Argentina striker Carlos Tevez once made more money in China than superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after a difficult start in Buenos Aires
Carlos Tevez once did something that few footballers have done: make more money than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Argentinian striker rose from humble beginnings to become one of the best players in the world. When he was signed by Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in December 2016, his annual salary was reported to be £34-38 million.
His £600,000-a-week contract reportedly makes him the highest-paid footballer in the world. He is said to earn more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi earned during their primes at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, although he has refused to confirm how much he is paid.
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“After my last game, I didn’t mention anything to the local media about my salary in China,” Tevez said at the time. “You shouldn’t tell everyone about salary, it’s out of respect for your teammates. My salary is not as high as the legend says, but out of respect for my teammates, I won’t tell you what to do.” “Very much.”
Tevez only played 16 games for the Chinese club, scoring 4 goals in two seasons, and then returned to Argentina for the third and final time to play for Boca Juniors. Returning to his home country, he returned to his roots, where he endured a tough upbringing and earned millions during a stellar career.
Before coming to China, Tevez spoke candidly about his childhood and growing up environment. He told The Weekly: “If people haven’t been through what I’ve been through, it’s hard to get them to understand what life is like, so people can live it how they want.
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“You can’t get into other people’s heads and tell them ‘Look, I’ve been through some tough times’. It’s impossible to explain everything the streets have taught me – and that’s quite a lot.
“My whole childhood was difficult. I lived in a place where drugs and murder were part of everyday life. Even at a young age, going through difficult things means you grow up very quickly.
“I think it empowers everyone to choose their own path and not just accept the path others have taken before you. I never condoned drugs or murder and I was lucky enough to be able to make that choice.”
Tevez retired in 2022 after a spell in the Premier League. Tevez spent the first four years of his career at Boca Juniors before spending two years at Corinthians before signing for West Ham United.
He was subsequently loaned to Manchester United and controversially chose to sign with Manchester City in 2009, angering fans. Tevez enjoyed his greatest success at Manchester City, spending the next four seasons at the club before signing a three-year contract with Juventus in 2013.
Tevez then spent the final seasons of his career in China and Argentina before hanging up his boots last year. Since then, the striker has been coaching Independiente, one of Argentina’s biggest and most successful clubs.