The Top 5 Highest-Paid Football Players in the World

Salaries and endorsements skyrocketing footballers’ earnings

Football is one of the world’s most-watched sports. Its global viewership of 250 million affords massive attention to the best and most popular players. It also means that these players are on an extremely high annual salary. The best players are not only paid by their clubs but also from television rights and merchandise sales. It goes without saying, then, that they rank among the highest paid athletes in the world. The recent World Cup has proved to be a profitable platform for the world’s best players. They’re already being offered massive contracts, along with endorsement offers from such brands as Volvo, Pepsi, Adidas, and Nike.

The game of football is one of the most profitable sports in the world, and, in fact, most profitable industries in the world. This is despite the fact that it doesn’t necessarily come to mind when thinking of profitable industries such as accounting. Like other service-based industries, accounting consistently makes profits due too it being in such large demand, as well as having low equipment costs and overheads. It often ranks at, or near the top, of the world’s most profitable industries, in fact. Another highly profitable industry is the casino industry. Some casinos make $630,000 (£475,000)- this is how much the average casino makes in a single day- through its various ways of attracting customers. Land-based casinos use techniques to change a player’s perception of chips so they don’t value them as they do real cash. Online casinos achieve this by offering bonuses. With online casinos, however, while this benefits the casino, it also benefits the player. After all, they’re playing with free money, so are getting value. Whether football fans think they’re getting value for money from watching the following players is another thing entirely.

Here are the world’s top 5 highest-paid football players for 2018.

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The player known for his attitude and temperament is the fifth-highest paid player in world football for 2018 with $32 million in earnings. The forward recently moved to Adidas from Nike before rejoining Nike for his shoe endorsement. Due to not having a permanent shoe sponsor, his earnings fell dramatically this year.

The player recently launched a sportswear line called Amateur Zlatan (A-Z). He also made significant earnings from an endorsement contract with Volvo. Compared with his salary, however, his income from sponsorship significantly dipped from recent years.

4. Gareth Bale

The player with a reputation for brilliant aerial ability and speed, Gareth Bale recently captured the imagination of millions of viewers. The Welsh wizard scored an unbelievable bicycle goal in the Champions League final against Liverpool. Real Madrid’s first-choice winger is the fourth highest-paid football player in the world with a $34 million income for 2018.

He recently won another endorsement, this time with the Altitude, the training mask company. He also has an agreement with Adidas to wear their shoes until the year 2020. His other endorsements include deals with huge brands such as Nissan Motor, Footlocker, and Konami. It’s only a matter of time before his market value exceeds his previous highs.

3. Neymar Jr.

One of the world’s most marketable sports stars, Neymar earned himself a small fortune after his transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. With a 2018 salary of $37 million, he is the third highest-paid football player in the world. Aside from a $15 annual salary from his club, he also earned $22 from endorsements.

Neymar currently has endorsements with a number of huge brands such as Red Bull, Panasonic, Nike, Gillette, and Beats Electronics. His agent Wagner Ribeiro undoubtedly pulled off some great deals for the Brazilian superstar. Neymar also became the first player in the sport to have his very own custom Air Jordan sneakers.

2. Lionel Messi

Nicknamed the ‘Magician’ of football, Messi recently enjoyed winning a La Liga title with Barcelona. His $53 million salary aside, Messi banked a further $27 from endorsements. Last December saw him renew his lifetime agreement with Adidas. The deal has made a significant contribution to his 2018 earnings.

Messi’s agent Guillermo Marin managed his endorsements with a number of industry giants such as Tata Motors, Adidas, Gatorade, and Huawei Technologies. Messi is the second-most paid football play in the world with a 2018 salary of $80.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the sport’s greatest-ever players recently won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, as well as scoring a hat-trick against Spain in the World Cup. He cemented his place in history after being instrumental in Real Madrid’s 13th Champions League trophy. Besides being a tremendous player, he’s not just the highest-paid football player on our list, but the highest-paid athlete in the world.

With earnings of $93m this year, Ronaldo will earn over $50 million per year just from his club until his 36th birthday. He also has a lucrative lifetime deal with Nike worth a cool $1 billion, along with a number of other endorsements. In addition, he has his own line of hotels, fragrances, and clothing.

These players provide superb skills and fantastic entertainment for 90 minutes. It seems their respective agents are only too aware of just how valuable and marketable these skills are.