“Forbes” has released its latest ranking of the world’s highest-paid football players in 2023, in which good news for the Arab world appears in the main position.The magazine specializes in covering the business world Cristiano Ronaldo in first place earns almost twice as much as Lionel Messi in second place. The top three are completed by Brazilian Neymar.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the man who finally started the flow of elite footballers to the Saudi Arabian league, leaving Manchester United at the start of the year to settle in Al Nassr. The doors he opened brought him mountains of money and profits: It is estimated that his total income in a year is $260 million.
The Portuguese is followed by Lionel Messi, who moved to Inter Miami from PSG in the middle of the year, with a contract that includes involvement as a major sponsor of MLS . According to Forbes, The captain of the national team earns 135 million from various concepts And became the first American League player to enter the top ten since David Beckham in 2012.
One current sign is that almost none of the players in the top five are playing in Europe. This is Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain, who finally received the support of the Arab world and rose from first to fourth place with an income of 110 million.
In this way, apart from Messi and the Frenchman, the other three highest-paid players are active in the Saudi Professional League. Neymar from Al Hilal ranked third with a salary of 112 million, and Karim Benzema from Al Etihad ranked fifth with a salary of 106 million. annual profit.
It is important to remember that in preparing this ranking, Forbes took into account the total income earned by footballers both on and off the field: in addition to their contracts with clubs and their terms, image rights agreements, and estimated earnings. They make money through non-football activities.
According to Deloitte statistics, Saudi League clubs spent nearly $1 billion in the last transfer market to introduce 94 foreign players. Four in the top 10 (the other is Sadio Mane) account for more than half of the 2023 total: The 11 highest-paid football players are estimated to have earned around $995 million this seasonan increase of 53% from last year’s list.
The world’s highest paid football players
1-Cristiano Ronaldo ($260 million).
2-Lionel Messi ($135 million).
3-Neymar ($112 million).
4-Kylian Mbappe ($110 million).
5-Karim Benzema ($106 million).
6-Erling Haaland (58 million).
7-Mohamed Salah (53 million).
8-Sadio Mane (52 million)
9-Kevin De Bruyne (39 million).
10-Harry Kane (36 million).
11-Robert Lewandowski (34 million).