Sports
10 Highest-Paid Players in World Football [2025]
Money in football has always been a controversial subject. Do footballers get paid too much in relation to other occupations that are, arguably, more important in society? Of course, it’s not the footballers’ fault themselves. If they’re offered crazy wages, they’re not exactly going to turn it down and are entitled to attempt to earn as much money as possible during their relatively short careers.
But following the boom of the sport in Saudi Arabia, the wages we’re currently witnessing have truly spiralled out of control. It’s now almost inconceivable how much money footballers are actually earning. With that in mind, who are the 10 highest-paid players in world football right now?
It’s often hard to pinpoint exactly how much footballers are being paid because contracts come in all shapes and sizes and include various bonuses, revenue shares and clauses. But to give a more well-rounded account of just how lavishly the top footballers live in 2025, on-field and off-field income have been reviewed by Forbes – the amount they’re paid each year from their club in question, alongside sponsorships and brand deals have been analysed. Some figures may give you quite a shock. Strap in, grab your popcorn and, without further ado, let’s get stuck in.
10
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
£32m per year
Since exploding onto the scene with Barcelona in 2023 as a 15-year-old, Yamal has helped Spain win the Euro 2024 tournament and last season returned Barcelona to the top of the table in La Liga. The club quickly rewarded him, signing the young winger in May to a contract that runs until 2031. Two months later, the Catalan club bequeathed its iconic No. 10 shirt – worn by greats such as Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi – to him.
Only 18 years old, it speaks volumes of just how good he is already that none of his achievements up until this point have a shock factor attached to them anymore – it’s just what he does. He is also starting to translate the momentum into opportunities off the pitch, recently adding Beats by Dre to a sponsor portfolio that already included Adidas, Konami and Powerade and trademarking his “304” celebration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, with an eye on selling branded merchandise.
|
Lamine Yamal’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£3,652 |
|
Per Day |
£87,671 |
|
Per Week |
£592,500 |
|
Per Month |
£2,660,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£7.5m |
|
Per year on-field |
£24.5m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£32m |
9
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
£32.7m per year
Raking in a cool £605,000 every seven days is Jude Bellingham. Arguably England’s most influential midfielder alongside Declan Rice, the 22-year-old has cemented his status as one of the world’s best since becoming the creative heartbeat of Real Madrid following his move from Borussia Dortmund two summers ago.
Although questions have been raised about his attitude – most notably when he was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest international squad – he remains a highly marketable figure, attracting numerous brand deals. Should he continue winning trophies and manage to iron out his temperament, his weekly earnings are only likely to rise even further, and the sky probably isn’t his limit.
|
Jude Bellingham’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£3,732 |
|
Per Day |
£89,589 |
|
Per Week |
£605,000 |
|
Per Month |
£2,725,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£11.2m |
|
Per year on-field |
£21.5m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£32.7m |
8
Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr)
£40 million per year
In 2014, Sadio Mane arrived in the Premier League when Southampton signed him from Red Bull Salzburg, and it didn’t take long for the winger to show off his incredible talent, scoring 25 goals in two seasons, including the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history.
He joined Liverpool in 2016 for a fee worth £34 million – and it proved to be an incredible piece of business for the club. Mane went on to become one of the best and most exciting attackers in world football, ending his Liverpool career with 120 goals in 269 appearances. He helped the club become the best in Europe, reaching three Champions League finals and winning one of them.
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In 2022, he joined Bayern Munich, but the move didn’t exactly go to plan. Injuries and teammate disagreements plagued his career in Bavaria, and he was allowed to leave after just 12 months. Al-Nassr capitalised and announced the signing of Mane on a huge contract in 2023, one that sees him earn £40 million on a yearly basis alongside his bonuses.
|
Sadio Mane’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£4,566 |
|
Per Day |
£109,589 |
|
Per Week |
£740,700 |
|
Per Month |
£3,300,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£3m |
|
Per year on-field |
£37m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£40m |
7
Mo Salah (Liverpool)
£40.9m per year
Salah’s star power shines beyond the Premier League, reaching across North Africa and the Middle East, making him highly sought after by brands in the region. He has partnered with major companies like Vodafone, Mountain View Egypt, Pepsi, and Adidas, among others, and commands a massive following of nearly 100 million across Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
The immensely talented right-winger has been a talismanic figure for the Reds in recent years, claiming a Champions League crown, Premier League title, FA Cup, two League Cups, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup during his time at Anfield. Last season, he won his second Premier League title, becoming the first player to win that, alongside the Golden Boot, Playmaker Award, and PFA Player of the Year.
His salary reflects royalty, and rightly so for one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s illustrious history, after having signed a two-year extension at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
|
Mo Salah’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£4,668 |
|
Per Day |
£112,054 |
|
Per Week |
£757,407 |
|
Per Month |
£3,408,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£14.9m |
|
Per year on-field |
£26m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£40.9m |
6
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
£44m per year
Vinicius Junior has been with Real Madrid since he was 18, and in that time he has become an electric scorer, netting 101 goals in 295 matches in all competitions with the club. He has also become an extremely marketable figure, immensely popular in Latin America. The Brazilian has 11 brand deals—including Sony’s PlayStation, Pepsi and Clear shampoo – supplementing an on-field contract he quietly signed in 2022 that ties him to Los Blancos until 2027.
This year, he is expected to help Xabi Alonso’s side see a noticeable resurgenace, and so, for that reason, it wouldn’t be any surprise that his yearly pay package of £42m continues to surge, leaving his rivals behind.
|
Vinicius Junior’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£5,022 |
|
Per Day |
£120,547 |
|
Per Week |
£846,153 |
|
Per Month |
£3,666,666 |
|
Per year off-field |
£12m |
|
Per year on-field |
£32m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£44m |
5
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
£59m per year
Erling Haaland has to go down as one of the best strikers in world football for one reason. He’s the best at putting the ball in the back of the opponent’s net. The Norwegian has set the world alight ever since he graced the Premier League with his presence. He smashed the goalscoring record for a single season, scoring 36 times in only 35 appearances during his debut campaign in the competition.
This frightening feat then carried over into the next season, and he continues to be a defender’s worst nightmare in 2025. For that reason alone, he’s fully deserving of his £59m annual take home. But while his off-field bursaries are still relatively small compared to other players, this is certainly bound to change for the Premier League’s highest earner.
|
Erling Haaland’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£6,735 |
|
Per Day |
£161,164 |
|
Per Week |
£1,092,444 |
|
Per Month |
£4,916,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£14.89m |
|
Per year on-field |
£44.6m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£59m |
4
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
£70 million per year
Kylian Mbappe burst onto the scene at Monaco during the 2016/17 season as a youngster, scoring 26 goals as a teenager. It led to Paris Saint-Germain loaning the striker ahead of a permanent deal worth €145 million plus €35 million in add-ons.
The striker had been at the Parc des Princes for six seasons but completed his inevitable move to Real Madrid during last summer after scoring 212 goals in 260 appearances in all competitions for the French giants. In 2023, following Mbappe expressing his desire not to renew his existing contract with PSG, the club accepted a €300m bid from Al-Hilal, who reportedly were prepared to offer him an eye-watering €200m-a-year salary. However, Mbappe rejected the deal.
Now plying his trade for the Champions League greats, Paris-born Mbappe is the Spanish top division’s second-highest earner on £505,000 a week. In turn, the talismanic Frenchman will earn a whopping £56m every year for the entirety of his five-year contract, while off-field riches boost that sum up to £70m every 12 months.
|
Kylian Mbappe’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£7,990 |
|
Per Day |
£191,780 |
|
Per Week |
£1,296,200 |
|
Per Month |
£5,830,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£18m |
|
Per year on-field |
£52m |
|
Per Year (total) |
£70m |
3
Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)
£77 million per year
After 14 unbelievable seasons at Real Madrid where he scored 354 goals, Karim Benzema decided to call an end to his time at the Bernabeu for the increasingly growing riches of Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023. Having endured playing in the shadows of Ronaldo in the Spanish top flight, it is, perhaps, much the same in the Middle East given that his former teammate has, too, made the switch to the Saudi Pro League.
