It’s no secret that soccer is one of the most beloved sports in the world, and, in turn, has some of the most beloved athletes. This popularity can bring them many benefits and particularly make them extremely wealthy. There are many ways for soccer players to make thousands of dollars every week beyond their playing salary. In fact, they can make money from their marketing sponsorships, and bonuses which can make their income extraordinary.
Highlights
- Europe has an estimated market size of $28.9b USD
- The cost of English Premier League TV and streaming rights alone has risen almost 8% to 9.2 billion pounds ($12 billion) for the next three seasons (2020-2022).
French publication L’Equipe has published its annual report of the current richest soccer players in the world. Now the question is which footballers are currently the richest in the world and who will be the richest soccer player in 2020? Find out!
He is an Uruguayan soccer player who is currently the striker for the Spanish side Barcelona. He is known for receiving one of the highest transfer commissions in football history. Barcelona paid 82.3 million euros for him to join the team. He currently receives $ 20.1 million in salaries and bonuses from the team. Luis Suarez signed with Puma this year after dropping his former shoe sponsor Adidas. While undoubtedly talented, Suarez is not without controversy. He is known to bite other players and feign injuries during games.
This French-born soccer player is currently playing as a forward for Barcelona after being transferred from the Spanish side Atletico de Madrid in 2019. Barcelona paid $ 133 million for Antoine Griezmann’s transfer, which is the fourth highest transfer fee any team has paid for a player. He receives $ 23.2 million in salaries and bonuses. Griezmann has boasted sponsorship with Puma, Huawei and also serves as a brand ambassador for Head and Shoulders Shampoo and Gillette.
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior was born in Brazil and is now known as one of the world’s best soccer players. It is best known for its costly transfers when Paris Saint-Germain paid Barcelona $ 263 million to acquire him. It remains the most expensive transfer in the history of the sport. The Brazilian forward works with global sponsors, including McDonald’s, Nike and Red Bull. He was the first footballer to have his own Air Jordan Swoosh.
Despite growing up in a humble home in Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo is now one of the world’s highest-paid athletes. He is often referred to as one of the best footballers of all time. In 2009, Ronaldo was transferred from Manchester United to Real Madrid, paying the highest transfer fee in history to date. He also has a lifetime deal with Nike, Herbalife, EA Sports and American Tourister.
Lionel Andres Messi is an Argentine soccer player. He is not only the highest-paid soccer player but also the highest-paid athlete in the world. Known as one of FC Barcelona star players, the Argentine player signed a new four-year contract with the team in 2017. In addition, he has an interesting income from sponsorship deals such as a lifetime deal with Adidas, Pepsi and Huawei.
