Cristiano Ronaldo is recognized as the world’s highest-paid footballer, followed by Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who are also among the top earners.
However, football fans would be surprised to see their favorite player's ranking and earnings.
As per Football365, the following are the five most-paid footballers in the world, based solely on their salaries, excluding bonuses and endorsements.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (£173m per year)
Portuguese star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is dominating the world with the highest salary.
Real Madrid and Manchester United player recently, recently joined Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, where he continues to score goals.
Moreover, in the last match, Al Nassr's captain was sent off after he received a red card for misbehaving.
2. Neymar (£86m per year)
Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr., who is currently out of the ground due to a knee, is second among the highest-earning footballers in the world.
According to Football365, he is the third-best player of this generation behind Messi and Ronaldo after making surplus to requirements at PSG.
3. Karim Benzema (£85m per year)
The third highest-paid footballer is Karim Benzema. Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad Club signed the French footballer for the second-highest salary in football.
4. Kylian Mbappe (£62m per year)
Although Kylian Mbappe is currently ranked fourth among the highest-paid athletes, his salary is expected to go up after joining Real Madrid as a free agent this summer.
5. Lionel Messi (£55m per year)
Surprisingly, Lionel Messi is the fifth-highest-paid player in the football world. He accepted a £55m contract to join MLS side Inter Miami.
