It pays well to be a football superstar.
Sports media publication Sportico released its “100 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World” list this week, and five footballers earned a staggering millions of dollars in 2023.
As usual, superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi made it to the list after securing a massive deal with their new clubs, respectively.
Let’s check out the 2023 Top 5 richest footballers in descending order.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is the richest footballer, with an estimated $275 million in income in 2023. The 38-year-old Portuguese star is the highest-paid athlete in the world after inking a massive deal with Saudi Pro League’s Al Nassr. Outside of the field, Ronaldo earns $60 million in sponsorships with Clear, Herbalife, Nike, and Binance, among others.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is a second richest footballer, with an income of $135 million. The 2022 World Cup Winner boosted his earnings with a recent move to MLS club Inter Miami. