On the list of the world’s best paid footballers, former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez headline the list, while recent moves have changed the order of the list.
These are the players with the biggest basic pay, not necessarily those who earn the most, as sponsorship and endorsement deals are not included.
1. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) – 1,325,000 dollars per week
New club, same status. The best on the planet, perhaps the greatest of all time, it’s no surprise he commands the biggest wages in the sport. The Argentine is the only footballer earning more than 1 million dollars per week and his bonuses and sponsorships will take that figure even higher.
2. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – 836,000 dollars per week
Brazilian star Neymar is now second only to his new teammate Messi after Ronaldo lost his spot at number two. The Brazilian forward is a global star, but cannot compete with Ronaldo in terms of sponsorship deals.
3. Luis Suárez (Atlético Madrid) – 793,000 dollars per week
Perhaps a surprise in the top three, Suarez has been proving Atlético spent their money well and that he can still do it at the top level. Going on to win the La Liga title with Atlético last season.
4. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) – 793,000 dollars per week
His hefty wage is a burden for the Catalan club with their struggles and, after a disappointing few years, he needs to start justifying his salary on the pitch this season.
5. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – 690,000 dollars per week
Despite the dent his reputation has suffered in recent years, Bale remains one of the highest-paid players in the game and sneaks into the top five courtesy of Ronaldo’s move to Manchester United.
6. Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain) – 566,000 dollars per week
The lowest paid of PSG’s top three stars but still a top 10 earner worldwide, Mbappé is sure to remain on this list for at least the next decade, wherever he is playing his football.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 531,000 dollars per week
The Portuguese forward has dropped this list with his summer transfer from Juventus. However, he is still the joint-top earner in the Premier League and is one of the most recognisable athletes on the planet and possibly the most popular footballer in the world.
