Highest Paid Footballers in 2024: A Look at the Top 10

The highest paid footballers and top-tier players are often paid ridiculous amounts of money each year.

Sometimes it’s even when they are sitting on the bench, doing absolutely nothing for their club.

But how do the wages compare to the amounts paid out nearly 15 years ago?

Back in 2010, we looked at the wages of some of the best footballers worldwide.

It was the build-up to the World Cup, and players were g new contracts, endorsement deals and receiving eye-watering amounts of money.

At the time, the top wages were dominated by the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, with only four Premier League players making the top ten.

They were Carlos Tevez (£13.8 million) for Manchester City, Frank Lampard (£12.8 million) for Chelsea, John Terry (£10 million) for Chelsea and Steven Gerrard (£9 million) for Liverpool.

Of course, these weren’t just salaries. The figures also included endorsements such as boot deals.

Messi led the way with a staggering £29.6 million, and Ronaldo was just behind on £27 million.

The two players were at the peak of their game at this point, but are they still the highest-paid footballers in the world?

Even if they are the best players in the world, is it fair that they get so much when so many of the smaller clubs struggle to break even on a weekly basis?

2024 Top Earners In Football

If the money being doled out to footballers in 2010 was insane, it is a drop in the ocean compared to the wages on offer in 2024.

Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo and Messi are still top earners, but both are on far more money now than they were 10 years ago.

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) – £173 million per year
• Neymar Jr (Al Hilal) – £86 million per year
• Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – £162 million per year
• Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain) – £101.4 million per year
• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) – £100 million per year
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City) – £53.5 million per year
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – £48.8 million per year
• Sadio Mané (Al Nassr) – £47.9 million per year
• Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – £35.9 million per year
• Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) – £33.2 million per year

The earnings figures provided for the top footballers include both their salaries and income from endorsements/sponsorships.

For example, Cristiano Ronaldo’s €239.8 million annual earnings include his €185 million salary from Al Nassr plus approximately €54.8 million from endorsements and sponsorships.

How The Saudi’s Changed The Game

Saudi Arabian clubs have significantly influenced the list of highest-earning footballers in 2024 and several of the highest-paid players now play in the Saudi Pro League.

Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr, Neymar Jr at Al Hilal, and Karim Benzema at Al-Ittihad are among the top earners globally and were offered unprecedented salaries to get them there.

The Saudi Pro League’s financial might has thrown the cat among the pigeons and in just the first month of the 2023/24 season, they reported a 650% increase in revenue, indicating the growing financial power of these clubs.

Saudi clubs, particularly PIF-owned ones, have become major players in the transfer market. Al Hilal alone spent more than €353 million in a single transfer window, outspending many top European clubs.

Beyond just high salaries, Saudi clubs have successfully lured globally renowned players, enhancing the league’s profile and attracting global attention.

The problem that they have is that attendance figures in Saudi are woeful. Top tier footballers love the crowds and the atmosphere which is sadly lacking in their new homes.

The Saudi Pro League had an average attendance of 8,776 per game in the 2023-24 season and the lowest recorded attendance for a Saudi Pro League match in the 2023-24 season was just 133 spectators when Al Riyadh played Al Okhdood.

Yes, you read that correctly – 1 3 3 – in total!

Are Players Worth Their Wages?

When comparing this to 15 years ago, it makes for astonishing reading. Football wages and earnings have accelerated at a ridiculous rate, and it doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon!

But for all the money these footballers are paid, do the clubs recuperate the costs?

In 2018 Manchester United sold 2,850,000 club jerseys. Pogba’s name graced more Utd jerseys than anyone else that year, putting him third in the world for shirt sales.

He was eclipsed by Ronaldo in second place, who, combined with Gareth Bale, sold 2.29m shirts worldwide for Real Madrid at the time.

And, proving it’s all about the player and not the club when Cristiano Ronaldo ed Juventus, the team sold $60 million worth of his jerseys in 24 hours.

And topping the list for shirt sales is Lionel Messi. His name is on the back of more club and country jerseys than any other footballer in the world.

When he launched his own official store online in April 2019, it took only three days to sur the total monthly sales of the official Real Madrid and Manchester City online stores in China.

It’s essential to that football is not only a sport but also a business that revolves around supply and demand, media rights, sponsorship, merchandise, ticket sales, and other revenue streams.

Here are some of the key factors that contribute to the high salaries of football players:

Talent and Scarcity

There’s a high demand for top-level players, but they are in short supply.

This principle of supply and demand applies to all markets, and football is no exception.

The better you are the more clubs want you and the more they are willing to pay!

Revenue Generation

Football clubs generate enormous revenue from multiple streams, including broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and ticket sales.

Clubs also earn substantial income from participating in various leagues and tournaments.

The players are a significant part of this revenue generation because their performance and popularity drive these income streams.

Broadcasting Rights

With the advent of Pay-TV and global broadcasting, clubs now earn considerable income from selling their broadcasting rights.

These rights are sold not only in the domestic market but also globally, which brings a substantial influx of revenue.

The better and more popular the player, the higher the viewership and the greater the revenue from broadcasting rights.

Commercialisation and Globalisation

Football has become a global sport, with fans from all over the world.

This global appeal has resulted in lucrative sponsorship deals and merchandise sales, contributing significantly to club revenue.

Players often have individual sponsorship deals, further boosting their income.

Brand value

Top players often have a high brand value, and their presence in a club can significantly increase the club’s brand value as well.

This brand value translates into various commercial opportunities for both the club and the player, resulting in higher wages for the player.

Competition

Football clubs compete fiercely for top talent, which drives up players’ wages.

When multiple clubs are interested in a player, their value increases, and they can negotiate higher wages.

Players’ agents play a crucial role in negotiating contracts and salaries and skilled agent can significantly increase a player’s wage.

In essence, the economics behind the world’s highest paid footballers is multi-faceted, driven by market dynamics, the global popularity of the sport, media rights, commercialisation, and the unique talent and brand value the players bring to their clubs.