Paolo Maldini is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders in football history. The Italian Rolls-Royce experienced almost everything the beautiful game could offer, with his illustrious career at AC Milan stretching across three decades.

After making his debut in 1984 and eventually retiring 25 years later in 2009, Maldini lifted five European Cups/Champions Leagues as well as seven Serie A titles. His European adventures, in particular, saw the versatile defender play at some of the biggest and best stadiums in world football.

Ahead of an AC Milan legends match in 2018, Maldini spoke highly of a famous British stadium. A side packed with some of the Serie A club’s greatest-ever stars travelled to Merseyside to face a Liverpool Legends XI.

Maldini on the ‘Honour’ of Playing at Anfield

The retired defender was preparing for the Legends’ fixture, which was due to be held the following year, when he said: “It’s a true honour to be part of this great match.”

Remembering the famous Champions League final in 2005 against Liverpool, the former left-back added: “Games against Liverpool have always been hard-fought battles until the very last minute.

Although the greatest European comeback of all time took place in Istanbul with Maldini on the losing side, the former Italy international did describe Anfield as a ‘special’ stadium. Reflecting on the extraordinary noise generated inside the ground, he said:

Maldini on AC Milan’s 2005 Champions League Heartbreak

Despite suffering a three-goal comeback in the second half of the 2005 clash with the Reds, Maldini is adamant that his side performed exceptionally well for most of the contest. According to GOAL, he lamented the brief 10-minute period in which the Italians lost control. He said in 2019:

Maldini himself opened the scoring inside the first minute before Hernan Crespo added two more goals late in the opening period. Steven Gerrard then led the English giants’ remarkable comeback, scoring a header before earning the penalty that brought the score level. The Reds ultimately held their nerve in the shootout, winning on penalties and securing a place in football history for that unforgettable match.

Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 23-08-26.

From the electric Kylian Mbappe to the dazzling Lamine Yamal, some of the very best players on the planet currently ply their trade in the Spanish top-flight. La Liga is home to incredibly talented superstars and even some of the front-runners for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

While there often appears to be more money floating about elsewhere, like in the Saudi Pro League and the Premier League, the top clubs in Spain aren’t shy about handing out lucrative contracts to attract and retain world-class talent either.

With Real Madrid and Barcelona players at the forefront of this list, there can be little surprise that the purse strings are often loosened as the biggest stars are tied down to extremely lucrative deals. With that in mind, below is a list of the 20 highest-paid players in La Liga right now.

10

Rodrygo–£273,800 p/w

When at his best, Rodrygo is among the best wingers in the world. He was just 18 when he turned up at Real Madrid, having established himself as the next big talent to emerge at Santos. Since then, the Brazilian has won three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice.

Although he might play second fiddle to the likes of Mbappe and Vinicius Junior (more on those two later), Rodrygo is still among the best-paid players in Spain, earning a hefty £273,800 p/w. Sadly, he suffered a torn ACL in March 2026 and might not play again until 2027.

9

Raphinha – £273,800 p/w

When he was just about saving Leeds United from relegation in 2022, few would have thought Raphinha was destined to prove himself as one of Barcelona’s most important players in the coming seasons. But that’s exactly what he has done in Spain.

The brilliant Brazilian can play across any of the front three attacking positions and works incredibly hard for the team, while still delivering moments of magic. This has seen him win three Spanish league titles, and he was even named La Liga Player of the Season in 2024/25. As such, it’s more than fair that he is so well-paid.

8

Federico Valverde – £273,800 p/w

In a team full of superstar midfielders, Federico Valverde has endeared himself to the Bernabeu faithful through his hard-working performances and his willingness to play anywhere asked of him. That’s not to suggest he lacks talent, far from it, as he’s now regarded as one of the best midfielders in the league.

The 28-year-old is well compensated for his efforts, too; walking away with close to £300,000 p/w. For a while, he was among the most underrated names in world football, but his club always recognised his value, and that’s well reflected by his handsome wages.

7

Nico Williams – £282,341 p/w

A rare non-Barcelona or Madrid star, Nico Williams has been rewarded for his loyalty to Athletic Bilbao. In 2025, amid strong links to the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal, he committed his future to the club, signing a mammoth 10-year contract worth £282,341 p/w.

For a player on such big wages, he doesn’t always deliver as many goals or assists as some would expect, but he’s still only 24 and could yet grow to become a little more consistent. Even so, when he’s on it, he’s amongst the best in the world. This was clear at Euro 2024, with Williams delivering a serious electric performance as Spain won the tournament.

6

Rodri – £329,300 p/w

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach via Action Images

After starring for Spain in their second World Cup triumph this summer, Rodri emerged as a target for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. He soon made a decision to join the Catalans and follow in the footsteps of one of his idols, Sergio Busquets.

Barca agreed on a £65 million deal with Manchester City to bring the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner to Camp Nou. According to SalaryLeaks, he has become the sixth highest-paid player in La Liga and the second-highest earner in Hansi Flick’s squad.

