Richest Football Players in the World: Check their Net Worth and Income

Faiq Bolkiah tops the list of richest football players in the world in 2024 followed by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Dave Whelan, Neymar Jr. , and others.

You should know that the modern football game was originated in the 19th century in Britain. Earlier to this, folk football games used to be played in towns and villages. Today, it is the most popular sport in the world.

Top 16 Richest Football Players in the World 2024

Please go through the list of top 16 wealthiest footballers around the world:

World’s Richest Football Players Details

Explore more details about these richest footballers around the world:

1. Faiq Bolkiah

Faiq Bolkiah net worth: $20 Billion

Faiq Bolkiah is the richest football players in the world with his net worth estimated $20 Billion. A member of the Bruneian Royal Family, he also served as the captain of the Brunei national team.

Currently, he plays as a midfielder for Thai club Chonburi. He was born on 9 May 1998 in Los Angeles, California, United States.

2. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi net worth: $600 million

With a fortune of $600 million, Lionel Messi is the second-richest player in the world.

He was the fifth-highest paid celebrity in 2019 and the world’s third-richest footballer with $104 million in pre-tax earnings.

Currently, he has a contract with Barcelona that runs until 2020-21, and he receives an annual salary of approximately $80 million. For the rest of his life, he’ll be sponsored by Adidas.  One of the world’s most wealthy footballers, Lionel Messi has an estimated net worth of $600 million.

He became a key member of the Barcelona squad and helped the team win the first Spanish triple in 2008–09, the year in which Messi, then 22 years old, won his first Ballon d’Or.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth: $500 Million

CR7’s net worth is $500 million. Before taxes and fees, he made $105 million in 2020, placing him at No 4 on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. He is today the 3rd richest footballer in the world.

CR7 is well-known as a wealthy businessman in addition to his football profits. This man is a hotelier. In addition, he has a long-term deal with Nike as an endorsement. At $650 million, Cristiano Ronaldo is the wealthiest player in the world.

He is earning salary and bonuses totaling $70 million. Ronaldo returned to United, where he won three Premier League championships and one Champions League during his previous tenure there from 2003 to 2009.

In addition, he earns money through promoting other products under the CR7 brand, including perfume, underwear, eyeglasses, hotels, and gyms, as well as via his own sponsorships and agreements with these and other companies.

Check: Best Football Goalkeepers in the world

4. David Beckham

David Beckham net worth: 450 million dollars

David Beckham is a former football player from England who stands at rank four among the richest footballers of the world. He has an estimated net worth of 450 million dollars. Currently, Beckham is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City.

Beckham started his professional career at the age of 17 when he was signed with Manchester United. Over his career spanning for around two decades, he made many records and became a global ambassador of football.Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football, and was also listed as the highest-paid player in the world in 2013.

Other than football, he is also a fashion icon and his many endorsement deals make him one of the most recognizable athletes throughout the world.He is also a philanthropist and has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005.

5. Dave Whelan

David Whelan net worth: 210 million dollars

David Whelan is among the best footballers of all time and thanks to his astonishing career and successful business ventures, he is still counted among the richest footballers in the world, even at the age of 85 years. Whelan was a player for the Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra football club and also owned the Wigan Athletic club.

It is estimated that the current net worth of Whelan stands close to 210 million dollars which makes him one of the wealthiest soccer players.Whelan has been awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Wigan by the Wigan Borough Council.

6. Neymar Jr. 

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior net worth: $200 million

The fourth-richest footballer in the world, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior. He’s worth $200 million, according to his wiki page. Neymar Jr., the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star, has been voted the world’s seventh-highest-paid celebrity. His net income for 2019 was $95.5 million before taxes.

Paris Saint-Germain has signed Neymar until June 2022 to a five-year contract worth $350 million. At the age of 17, Neymar made his debut for Santos. He helped the team win two consecutive championships, a Copa does Brasil and Santos’ first Copa Libertadores since 1963.

During his time alongside Lionel Messi, he helped Barcelona win the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League trebles, as well as finishing third in the FIFA Ballon d’Or for his efforts. A domestic double was achieved in the 2015–16 season for him.

 7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic net worth: $190 million

According to Forbes, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a fortune of $190 million, which places him as the seventh richest football player in the world. With a six-month contract of €3.5 million, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is now playing for AC Milan in Serie A.

After a great playing career with elite leagues like AC Milan and Barcelona, he went on to play for clubs like Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus. Adidas and Nike have also used him as an endorser. One of the wealthiest players in the world, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a net worth of $190 million.

Ibrahimovi rose to prominence with Ajax as one of Europe’s most talented attackers before joining Juventus two years later.

In one of the most expensive signings in transfer history, he joined Barcelona in the summer of 2009  to play for AC Milan. In the 2010–11 season, he won his second Serie A title with Inter Milan, and he joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2012.

8. Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe net worth: 180 million dollars 

At only the age of 23 years, Kylian Mbappe has made his name among the best and also the richest soccer players of the world. Not only this, Mbappe has repeatedly being featured as the highest-paid athlete in various magazines. Mbappeis known for his dribbling abilities, exceptional speed, and finishing and has already made numerous records in his career that is just 7 years old.

Some of the records he has made include the second-most expensive player and most expensive teenage player, second-highest all-time top goal scorer of his club. Mbappe also became the youngest French player and the second teenager to score in a World Cup Final.

According to multiple sources, the net worth of Mbappe is around 180 million dollars making him the8th richest soccer player to be included in the list.

9. Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney net worth: $170 million

Footballer Wayne Rooney is the 9th wealthiest footballer player on the planet. He’s worth $170 million, which is a lot of money. For the past 11 years, Rooney has been one of the top 10 highest-paid football players in the world.

At DC United, Wayne Rooney was allegedly receiving a salary of £2.6 million ($3.5 million).

Samsung, Coca-Cola, EA Sports, and Nike are just a few of the companies he has partnered with. $160 million is the estimated net worth of Wayne Rooney.

When he moved to Manchester United in the summer of 2004, he became the only English player to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League, as well as the UEFA Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup. 

Also check: richest cricketers in the world

10. Ronaldo

Ronaldo LuísNazário de Lima net worth: 160 million dollars

Ronaldo LuísNazário de Lima, known commonly as Ronaldo, is a former footballer and businessman from Brazilconsidered as one of the greatest players of all time.In his dazzling football career, he made many records and salon amassed a great deal of fortune.

At just the age of 21 years, this Brazilian legend was the most-expensive player and the youngest recipient of Ballon d’Or award, which he still remains to this date. In his name, he holds many records including the greatest living players. Due to multiple injuries, he has to retire from the game.

The estimated net worth of Ronaldo is somewhere around 160 million dollars making him one of the richest football players. Ronaldo is also a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador since 2000.

11. Alexandre Pato

Alexandre Pato net worth: 145 million dollars 

Alexandre Pato is the 11th richest football player according to different sources with a net worth of approximately 145 million dollars that he makes from the sport itself.

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, also known as Pato, is a football player from Brazil and currently ranks among the wealthiest footballers of the world.His international career began at the age of 16 and has been playing soccer for almost 16 years now. He currently plays for the team Orlando City SC.

Pato has an amazing career going on in football which is totally justified given his excellent international debut. He holds the record of being the youngest international scorer, beating Pele’s record, when he scored his first goal for the senior Brazilian team.

12. Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale net worth: 145 million dollars

One of the richest and one of the best, Gareth Bale is considered as the greatest wingers of his generation. Football player from Welsh, Gareth holds the record for being named Welsh Footballer of the Year six times.

Bale was transferred from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid in 2013 for an undisclosed fee, later confirmed as £85.1 million which became a world record transfer fee. Currently, his net worth is estimated to be around 145 million dollars.

Wales has seen no other greatest player than Bale who transformed the landscape of the country in professional football championship.

13. Francesco Totti

Francesco Totti net worth: 102 million dollars

Francesco Totti is a former footballer from Italy known for his vision, technique, and goalscoring ability. He is one of the greatest Italian players of all time and one of the best players of his generation for which he has been rewarded well. His current net worth is around 102 million dollars and he is among the richest soccer players.

His excellent performance throughout his professional career earned him a lot of nicknames including The Golden Boy (Er Bimbo de Oro), The Captain (Il Capitano), The Eighth King of Rome (L’Ottavo Re di Roma) and others by the Italian sports media.

Totti retired from the game in 2017 but not before being awarded with the prestigious Player’s Career Award and the UEFA President’s Award.

14. Pele

Pele net worth: 100 million dollars

When it comes to football the name Pele cannot be disassociated who has been named the best and greatest by uncountable sources. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) itself has termed Pele as simple “the greatest”.

Pele also holds the Guinness World Record for scoring 1,279 goals in 1,363 games of football. His professional career spanned from 1956 to 1977 after which he retired and became a worldwide ambassador for football.

At the age of 81 years, Pele is still one of the wealthiest footballers with an estimated net worth of around 100 million dollars.

15. Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard net worth: 100 million dollars

Eden Hazard is the son of two former footballers and is himself one of the best players known for his dribbling, passing and vision.Eden hails from Belgium who began his career in Belgium playing for local youth clubs.

Professional career of Hazard began when he was signed with Ligue 1 club Lille and since them he has scored over 50 goals in his career. Under his captainship, Belgium got third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup which was their best finish in history.

Eden Hazard is also counted among the richest players of football in the world with a net worth of around 100 million dollars.

16. Kaka

Kaka net worth: 90 million dollars

Another Brazilian footballer who made his name, fame and also garnered significant wealth from football is none other than Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite whom you must know as Kaka.

Kaka is one of the best players of his generation and also one of eight players to win the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or. His skills as a footballer have earned him a net worth of 100 million dollars making Kaka one of the richest footballers of all time.

He holds the record to become the first sportsperson to amass 10 million followers on Twitter. Kaka is also known for his humanitarian work.

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