Football is one of the world’s most popular and lucrative sports, and some of its biggest stars have accumulated vast amounts of wealth. With footballers earning millions yearly from their salaries, bonuses, endorsements, and other business ventures, it’s no surprise that they rank among the wealthiest athletes.
In this article, we take a look at ten of the wealthiest footballers. These players have earned immense amounts through their playing careers and off-field investments. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi to Neymar Jr., these are some of the highest-paid players in all of sports history who have made an incredible fortune over their illustrious careers.
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Top 10 Richest Footballers In The World
1. Faiq Bolkiah
- Net Worth: USD 20 billion
Faiq Bolkiah is one of the world’s richest footballers and a member of the Brunei royal family, making him the richest footballer in the world. His immense wealth comes from his family’s investments and his playing career with professional clubs such as Marítimo B and Chonburi.
2. Lionel Messi
- Net Worth: USD 600 million
Lionel Messi is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his career earnings reflect that. His contracts with Barcelona, Nike, and other endorsements have made millions. He also has a lifetime contract with sportswear giant Adidas, providing him an additional income.
Messi is considered one of the world’s highest-paid athletes and is estimated to earn around $80 million per year, making him one of the richest soccer players in the world.
Lionel Messi owns properties in Miami, Barcelona, Ibiza, and his hometown of Rosario, Argentina. Lionel Messi owns various cars, which include Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti, Pagani Zonda Tricolore, Audi RS6, Audi A7, Audi Q7, Mercedes SLS AMG, Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale, Ferrari F430 Spyder, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Vogue, and Cadillac Escalade. He owns a luxury yacht making him the 2nd richest footballer in the world.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
- Net Worth: USD 490 million
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid footballer and one of the richest footballers in the world. The Portuguese superstar has earned hundreds of millions throughout his career playing for some of the biggest clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. He also has a plethora of endorsements with big brands such as Nike, Livescore, Tag Heuer, Herbalife, Armani, Sacoor Brothers suits, and Monster headphones.
Cristiano Ronaldo owns Lisbon, Madeira, Turin, Madrid, and Manchester properties. He also holds an 88-foot-long luxury yacht valued at £5.5 million and a private jet. Cristiano Ronaldo has many car collections, which include Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Ferrari F12 TDF, Lamborghini Aventador, Bugatti Centodieci, Maserati GranCabrio, Porsche 911 turbo S, Ferrari F430, Mercedes Benz Brabus G65, Bugatti Chiron, Audi RS7, Mercedes Benz GLE63s AMG, Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead, Ferrari 599 GTO, Bentley Continental, Mercedes Benz S65, Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and Ferrari Monza SP1.
4. David Beckham
- Net Worth: USD 450 million
David Beckham is a legendary footballer who has earned millions over his career. He made millions playing for some of the biggest clubs, such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. In addition to his salary, he also earned money through endorsements with companies like Adidas, Konami, Tudor, Kent & Curwen, Diageo, Jaguar, etc. Beckham is estimated to earn around $50 million per year. David Beckham made more than $280 million through brand endorsements and $250 million in salary from football, raking in a $450 million fortune.
David Beckham owns several properties in London, Miami, and Dubai. He also owns a luxury yacht. He owns an insane car collection of McLaren MP4-12C Spider, Rolls Royce Phantom, Aston Martin V8 Vantage X-Pack Volante, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, X-Pack Volante, Cadillac Escalade ESV, Ferrari 360 Spider, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Lamborghini Gallardo, 1998 Ferrari 550 Maranello and Bentley Bentayga.
5. Dave Whelan
- Net Worth: USD 220 million
Dave Whelan is one of the wealthiest footballers in the world and made hugely profitable investments during his career. He earned millions playing for clubs like Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra. His wealth also comes from his ownership of the English Premier League side Wigan Athletic and various business ventures. Whelan is estimated to earn around $30 million per year.