5

Jan Oblak – £342,127 p/w

Only the second player in the top 10 not to play for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. The Atletico Madrid icon had big shoes to fill when he was chosen to replace long-standing loanee Courtois in 2014. In the decade that followed, Jan Oblak showed himself to be one of the best number ones on the planet.

Interest in his services was commonplace. Despite that, Oblak stayed loyal to Diego Simeone and has been financially rewarded in return, now earning more than Courtois. Now 33, it will be interesting to see if Atletico offer him quite such a big salary when it comes time to renew in 2028.

4

Lamine Yamal – £342,127 p/w

Lamine Yamal has risen to be seen as one of the best players in world football and a strong contender to lift the 2026 Ballon d’Or at the age of just 19. The youngster has always been compared to Barcelona great Lionel Messi, but came out on top as Spain beat Argentina in the 2026 World Cup.

What’s more, Yamal is certainly being more handsomely rewarded than Messi was as a teenager, with the Spain international putting pen to paper on a new deal at the end of the 2024/25 season. He now rakes in £342,127 every week, a wage proportionate to his outstanding talent.

3

Jude Bellingham – £342,127 p/w

This figure is bound to increase in the years to come. In just three seasons in the Spanish capital, Jude Bellingham has established himself as arguably the most important player in Los Blancos’ superhero-like squad. The Englishman finished as the club’s top scorer in La Liga and was named the La Liga Player of the Season during his debut campaign in Spain.

Mbappe’s arrival meant that the 23-year-old fell a little out of the limelight, but his progress has also been hampered by a pesky shoulder injury which required surgery. Even so, the Englishman remains one of the best players on the planet, and proved that with his seven goals at the 2026 World Cup. Madrid will be relieved to have him tied down on a big wage until 2029.

2

Vinicius Jr – £513,273 p/w

In the case of Vinicius Jr, the Brazilian felt he deserved a much bigger contract, and he was finally convinced Real Madrid of that as well. After months of negotiations, and with Arsenal lurking in the background, Los Blancos upped their offer and the winger put pen to paper on a deal worth more than £500,000 p/w, according to Capology.

Vini is certainly one of the best players in the world currently and has scored in two Champions League finals, becoming one of Los Blancos’ most important attacking threats. With that in mind, it’s no surprise he wanted better terms, but he’s still not the best-paid footballer in the country.

1

Kylian Mbappe – £513,273 p/w

While Kylian Mbappe is purportedly earning the same as Vinicius per week, he is paid much more than his Madrid teammate in bonuses. He would have expected to be the highest-paid player in the Spanish top flight after finally securing his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Indeed, the French superstar is raking in more than half a million pounds each week, making him the highest-earning star in Spain.

The 27-year-old already has multiple French league titles and domestic cups to his name, as well as a World Cup triumph with his country. It was one of the biggest moves the modern game has seen as he swapped Paris for the famous white of Real Madrid. While goals have been no issue for Mbappe, trophies have been as he’s failed to win La Liga or the Champions League since. Even so, few would argue he’s overpaid.

All salaries in this article are courtesy of Capology (Correct as of 18/08/26).

Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation after a body was found at an EFL Championship stadium following the opening weekend of fixtures.

Police were called to Charlton Athletic‘s ground, The Valley, in the early hours of Tuesday morning after the body was discovered. Unfortunately, a 33-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and his death is being treated as ‘unexpected’ as a probe is launched into the incident.

Charlton played their 2026-27 Championship opener on Saturday when they beat Derby County 2-1 at the same stadium. The club has confirmed that they are assisting the police with its inquiries.

Police Probe Launched as Body Found At Charlton Stadium

REUTERS/Tony O Brien

The Met police are considering the possibility that the man fell from a height on Monday morning before passing away. A spokesperson gave a statement confirming the authorities’ response after concerns were raised about the individual:

“At around 11:15hrs on Tuesday, 18 August, officers attended The Valley stadium on Floyd Road, Charlton, following concerns for the welfare of a person. Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and located a 33-year-old man, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”

They added: “His next of kin have been informed and continue to be supported. Officers are investigating the possibility that the man had fallen from height prior to his death. The death is being treated as unexpected, and an investigation is ongoing.”

The Valley has been home to Charlton since 1919 and was reopened after being modernized in December 1992. It holds a capacity of 27,111 and features a safe standing section spanning eight rows.

Charlton Release Statement

Charlton released a statement of their own to inform fans about the situation and sent their condolences. They wrote:

“Charlton Athletic are supporting the police with their enquiries following the discovery of a deceased individual at The Valley on Tuesday morning. Police were called to the stadium today after an incident that occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning. A male was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. The death remains under investigation.”

The Championship club added: “Everyone at Charlton Athletic would like to express their deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the individual’s family, friends and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.”

Charlton also moved to rule out any suggestion of wrongdoing on their part: “The club are continuing to assist the authorities with their enquiries and respectfully ask that the privacy of those affected is respected. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of the club.”

The club also thanked staff in their statement for ‘the professionalism they have shown while dealing with a particularly difficult and distressing situation’. They ask ‘anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident to contact police on 101 quoting reference 2809/18AUG.’