Football is one of the favorite sports for the young and old alike. With billions of fans across the globe, the game only gets bigger and better every day. Players make big money from salaries and sponsorships, with the top one reaching numbers hard to imagine. Let us highlight the career graphs of the top 10 highest-grossing footballers in 2022.
CRISTIANO RONALDO (AL NASSR)
Ronaldo has been around for two decades and is also the first player to score in five World Cups. He recently moved to Al Nassr after literally winning everything in Europe. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the highest-earning footballer in the world, grossing a huge $200M a year.
KYLIAN MBAPPE (PARIS ST. GERMAIN)
Next on the list is Kylian Mbappe, with a whopping $62M a year under his belt. Although Mbappe has often expressed a desire to play for Real Madrid, he joined PSG for better control over player recruitment and coaching appointments. Interestingly, PSG is also home to three of the top-five highest grosser.
LIONEL MESSI (PARIS ST. GERMAIN)
Lionel Messi takes credit for being the best player in the history of the sport, besides having the number-three spot on the list. The Argentinean superstar continues to rule the field even at the age of 34. He gets a massive $41 million net annual salary from PSG after leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2021.
NEYMAR JR (PARIS ST. GERMAIN)
With a massive salary figure of $36.5 million per year, Neymar Jr is another PSG player featured on the top-10 list. The Brazilian star extended his contract with PSG and will be a part of the team until the summer of 2025. His contract includes a hefty bonus tag if the team goes on to bag the elite continental competition.
OSCAR (SHANGHAI SIPG)
Brazilian footballer Oscar shifted base to China in 2016, which came as a surprise since he was still to reach the peak of his career. But the move paid as he ended up landing thrice the salary he would have got from the Blues. At present, he makes an impressive $34 million per year.
ANDRES INIESTA (VISSEL KOBE)
Andres Iniesta, known for scoring the winner in the 2010 World Cup finale, continues to be in action. He is also on the top-10 list of the highest grosser, with a whopping $31 million per year in his name. The 37-year-old currently plays for Vissell Kobe in Japan and might play until 40.
EDEN HAZARD (REAL MADRID)
Next on the list is Eden Hazard, the Real Madrid player who takes home a paycheck worth $26 million per year. He moved to the club in 2019 after his stint with Chelsea. Although Hazard isn’t exactly in sparkling form, his annual earnings narrate a different story altogether.
MOHAMED SALAH (LIVERPOOL)
Salah, who has the title of the Egyptian king of Liverpool, has the same dollar figure earnings as Eden Hazard. He became one of the top grosser after signing a new three-year deal with Liverpool in July 2022. He has an impressive scorecard with 156 goals in 254 games, so he deserves a place on the list.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE (MANCHESTER CITY)
Just behind Hazard and Salah is the Manchester City player, Kevin De Bruyne, with a yearly salary of $24 million. The Belgian midfielder renewed his contract with Manchester City in the summer of 2021 and will be around until 2025. He is among the best football players in the world right now.
ERLING HAALAND (MANCHESTER CITY)
Sharing the spot with De Bruyne at the same amount is teammate Erling Haaland. Although he is new in the team, his father was a Citizens player in the early 2000s, so he already has a taste of Manchester life. Fans hope to see a repeat of his goal-a-game record from Borussia Dortmund.
With the sport gaining popularity and fan following, these players are all set to break earning records in the coming years.