6. Neymar Jr.
- Net Worth: USD 200 million
Neymar is one of the most talented footballers in the world, and his earning power reflects that. He has made millions playing for some of the biggest clubs and top national team, such as Brazilian national team, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. In addition to his salary, he also earns a hefty sum from endorsements with companies such as Epic Games, Puma, Flutter Entertainment, Qatar Airways, Triller, and Red Bull, among others. Neymar is estimated to earn around $75 million per year.
Neymar has several luxurious models in his car collection. He owns Lamborghini Veneno, Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus, Lykan Hypersport, Maserati Mc12, Porsche Panamera Turbo, Mercedes AMG GT S, Range Rover SVA, and Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Net Worth: USD 190 million
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most iconic players in the world and has amassed impressive wealth during his career. He earned millions playing for some of the biggest clubs, such as Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain. In addition to salary, he also has endorsements with Volvo.
Zlatan owns a sportswear company, A-Z Sportswear, which he founded in 2016. He also co-founded Ibrahimovic Parfums with Olivier Pescheux. Zlatan has a fleet of cars in his garage and a private jet. The vehicles in Ibrahimovic’s garage are: Porsche 918 Spyder, Maserati Gran Turismo MC, Ferrari LaFerrari, Ferrari Monza SP2, Ferrari Enzo, and Volvo XC70.
8. Wayne Rooney
- Net Worth: USD 160 million
Wayne Rooney is a legendary English footballer who has earned millions over his career. He made millions playing for Manchester United, Everton, and D.C. United. In addition to his salary as a coach, he also earns money through endorsements with companies such as Asda, Nike, Ford, Coca-Cola, and Nokia.
Rooney has interests in real estate. He has a home in Cheshire, England; an apartment in Port Charlotte, Florida; and a villa in Barbados villa. Rooney owns a vast collection of cars. His car collection includes Bentley Continental GT, Range Rover Evoque (Overfinch), BMW i8, Audi Q7, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin Vanquish S, Audi RS6 Avant, Mercedes CLS Coupe, Range Rover Vogue (Overfinch), BMW X5.
9. Gareth Bale
- Net Worth: USD 125 million
Gareth Bale is one of the most decorated footballers in the world, having played for some of the biggest clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and Los Angeles FC. His wealth comes from his salary and endorsements with companies such as Adidas, Konami, Foot Locker, and Nissan Motor. Bale is the founder of Primesure Limited.
Gareth Bale owns an Audi R8 Spyder, Audi Q7, Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, Mercedes Class C63 AMG Coupe, and Range Rover. He also holds a luxurious house in Cardiff, United Kingdom, and the La Finca area of Madrid, Spain.
10. Andrés Iniesta
- Net Worth: USD 120 million
Andrés Iniesta is a Spanish football star who made millions playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Barcelona, before he moved to Vissel Kobe in Japan. Iniesta owns a winery business and earns money through endorsements with Nike and EA sport. Iniesta is estimated to earn around $30 million yearly at his current club. Iniesta owns a Nissan, Bugatti Veyron, Audi, and Range Rover, among others.
Final Thoughts
So, here’s our comprehensive chart of top 10 richest footballers in the world. Football is a very lucrative sport and one of the world’s most popular ones. Some of its biggest stars have accumulated vast amounts of wealth.
With footballers earning millions yearly from their salaries, bonuses, endorsements, and other business ventures, it’s no surprise that they rank among the wealthiest athletes. Follow Parimatch for more inside information and betting tips!
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FAQ
Who Is The Top 10 Richest Footballer?
The top 10 richest footballers in the world are Faiq Bolkiah, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Dave Whelan, Neymar Jr., Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, and Andrés Iniesta.
Who Is The No 1 Richest Player In The World?
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the highest-paid player in the world after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract worth €200m (£177m) per year with Saudi club, Al-Nassr.
Who Is The Richest Footballer In Africa 2022?
The title of the richest footballer in Africa for 2022 is uncertain, as the financial landscape within the African football sphere is constantly shifting.
Who Is Africa Highest Paid Player?
Mohammed Salah is currently the highest-paid African footballer. The Egyptian winger now plays for Liverpool FC and earns £16.8m annually. Salah is an icon both in his home country and around the world.