Now at the age of 37, you can’t exactly blame the French striker for wanting a final payday before calling time on his illustrious career. And what a payday it is, picking up a fine £83 million annual payout at Al-Ittihad, which equates to a hefty £9,474 every hour of the day. He may not have settled very well at his new club, with supporters giving the centre forward a harsh nickname, but the crazy money he is on will certainly help to soften the blow, with him recently adding a new supercar to his garage as well – perhaps as a therapy purchase.
|
Karim Benzema’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£8,789 |
|
Per Day |
£210,095 |
|
Per Week |
£1,425,925 |
|
Per Month |
£6,416,666 |
|
Per year off-field |
£3m |
|
Per year on-field |
£74m |
|
Per year (total) |
£77m |
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2
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
£96.7 million per year
Just a few months after leading Argentina to its 16th Copa America title – the second of his career – Lionel Messi helped Inter Miami secure its first-ever championship. The South Florida franchise accumulated an MLS-best 74 points but then suffered a shock loss in the first round of the MLS playoffs.
Regardless of that, Messi’s time in Miami has been a success so far. He’s since signed through 2025 with an option for 2026, and Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas expressed to Forbes in April that he’s “highly confident” Messi will return. Off the pitch, Messi has built an impressive portfolio of partnerships, including deals with Adidas, Apple TV, and Konami, and has more than 500 million Instagram followers. As the player most universally named the ‘Greatest of all Time’, he is fully deserving of his off-field riches.
|
Lionel Messi’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£11,038 |
|
Per Day |
£264,931 |
|
Per Week |
£1,790,740 |
|
Per Month |
£8,058,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£52m |
|
Per year on-field |
£44.6m |
|
Per year (total) |
£96.7m |
1
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
£208 million per year
Cristiano Ronaldo is, quite easily, one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. The Portuguese talisman was the first high-profile star to make the move to Saudi Arabia before everyone else followed, so it’s fair to say that he is a trailblazer. After a failed second spell at Manchester United, Ronaldo made the untrodden move to Saudi Arabia and Al-Nassr.
Like other footballers, his basic wage is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of his total earnings, with his monthly take home much, much more thanks to an array of financial avenues. With a social media following in excess of 900 million across Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), Ronaldo is the most popular athlete on the planet, and his online presence recently got even bigger with the launch of a YouTube channel in August, helping him rake in just under £50m a year without kicking a ball. His net worth right now is estimated to be around £500 million, while he earns a mouth-watering £228m on a yearly basis.
|
Cristiano Ronaldo’s income breakdown |
|
|---|---|
|
Per Hour |
£23,074 |
|
Per Day |
£569,863 |
|
Per Week |
£3,851,000 |
|
Per Month |
£17,330,000 |
|
Per year off-field |
£37m |
|
Per year on-field |
£171m |
|
Per year (total) |
£208m |
All wage figures per Forbes (correct as of 17/10/2025).
With the 2025/26 season drawn to an end with Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final win, clubs will already be focusing on what they can achieve in Europe next term. After winning the Europa League, Aston Villa will compete in the top competition, while fellow English side Crystal Palace will also move up a tier thanks to their Europa Conference League triumph.
In that competition, a single goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta was enough to see the Eagles lift the trophy, beating Spanish side Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the final. However, drama has now hit the Conference League ahead of the 2026/27 season, with one club already being banned.
Indeed, Azerbaijani team PFK Turan Tovuz have immediately been kicked out of the competition, consequently releasing a strong statement as they addressed the UEFA sanction.
PFK Turan Tovuz Banned From Conference League
PFK Turan Tovuz have not competed in European competition since the 1994-95 campaign but looked set to take part in the 2026/27 Conference League – alongside the likes of Ajax, Brighton and Atalanta – having finished third in the Azerbaijan Premier League last season. However, this now looks set to change.
The club based in Tovuz have been barred from participating in the competition following a ruling by European football’s governing body, UEFA. The issue is said to relate to historical match-fixing, with UEFA Article 4.01(g) of the Conference League regulations stating that a club’s ineligibility may be based on “being directly and/or indirectly involved in activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level.”
