Football (or soccer) is the most popular sport in the entire world, with over 3.5 billion fans globally. The best players are talented athletes who can run for miles, dribble the ball with amazing skill, and score incredible goals.
Because so many people love watching football, the elite superstars at the very top can make huge amounts of money with every move. Let’s take a look at the 10 highest paid soccer players in 2024:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) – $200 million per year
At 39 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest paid soccer player on the planet in 2024. The Portuguese legend left Manchester United in 2023 to join the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on an astronomical contract paying him $200 million per year! That means Ronaldo makes over $500,000 every single day just from his salary. His earnings from endorsements and business deals likely add tens of millions more on top of that ginormous paycheck.
Neymar Jr (Al Hilal) – $110 million per year
Brazilian star Neymar Jr made headlines around the world in 2023 when he departed Paris Saint-Germain to join the Saudi club Al Hilal. His new deal pays him an eye-watering $110 million salary for the year, making him the highest paid soccer player of all-time behind only Ronaldo.
On top of that insane wage, Neymar will collect many more millions from his endorsement deals with major brands. The 31-year-old is enjoying a lavish lifestyle in Saudi Arabia, with Al Hilal providing him a private jet, a fleet of luxurious supercars, and a massive mansion.
Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – $105 million per year
French striker Karim Benzema left his long-time club Real Madrid in 2023 to sign with Saudi team Al-Ittihad on a $105 million per year contract. For years, Benzema was overshadowed by Ronaldo at Real Madrid, but now the 35-year-old has an individual paycheck fitting for an elite superstar player.
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – $76 million per year
When Kylian Mbappe re-signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, he became the highest paid player in the world at the time on around $100 million per year in total compensation. Though Saudi Arabian clubs have now surpassed him in wages, the 24-year-old French superstar still earns a base salary of $76 million per year just from PSG.
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) – $60 million per year
For the legendary Lionel Messi, money is no longer the top priority. The Argentine superstar left PSG in 2023 after his historic World Cup Win in Qatar, to join Inter Miami in the MLS, linking up with co-owner David Beckham. While taking a pay cut from his previous massive PSG wages, Messi still earns a staggering $60 million per year in salary with Inter Miami – by far the most lucrative contract in Major League Soccer history.
Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli) – $55 million per year
After winning the Premier League in a stunning underdog story with Leicester City in 2016, Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez moved to Manchester City where he won many more trophies. In 2023, Mahrez became the latest Premier League star to cash in with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, joining Al Ahli on a yearly salary of $55 million. The 32-year-old earned a big raise from the roughly $15 million he made at Manchester City.
Sadio Mane (Al Nassr) – $42 million per year
Senegalese forward Sadio Mane spent six very successful years at Liverpool, winning the Premier League, Champions League, and many other honors. In 2023, the 31-year-old departed for Saudi Arabia to join Al Nassr on a contract worth around $42 million per season. At Al Nassr, Mane has formed an elite strike partnership with his former on-field rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jordan Henderson (Al Ettifaq) – $41 million per year
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson joined the club Al Ettifaq on a deal making him the highest paid English player in history at $41 million per year. The 33-year-old’s move caused some controversy, as Henderson had previously voiced support for a few causes had conflict with Saudi Arabia’s laws and policies. Nonetheless, the lucrative contract proved too difficult for Henderson to turn down.
It will be fascinating to see how soccer’s financial landscape continues evolving in the coming years. One potential solution for players to securely collect and preserve their incredible salaries could be cryptocurrency and digital assets, looking for that bitcoin loophole!
Rather than trying to physically store hundreds of millions of dollars worth of fiat currency, athletes could use crypto like Bitcoin as a stable digital store of value resistant to inflation and fees. Sending and receiving crypto payments via online platforms like bitcoin loophole is also more private than traditional bank transfers.
In Conclusion
While crypto is still a niche in the sports world, it may become more mainstream for player salaries and earnings as the scale continues growing. For the billionaire ballers of soccer, exploring crypto could be a wise way to protect and invest their generational wealth.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.