The American Magazine Forbes, a heavyweight in the world of business and finance, made the accounts and prepared a top 10 of the best paid professional players in the world.
Collectively, the players in question will raise an amazing sum of 585 million dollars in profits before taxes this season, which represents an increase with respect to the $ 570 million last year.
There are no awards to guess who are the two players who head the list, since the old rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo return to be the best paid.
However, the great news is that Cristiano has recovered the number 1 position that was in hands Messi after the tumultuous pass from the Argentine to Paris Saint-Germain this boreal summer, which ended his 21-year-old association with Barcelona.
Cristiano, on the other hand, has given his own blow with an emotional return to Manchester United.The venerable prodigal son returned to Old Trafford after about 12 years of absence.
To make his list, Forbes spoke with clubs, agents and sponsors to obtain the data.Although the value of the passes is not included, the income shown consists of the salaries of the players for the 2021-22 season, as well as the contractual premiums and the income from commercial guarantees.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Age: 36 years
Total income: $ 125 million
As in the field of play, Cristiano does not give signals of deceleration on the commercial front, having established himself as the most popular athlete in the world, at least in terms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter followers.In fact, the superstar commands a huge social media battalion with more than 500 million devotees worldwide.
With his great return to Manchester United, Cristiano receives a salary of $ 70 million, and his profits are complemented by valuable commercial associations with companies such as Nike, Herbalife and the Clear shampoo, as well as for its wide portfolio of products with the CR7 brand,ranging from underwear to hotels.
Only three active athletes earn more money commercially per year than Cristiano: Roger Federer ($ 90 million), LeBron James ($ 65 million) and Tiger Woods ($ 60 million).
2. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 34 years
Total income: $ 110 million
After leading the list last year, Messi has remained behind Cristiano in second place after a vertiginous summer.
It is said that his colossal income in Barcelona was the catalyst that promoted his rapid departure from his childhood club, and Messi accepted an important salary reduction to sign with PSG in August.
However, we must not fear, since the Argentine will continue to charge a salary of $ 75 million, complemented for about $ 35 million in commercial sponsorships of Adidas and Pepsi, among other brands.
3. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 29 years
Total income: $ 95 million
Again in third place, Neymar renewed for four years with PSG this year, which will allow him to stay in the Ligue 1 to 2025.
Then, as if the Parisians no longer have one of the most powerful (and faces) attack lines of world football, Messi added to the equation.
Neymar is also the third most often on social networks with 284 million followers in its various channels and platforms, including the application for sharing videos called Triller, with which the striker signed an exclusive content agreement in November last year.
4. Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain)
Age: 22 years
Total income: $ 43 million
Mbappé, the third mega star of PSG that appears in the top four, is also the youngest on the list, and with enough margin.
The young French international is in the last year of his contract with the Parisian club and rejected a renewal at the beginning of the year, which indicates that he could go out to look for a new challenge in 2022-23.
Since Real Madrid would be extremely interested in ensuring its signing at the end of this campaign, it is possible that Mbappé will rise one or two steps on the Forbes list in due time.
5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Age: 29 years
Total income: $ 41 million
Salah, the only representative of the Premier League, completes the top 5 very similar to last year.
The prolific Egyptian striker turned out to be a tremendous success since he arrived in Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, surpassing the 20 goals barrier in all campaigns and playing a fundamental role in the achievement of both the Champions League and a historicLeague title
Salah also collaborated with the long -date commercial sponsor Vodafone in February 2020 to become a UN ambassador to a program that supports the digital learning of refugees in their country.
6. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Age: 33 years
Total income: $ 35 million
Bayern striker does not stop improving with age, and since he turned 30 he has starred in several of the most prolific seasons, full of goals, records and successes of his career.
Among a battery of individual and collective honors, Lewandowski was named Best Bayern player in the 2019-20 season, in addition to being a crowned German soccer player of the year twice consecutive in 2020 and 2021.
And the Polish International became the first Bundesliga player to find the network in 13 consecutive games, included in a 19 games scoring streak that dates back to February, the last time he did not score with his club.
In addition, he presides over several companies, including their personal brands of clothing and coffee RL9.
7. Andrés Iniesta (Vissel Kobe)
Age: 37
Total income: $ 35m
Challenging his age, the veteran midfielder Iniesta made a surprise return to the list after closing a lucrative contract extension for two years with the Japanese club, Vissel Kobe, in May - an agreement that was formally announced the day that the Spaniard fulfilled 37years.
Having passed to the J-League in 2018, a former master of Barcelona will now be contractually compromised with Vissel until 2023, at which time he will be close to completing the 40.
8. Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Age: 28
Total income: $ 34m
Pogba may have fallen three places on the Forbes list in the period of one year, but their income has not been modified, nailed to the $ 34m while others have exceeded it.
The future of the French extravagant in United remains uncertain, but it is suggested that after a stub of high profile incorporations in Old Trafford (including Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane), Pogba is now considering a contract extension to stay.
9. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Age: 32
Total income: $ 32 million
Previously in exile, Bale has now returned with Real Madrid having previously seen disadvantage, to the point of being forced to return to Tottenham as a loan for the 2020-21 campaign.
Once (although briefly) the most expensive player on the planet, the Welshman has already had three appearances in the league so far this season, even scoring his first goal with the whites in almost two years when he found the background of the networkAgainst Levante last month.
10. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid)
Age: 30
Total income: $ 29 million
It may be a surprise to see Hazard within the Top 10 taking into account the bad streak that the Belgian has crossed during the last two seasons - two campaigns in which he was out of 59 games.
In fact, since it went to Real Madrid leaving Chelsea for € 100m in 2019, Hazard has only had 48 appearances in all competitions, scoring just five goals, and all due to an annoying injury and lack of physical state.
It is rumored that Real wants to get rid of Hazard and his large salary as soon as possible, which could affect his position in this list in 2022-23.
Those who were out of the top 10
Two players who appeared in this list last season but have been exceeded by others.Antoine Griezmann - at that time with Barcelona and now back with Atlético Madrid he had seventh place and the goalkeeper of Man United, David de Gea, had stayed with the number ten.
