Professional athletes and women account for a sizable portion of the world’s wealthiest people.
Many countries throughout the world participate in soccer, which is one of the most popular sports in the world.
Since there are more than 250 million individuals who participate in this sports, football is one of the most popular sports in the world.
A large number of players have signed multi-million dollar contracts with sports organisations and well-known clubs.
As you’re reading this, you’re probably already thinking of some of the world’s richest football stars.
Table of contents
- 1. Lionel Messi – $650 Million
- 2. Cristiano Ronaldo – $600 Million
- 3. David Beckham – $450 Million
- 4. Neymar – $250 Million
- 5. Dave Whelan – $210 Million
- 6. Karim Benzema – $200 Million
- 7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – $190 Million
- 8. Kylian Mbappé – $180 Million
- 9. Wayne Rooney – $170 Million
- 10. Ronaldo – $160 Million
- 11. Gareth Bale – $145 Million
- 12. Thierry Henry – $130 Million
- 13. Paul Pogba – $125 Million
- 14. Andrés Iniesta – $120 Million
- 15. Jose Mourinho – $120 Million
- 16. Mesut Özil – $120 Million
- 17. Zinedine Zidane – $120 Million
- 18. Eden Hazard – $100 Million
- 19. Pele – $100 Million
- 20. Philipp Lahm – $100 Million
- FAQs
In this post, you will learn about the top 20 richest footballers in the world in 2024, as well as their nett worth, homes, and automobiles.
1. Lionel Messi – $650 Million
Lionel Messi is an Argentine-born professional athlete with a nett worth of $650 million.
Lionel Messi is widely recognised as the finest soccer player in the world, and one of the greatest in history. He is undoubtedly one of, if not the highest-paid footballer in history.
Messi made the most of his early fortunes as a striker and winger for FC Barcelona.
He played for Barcelona from his teen years till 2021. Lionel scored 672 goals in 778 games while playing for Barcelona.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – $600 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional soccer player, brand ambassador, and entrepreneur with a nett worth of $600 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the world’s highest-paid performers. In a given year, he may easily earn $100-150 million in salary plus sponsorships.
For example, in 2020, he made $120 million, which included around $70 million in salary and $50 million in sponsorships with brands such as Nike, Clear Shampoo, and Herbalife.
3. David Beckham – $450 Million
David Beckham is a retired English soccer player with an estimated nett worth of $450 million. That is his total nett worth with his wife, singer/designer Victoria Beckham.
David Beckham is well-known not just for his stellar career on the field, but also for his effect off of it.
Beckham, known for his precision free kicks and pinpoint passing, had a great career playing for various prestigious teams throughout the world and representing his country on an international level.
4. Neymar – $250 Million
Neymar is a Brazilian soccer player with a nett worth of $250 million. Neymar is widely regarded as one of the world’s top players, having represented Santos, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain. He is also a part of the Brazilian national team.
5. Dave Whelan – $210 Million
Dave Whelan, an English former professional soccer player, has a nett worth of $210 million. He was born in Bradford on November 24, 1936. He played for Blackburn Rovers from 1956 until 1960, collecting three goals in his career.
6. Karim Benzema – $200 Million
Karim Benzema, a French professional soccer player, has a nett worth of $200 million. Karim Benzema, one of the most prolific attackers to ever wear a Real Madrid shirt, is a well-known personality among supporters of “Los Blancos.”
Karim has demonstrated not just a natural talent for scoring goals, but also exceptional vision and playmaking abilities over the years.
He is arguably most renowned for his link-up play with other attackers, forging good connections with players like as Cristiano Ronaldo.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – $190 Million
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish professional footballer with a nett worth of $190 million. Zlatan Ibrahimović is largely considered one of the finest attackers of all time.
His career began in Sweden and has brought him to Europe’s top teams, where he has regularly demonstrated his capacity to make a significant effect.
His playing style, which combines power, skill, and a natural knack for goal scoring, has become synonymous with stunning finishes and an unwavering determination to win.
8. Kylian Mbappé – $180 Million
Kylian Mbappé, a French professional soccer player, with a nett worth of $180 million. Kylian Mbappé is one of the highest-paid soccer players in the world.
When he was 19 years old, Kylian made approximately $25 million in salary and sponsorships. Today, he makes a basic income of $53 million plus $10 million in sponsorships every year, for a total pre-tax earnings of $63 million.
9. Wayne Rooney – $170 Million
Wayne Rooney is a British football player and coach with a nett worth of $170 million. At the height of his playing career, Wayne earned $26 million a year.
He won the Premier League five times with Manchester United and has collected several individual awards, including Premier League Player of the Season and FIFA Club World Cup Most Valuable Player of the Final.
Wayne signed a three-year contract with Major League Soccer’s D.C. United in June 2017, and his pay and sponsorships totalled $30 million the following year. Rooney has signed sponsorship deals with Nike, Nokia, Coca-Cola, and Ford.
10. Ronaldo – $160 Million
Ronaldo is a retired Brazilian footballer with a nett worth of $160 million. Ronaldo, often known as “R9” or “O Fenomeno” (The Phenomenon), made a significant influence (and a massive amount of money) on the game of football despite having only been in the limelight for a brief period.
He was a goal-scoring dynamo that helped Brazil to a historic World Cup victory in 2002. He is also recognised for redefining how attackers play football.
