, and Adidas bring in an extra $6.5 million.
7. Kylian Mbappe (30.6 Million)
Kylian is 20 years old and he is already one of the top earners in the world of soccer. He currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, where he earns $26.6 million every year inclusive of salary and bonuses. The talented footballer is already breaking records for club and country. He picked up the Best Young Player Award at the 2018 World Cup and was also the second-highest goal scorer in the tournament, as well as the highest goal scorer in Ligue 1. He has major sponsorship deals from Hublot, Nike, and Good Gout worth $4 million annually. There’s no way to leave him out when counting the rich athletes in soccer
6. Alexis Sanchez (30.8 Million)
After spending time at Arsenal, Alexis accepted a better offer to play for Manchester United during the January 2018 transfer window. His new contract allows him to earn $28.3 million every year as salary plus bonuses until 2022. His largest sponsorship deal comes from the footwear company Nike. However, he earns a total of $2.5 million in endorsements annually.
5. Andres Iniesta (32.5 Million)
Iniesta was one of Barcelona’s most beloved players ever. He got his start in the club’s football academy before earning a place on the senior team. He gave 22 spectacular years to the club, serving as its captain for three seasons before he moved to Japan to join Vissel Kobe in May 2018. Although the move cost him a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike that had lasted 19 years, he signed a new one a few months later with Asics, one of Japan’s leading footwear brands. Iniesta also runs several businesses on the side including a winery that produces a delicious range of wines. The Spanish footballer earns a salary of $30 million annually including performance bonuses. His endorsement contracts bring home an additional $2.5 million.
4. Paul Pogba (33 Million)
Pogba joined Manchester United from Juventus in 2016 to the delight of fans of the former club. He broke the transfer record at the time with his signing fee of $120 million. His annual salary and bonuses amount to $29 million, while earnings from endorsements total $4 million. The striker faced a lot of issues in the past two seasons at his club, especially with the manager, Jose Mourinho. It is believed that their disagreements contributed greatly to Mourinho being sacked from United.
3. Neymar Jr. (105 Million)
With sponsors like Nike, Beats by Dre, Red Bull, Gaga Milano, EA Sports, DAZN, Mastercard, and Gillette behind him, Neymar is going to be high on the list of rich athletes in soccer for a long time to come. The former Barcelona player joined PSG in 2017, where he now takes home $75 million as salary and bonuses every year. He holds the record for most expensive transfer in history with his $263 million transfer. Neymar is one of the most famous athletes in the world.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (109 Million)
Ronaldo is one half of the biggest rivalry in football. He played for Real Madrid for nine seasons before he transferred to Juventus in 2018. He now earns $64 million in wages annually, which is less than the pay he took home while at Madrid. He is an impossibly gifted player with five FIFA Player of the Year Awards to his name. Ronaldo has scored the most goals in the Champions League and is the first player to win titles in the Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga. He is the athlete with the highest number of followers on social media. His sponsorship partners include Herbalife, Electronic Arts, DAZN, Nike, MTG, Altice, and others.
See Also: Matías Almeyda Biography, Family, Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight, Other Facts
1. Lionel Messi ($127 Million)
Messi is the highest-earning soccer player in the world. He has been playing for Barcelona for all of his career and has won 33 titles with them, scoring 603 goals in 687 games. His current salary at the club is $80 million, plus an additional $12 million in performance bonuses. He is one of the most decorated players in the sports with five FIFA Player of the Year Awards, six European Golden Shoes, and various other awards. His biggest sponsors and partners include Gatorade, Jacobs & Co, Mastercard, Pepsi, Lays, Ooredoo, and Adidas with whom he has a lifelong contract.
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