The club have now claimed that the ban is directly related to a disciplinary matter from seven years ago, which resulted in the nation’s football federation (AFFA) banning seven players – Gojayev Sanan, Rustamov Misir, Baghirov Emin, Sadigov Ilkin, Mammadov Rufət, Taghiyev Eltay and Guluzadeh Shahin – from all football-related activities.
PFK Turan Tovuz Share Strong Statement as They Plan to Appeal
PFK Turan Tovuz shared a strong statement claiming that they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and intend to make ‘no changes’ to their preparation plans for the tournament next season.
They also claimed the ban is directly related to a disciplinary matter from seven years ago, which resulted in the nation’s football federation (AFFA) banning seven players – Gojayev Sanan, Rustamov Misir, Baghirov Emin, Sadigov Ilkin, Mammadov Rufət, Taghiyev Eltay and Guluzadeh Shahin – from all football-related activities.
In full, the statement from PFK Turan Tovuz read:
“In the 2025/2026 season, we finished the season in 3rd place, following all sporting principles, and earned the right to play in the Conference League, which we are entitled to. The UEFA Disciplinary Committee conducted an investigation into whether our club met the criteria. The decision of the AFFA Disciplinary Committee dated December 13, 2019.
“It should be noted that the AFFA Disciplinary Committee banned seven players from our team, who played in the I Division in the 2019-2020 season, from all football-related activities.
“We would like to announce that our club will take all legal steps from today and will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to change the decision and ensure our participation in the Conference League, where we qualified, while maintaining all sporting principles.
“We would also like to inform you that there are no changes to our preparation plans for the Conference League. This month, the team members will gather and go to Turkey for a training camp.”
Manchester United will be eager to hit the ground running in 2026/26 after defying expectations with a third-place finish in the 2025/26 Premier League. The Red Devils were the best of the rest behind Arsenal and Manchester City last season, but it is clear from early cup exits that their squad requires a boost if they are to mount a serious challenge on any front in the upcoming campaign.
With Senne Lammens doing an impressive job between the posts, goalkeeper is no longer a problem area, but the midfield and defence could certainly do with some improvement, especially if Man Utd wish to concede fewer than the 50 goals they shipped in the league last term.
The likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko joined last season and shared the goal-scoring load, but a little more incision in the final third would go a long way towards making Michael Carrick’s side a truly dangerous prospect.
Ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, GIVEMESPORT brings you every new signing and departure from Old Trafford.
New Man Utd Signings 2026/27
|
Player |
Nationality |
Previous Club |
Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
– |
– |
– |
– |
The Red Devils are believed to be pursuing a deal for Brazil international midfielder Ederson, with Atalanta expecting a fee of around £40 million for the services of their star player.
Cristian Orozco, the highly regarded Colombian teen who has been touted as ‘the next Casemiro, is set to join the club in July from Fortaleza.
Meanwhile, Moussa Diaby is rumoured to be a target for the club as they seek to enhance their attacking options.
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Man Utd Departures 2026/27
|
Player |
Nationality |
New Club |
Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rasmus Hojlund |
Denmark |
Napoli |
£43 million |
|
Casemiro |
Brazil |
Released |
N/A |
|
Tyrell Malacia |
Netherlands |
Released |
N/A |
The first official departure from Manchester United in the summer of 2026 was Rasmus Hojlund, who joins Napoli on a permanent deal. The Denmark international had been on loan with the Partenopei and their qualification for the Champions League triggered the completion of a full transfer worth £43 million.
Legendary Brazilian midfielder Casemiro left the club at the end of the season following the end of his contract, meaning he headed to the World Cup as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s Selecao with one eye on securing a new club after the tournament.
Tyrell Malacia also exited Old Trafford this summer, bringing an end to an injury-plagued four-year spell with the Red Devils.
Useful links
The 2026 Formula One season rolls into the ‘jewel in the crown’ this weekend at Monaco, for the first European race of the season. The legendary Monaco circuit brings a huge challenge for the drivers with 78 laps of racing on a tight and twisty circuit with the barriers never being far away.
