The 9 highest paid footballers in the world
Warning: This could make your eyes water
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Your support makes all the difference.France Football magazine has ranked the sport's highest earners, and the amount of money in play might make your eyes water.
The football rich list is collated by adding club salaries, endorsement deals, and performance bonuses.
Europe cemented its position as the home of big-money soccer — all the clubs featured are on the continent, while all but two of the players are European.
Despite the Premier League being the most watched in the world, English football clubs did not take part in the survey.
France Football notes that Manchester United player Wayne Rooney would have been ninth if they had.
Check out the list below:
9. Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona, 31)
Annual Salary: €15m (£12m; $17m)
Performance Bonus: €2m (£1.6m; $2.3m)
Other Income: €4.5m (£3.6m; $5m)
We kick off with Barcelona's captain, who is known for his versatility. He's also a nice guy too, winning the “Golden Foot” in 2014, which awards personality as well as athletic ability.
8. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich, 26)
Annual Salary: €16m (£12.8m; $18m)
Performance Bonus: €600,000 (£478,600; $677,000)
Other Income: €7m (£5.6m; $8m)
Muller is something of a legend in Germany, having led the country to World Cup glory in 2012. And his extended contract with Munich to 2021 ensures his bank account will stay healthy for at least another half-decade.
7. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, 26)
Annual Salary: €14m (£11.2m; $16m)
Performance Bonus: €500,000 (£399,000; $565,000)
Other Income: €10m (£8m; $11.3m)
The only Brit on the list, Bale was a wunderkind at Tottenham Hotspur before being sold to Real Madrid for a whopping €100 million. Corporations took notice too, and he is now the face of the Pro Evolution Soccer video-game series.
6. Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain, 28)
Annual Salary: €24m (£19.1m; $27m)
Performance Bonus: €800,000 (£640,000; $900,000)
Other Income: €1.2m (£960,000; $1.35m)
The first of two Argentines on the list, Di Maria left Manchester United last year to negotiate a huge wage with Paris Saint Germaine (PSG) — a team you'll see again on here.
5. Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain, 31)
Annual Salary: €23m (£18.3m; $26m)
Performance Bonus: €1m (£800,000; $1.1m)
Other Income: €2.5m (£2m; $2.8m)
PSG's Brazilian captain is the highest-paid defender in the world. An endorsement deal with car company Nissan doesn't hurt either. He also enjoyed a big bonus for his team winning the trophy treble last year.
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain, 34)
Annual Salary: €20m (£16m; $22.5m)
Performance Bonus: €2.5m (£2m; $2.8m)
Other Income: €6m (£4.8m; $7m)
This Swedish player is a veteran by footballing standards, but has managed to negotiate a very nice salary with PSG for his final season there, as well as an endorsement deal with sportswear giant Nike.
3. Neymar (Barcelona, 24)
Annual Salary: €20m (£16m; $23m)
Performance Bonus: €2.5m (£2m; $2.8m)
Other Income: €21m (£16.8m; $24m)
The youngest player to make the top nine is also the third richest, breaking the €40 million mark for the first time. If rumours of his move to PSG — who seem to pay a lot if this list is anything to by — are true, that figure could swell even more.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, 31)
Annual Salary: €32m (£25.5m; $36m)
Performance Bonus: €400,000 (£319,000; $451,000)
Other Income: €35m (£27.9m; $39m)
It was close for this Portuguese player, but Ronaldo with have to settle for second place. A combined income of €67 million and lucrative contracts with Nike, Armani, and, strangely, Kentucky Fried Chicken will have to do in the meantime.
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 28)
Annual Salary: €36m (£28.7m; $40.6m)
Performance Bonus: €3m (£2.4m; $3.4m)
Other Income: €35m (£27.9m; $39m)
The best footballer in the world (according to FIFA's Player of the Year award) is also the best paid. This marks the first time a footballer has ever had an income of over €70 million, and with Messi's contracts with sports-related giants like Adidas and EA Games it's perhaps no surprise the Argentine player is rolling in money.
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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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