At his height, Ronaldo was regarded as the best player in the world. He is presently regarded as one of the finest players of all time.
11. Gareth Bale – $145 Million
Gareth Bale is a Welsh soccer (football) player with a nett worth of $145 million. Bale, known for his incredible pace and technical talents, is regarded as one of the most entertaining strikers in football today.
He began his career as a defender, but it was immediately apparent that Bale belonged in the forefront of the attack. He was successful at Tottenham before making a record-breaking move to Real Madrid.
Despite continuing to impress supporters in Spain, Gareth never quite found his position on the Spanish team. In 2020, he returned to his former club, Tottenham, on loan.
12. Thierry Henry – $130 Million
Thierry Henry is a retired professional French footballer (soccer) with a nett worth of $130 million. During his time on the pitch, he was regarded as the finest striker in the Premier League.
He is still frequently cited in conversations over who is the greatest player of all time. Thierry was just a prolific striker who always appeared to have it easy, especially when facing top-tier competition.
13. Paul Pogba – $125 Million
Paul Pogba, a French professional soccer player, has a nett worth of $125 million. Paul Pogba is one of the most recognisable players in the game today.
He now plays as a midfielder for Manchester United, having previously played for Juventus. Paul is also an important member of the French national squad, and he frequently wears the captain’s armband.
He is one of the world’s top paid soccer players, earning $28 million a year in base salary and $6-10 million in sponsorships.
14. Andrés Iniesta – $120 Million
Andrés Iniesta is a Spanish professional football player with a nett worth of $120 million.
Andrés Iniesta played the most of his career at Barcelona, helping the team achieve two historic trebles in 2009 and 2015, as well as several La Liga and UEFA Champions League wins.
Iniesta has also represented the Spanish national team, helping the country win UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, among other championships.
15. Jose Mourinho – $120 Million
José Mourinho, GOIH, a Portuguese football manager and retired player, has a nett worth of $120 million.
José Mourinho is well-known for his unique approach to football, which incorporates both coaching theory and motivational approaches.
16. Mesut Özil – $120 Million
Mesut Özil is a German footballer (soccer) with a nett worth of $120 million. Mesut Özil is a very creative and intellectual football player who has achieved success at both club and international levels.
Mesut began his career in the German Bundesliga and then played for Real Madrid before joining Arsenal.
17. Zinedine Zidane – $120 Million
Zinedine Zidane, a French retired professional soccer player and coach, has a nett worth of $120 million.
Zinedine Zidane, a great personality in the football world, has had a long and successful career as a professional soccer player at the top level.
After retiring from playing football, Zidane developed as a competent manager, winning several awards and titles with his previous team Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane’s yearly basic wage at Real Madrid is 12 million euros. That’s almost $14 million USD.
18. Eden Hazard – $100 Million
From 2012 until 2019, he played for Chelsea in the Premier League as an offensive midfielder and winger. He moved to Real Madrid in 2019.
He also competes for the Belgian national team. Eden Hazard was born on January 7, 1991, in La Louviere, Belgium.
After playing for multiple Belgian under-21 sides, he joined the senior club in 2008, appearing 45 times and scoring six goals through May 2014.
19. Pele – $100 Million
Pelé was a famous and internationally recognised Brazilian footballer with a nett worth of $100 million at the time of his death. Pelé died on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82.
Pelé is widely recognised as the greatest soccer player of all time and one of the most iconic people of the twentieth century.
At his height in the mid-1970s, he was the world’s highest-paid athlete, receiving an inflation-adjusted $10 million a year in salary and endorsements.
Pelé continued to make tens of millions of dollars via sponsorships with brands, most notably Puma, even after retiring decades ago.
20. Philipp Lahm – $100 Million
Philipp Lahm is a German footballer with a nett worth of $100 million. Philipp Lahm is largely regarded as one of the greatest fullbacks in football history.
Lahm, a paragon of consistency and technical talent on the pitch, led Germany to a World Cup win in 2014.
FAQs
Who are the top 20 richest footballers?
Below is a table of the richest footballers with their net worths.
| Rank | Name | Net worth |
| 1 | 1. Lionel Messi | $650 Million |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | $600 Million |
| 3 | David Beckham | $450 Million |
| 4 | Neymar | $250 Million |
| 5 | Dave Whelan | $210 Million |
| 6 | Karim Benzema | $200 Million |
| 7 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | $190 Million |
| 8 | Kylian Mbappé | $180 Million |
| 9 | Wayne Rooney | $170 Million |
| 10 | Ronaldo | $160 Million |
| 11 | Gareth Bale | $145 Million |
| 12 | Thierry Henry | $130 Million |
| 13 | Paul Pogba | $125 Million |
| 14 | Andrés Iniesta | $120 Million |
| 15 | Jose Mourinho | $120 Million |
| 16 | Mesut Özil | $120 Million |
| 17 | Zinedine Zidane | $120 Million |
| 18 | Eden Hazard | $100 Million |
| 19 | Pele | $100 Million |
| 20 | Philipp Lahm | $100 Million |
Ronaldo and Messi: Who is the richest?
Ronaldo and Messi are two of the world’s top football players. When their nett worths are compared, Ronaldo comes out on top with $500 million and Lionel Messi comes in second with $400 million.
Football club contracts clearly cannot generate the richest footballer in the world. Athletes who augment their income in other industries, on the other hand, might accumulate substantial fortune.