The publication also documented the highest paid individuals in football per year. The calculations are based not just on individuals’ contracts with their clubs, but all other forms of income, including sponsorship deals.
Footballers: Top 20
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) = €74m
Annual Salary: €36m (€3m per month)
Bonuses: €3m (Achieved following Barcelona’s quintuple in 2014/15)
Other forms of income: €35m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Ooredoo (3-year contract, €15m), EA Sports, Gatorade, Pepsi, Samsung, Gillette, Audemars Piguet, Space Scouter, Lay’s, Tata Motors, Huawei.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for the Argentinian international team and FC Barcelona, Dolce & Gabbana, Ambassador at the Expo 2020 Dubai, merchandise, Web TV, restaurant businesses, grape cultivation, a complex of luxury cottages, real estate and financial investments.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) = €67.4m
Annual Salary: €32m (€2.6m per month)
Bonuses: €400,000
Other forms of income: €35m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Altice-SFR, Pokerstars.com, Herbalife, Novo Banco, Soccerade, Clear, Sacoor Brothers, Sixpa, Hot, Pestana, Brandinext, Refa active Pao.
Other operations: Sportlobster, Fly Emirates, CR7 underwear, CR7 footwear, Roc by Monster, smartphone applications, real estate and luxury hotel investments, image rights – Mint Media.
3. Neymar (Barcelona) = €43.5m
Annual Salary: €20m (€1.6m per month)
Bonuses: €2.5m
Other forms of income: €21m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Konami, Panasonic, pokerstars.com, Claro, Tenys-Pé, Lupo, Guarana Antartica, Volkswagen, Red Bull, Celiar, Listerine, Police, Replay, Ultrafarma.
Other operations: Universal, advertising campaigns for FC Barcelona, NJR merchandise, NJR sportswear line, real estate investments.
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) = €28.5m
Annual Salary: €20m (€1.6m per month)
Bonuses: €2.5m
Other forms of income: €6m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Volvo, Vitamin Well, Dressmann.
Other operations: Personal perfume brand, social media development project, advertising campaigns for PSG, publications, mobile phone applications, real estate investments.
Note: Ibrahimovic turned down a €3m contract from pokerstars.com.
5. Thiago Silva (PSG) = €26.5m
Annual Salary: €23m (€1.9m per month)
Bonuses: €1m
Other forms of income: €2.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Nissan, Skullcandy.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for PSG.