Forbes’ List of the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2020
Even in 2020, people are making more money. earnings for the world’s top soccer players in up over 10% from the 2019/20 season.
Forbes today their 2020 World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players list, which can be found here. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo top this year’s Forbes ranking of the highest-paid soccer players once again.
Messi and Ronaldo compete for the title of the highest paid soccer player as well the Ballon d’Or.
Editorial credit: Cristiano Barni / Shutterstock.com
Who is the best and the highest-paid soccer player in the world?
Messi landed the top spot with $126 million, nudging out Juventus’s Ronaldo who comes in a No. 2 with $117 million.
Now that Messi’s squabble with Barcelona is over, the weeks-long drama over his contract is done and he claims the top spot with $126 million.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi – Total Earnings: $126 million
Salary: $92 million | Endorsements: $34 million
Editorial credit: Jose Breton- Pics Action / Shutterstock.com
Ronaldo, a fan favorite of many soccer enthusiasts, is the undisputed most popular athlete on the planet with 457 million social media followers. On Instagram alone, Ronaldo has 237.9 million followers.
Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo – Total Earnings: $117 million
Salary: $70 million | Endorsements: $47 million
The surprise on the list is Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe who earned fourth place with $48 million. Mbappe is a player to watch. And, yes, Mbappe has scored more goals than either Messi or Ronaldo had by his age.
According to Forbes, “Mbappe is the rising hot shot of both the Paris club and the French national team, having amassed 103 goals in all competitions since turning professional five years ago. At age 19, he became the youngest player to score a World Cup goal since the legendary Pelé (who did it in 1958 at age 17) while helping the French team win its second title in history.”
Mbappe tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to spend Ligue 1’s 2020-21 season opener in quarantine but is asymptomatic.
Editorial credit: Romain Biard / Shutterstock.com
The top 10 players in the world are expected to pull in $570 million in salary, bonus and endorsements this upcoming season, up 11% from the 2019-20 season.
Not everyone on the list is a household name, but this also depends on the household.
Who are the top ten highest-paid athletes?
- Lionel Messi – $126M
- Cristiano Ronaldo – $117M
- Neymar Jr. – $96M
- Kylian Mbappe – $42M
- Mohamed Salah – $37M
- Paul Pogba – $34M
- Antoine Griezmann – $33M
- Garerth Bale – $29M
- Robert Lewandowski – $28M
- David De Gea – $27M
High salaries being paid in a year where soccer schedules were impacted by the Coronavirus COVID-19, and after the pandemic led to the major pay cuts last spring, well, it is a breath of fresh air. After all, salaries being cut by 30% to 70% across European leagues was a shocker to not only the players but fans as well.
Photo Credit: Top image of Messi during the match between FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspurs at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Spain on December 11, 2018.
Photo credit: Jose Breton- Pics Action / Shutterstock.com
