Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Players in the World

Notably, Messi’s earnings have risen by 9 million euros since the last year and the amount of advertisements and sponsors he gets, will only keep increasing now...

- Bhavesh Bhimani

That football is the most popular sports in the world is well-known. Few sports polarize fans like football does. What drives the fans more towards the game is rooting for the several stars the game produces regularly. These stars – their fanfare and their style of play –are what makes football so fascinating and exciting to watch.

The insane amount of money that the top football players of the world earn is also another topic that comes in for serious discussions among football fanatics. They have now been given another reason to discuss and debate. A French football magazine recently came out with a report where it listed the highest-paid footballers in the world. The list has some big names of the sport and also differs slightly from some of the other lists out in the open. One thing to note here is that this list estimates the earnings of the players based on their pre-tax salaries, sponsorship revenues and various bonuses.

LIONEL MESSI 

The greatest soccer player in the world. The man who can set the hearts of many a football fan flowing. The holder of five FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, Messi is said to earn a whopping 74 m euros (Rs. 558 crore) annually. The Argentina and Barcelona striker is easily one of the most sought after players in the world and his current form has been absolutely splendid. In the 2015-16 season the 28-year-old has scored 32 goals and is looking good for many more in the months to come. In fact, this year may well be one of the best that Messi has had in a long time given the form he has been displaying of late. Notably, Messi’s earnings have risen by 9 million euros since the last year and the amount of advertisements and sponsors he gets, among the countless he already has, will only keep increasing now.

CRISTIANO RONALDO