The Monaco circuit consists of 19 corners with minimal overtaking opportunities, with only short straights and no straight mode zones, meaning drivers will not get additional power to assist with overtakes. The circuit could be well suited to the Ferrari car, which has looked good in slow speed sections so far. They aim to stop Mercedes‘ 100% winning record in proper races this season.
Kimi Antonelli comes into the race with a big 43-point lead over teammate George Russell after securing his fourth win in succession at the Canadian Grand Prix, but where will he finish this weekend?
We have asked the Supercomputer to predict who it thinks will come out on top.
|
Monaco GP predicted by Supercomputer (22-11) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Driver |
Team |
|
22. |
Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin |
|
21. |
Valtteri Bottas |
Cadillac |
|
20. |
Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin |
|
19. |
Sergio Perez |
Cadillac |
|
18. |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Audi |
|
17. |
Arvid Lindblad |
Racing Bulls |
|
16. |
Gabriel Bortoleto |
Audi |
|
15. |
Esteban Ocon |
Haas |
|
14. |
Alex Albon |
Williams |
|
13. |
Carlos Sainz |
Williams |
|
12. |
Liam Lawson |
Racing Bulls |
|
11. |
Isack Hadjar |
Red Bull |
10
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
Alpine have had a strong start to the season which they will be looking to build upon. Argentine Colapinto picked up a sixth-place finish in Canada last time out and the Supercomputer predicts him to get another points finish this weekend in Monaco.
9
Oliver Bearman
Haas
Bearman has been one of the standout drivers this season so far, sitting in ninth position in the Drivers’ Championship with 18 points. He is predicted to get his tally up to 20 points, picking up a couple more this weekend for the Haas team.
8
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
Four-time champion Max Verstappen comes into the Monaco Grand Prix on a high off the back of his first podium of the season in Canada. It is predicted, however, that Red Bull will have a difficult weekend, with their car struggling with issues on bumpy tracks, something which the Monaco circuit is, which will dent any chance the Dutchman has of recreating his Canada exploits.
7
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
Frenchman Pierre Gasly is another driver who has enjoyed a strong start to the 2026 season. He has been a consistent point scorer so far and this is not likely to change, according to the Supercomputer’s predictions.
6
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
McLaren will have to shake off the disappointments from Canada, where a strategy error, which put them on intermediate tyres instead of slicks at the start, derailed their weekend completely. Piastri later had contact with Albon in the race before trundling to an 11th-place finish. The Supercomputer believes the Australian will, however, bounce back with a solid sixth-place finish and put some good points on the board.
5
Lando Norris
McLaren
Next comes Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris. Also suffering from the strategy blunder, his race came to an end on lap 38 due to a gearbox issue. The current champion won last year in Monaco, but has a far inferior car compared to the last visit to the principality. The Supercomputer predicts the Brit to come home in fifth place this Sunday.
4
George Russell
Mercedes
Following the perfect start in Australia in the season opener, Russell’s season has since gone a bit off script. The Brit has been outshone by teenage teammate Kimi Antonelli and suffered a mechanical failure while leading in Canada last time out, seeing him plummet to 43 points behind the Italian in the championship. The Supercomputer predicts Russell will finish P4 this weekend, further losing ground in the championship battle.
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3
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will come into Monaco full of confidence following a second-place finish in Canada. With a strong Ferrari car behind him, he will be in the fight for victory this weekend. He is a three-time winner at this venue and will look to use his experience to propel himself further up the order. The Supercomputer believes he will fall just short of the victory and will come home in third.
2
Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
The 19-year-old Italian wonderkid has set the F1 season alight so far, winning four of the opening five races. He is full of confidence, with both himself and his car firing on all cylinders. The Italian has a great chance of victory this weekend and making it five on the bounce. Despite this, the Supercomputer predicts he will narrowly miss out on victory, but will still extend his lead in the championship by another six points.
1
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
Hometown hero Charles Leclerc comes into the weekend trying to recreate the heroics from his emotional victory here in 2024. Having grown up in the streets of Monaco, there is nobody on the grid who knows the track like the 28-year-old. This, and a circuit that suits the Ferrari car, will combine the perfect mix to set Leclerc on his way to victory, giving us a non-Mercedes race winner for the first time this season. Not a bad way to celebrate a new contract, either.
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