Cristiano Ronaldo beats Lionel Messi in football’s rich list, Andres Iniesta only player based outside Europe
- Wages for elite players rise despite impact of Covid-19 on club finances, PSG lead the way in paying three of top five
- Manchester United star reclaims No 1 spot from Paris St Germain’s Lionel Messi as both clear US$100 million mark
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United has also seen him return to the No 1 spot on the Forbes list of football’s highest earners ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi, with wages increasing for top players despite the financial impact of Covid-19.
The Portuguese forward, who has recently become the top scorer in men’s international football, will earn a reported US$125 million this year – US$70 million from the Old Trafford side and US$50 million from his commercial endorsements.
Ronaldo, 36, earns more from his commercial interests than all but three athletes, Forbes reported – Roger Federer ($90 million), LeBron James ($65 million) and Tiger Woods ($60 million).
Messi, who has moved from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, dropped to second spot on the annual list with combined earnings of US$110 million, driven by his US$75 million pay packet in Paris.
The 34-year-old spent 21 years with Barcelona before leaving for the French side, where he has become the highest paid player in world football, though he lags behind Ronaldo in commercial clout.
Messi’s new teammates in Paris, Neymar (US$95 million) and Kylian Mbappe (US$43 million) are in third and fourth respectively, ahead of Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah (US$41 million) in fifth.
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Of the 10 top earners in the world game only one is based outside Europe, Forbes said.
Andres Iniesta of Japanese J. League side Vissel Kobe is in seventh place, after Bayern Munich’s Ballon d’Or winner Robert Lewandowksi, who also earns US$35 million.
The 37-year-old former Barcelona and Spain star earns a reported US$31 million per year from the Rakuten-owned club, and US$4 million in endorsements. He signed a two-year contract extension in April.
Forbes reported that despite the pandemic-related losses across football clubs, “the 10 highest-paid soccer players are expected to collect pre-tax earnings of US$585 million this season, up from last year’s US$570 million”.
Manchester United, Ronado’s new club posted a net loss of £92.2 million (US$126 million) for the 2020-21 season loss in their latest financial reports last week.
The Old Trafford side also employ Paul Pogba, the eighth highest earner on the list at US$34 million.
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Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale (US$32 million) and Eden Hazard (US$29 million) round out the list in positions nine and 10.
The Spanish giants posted a small profit for the 2020-21 season despite the pandemic.
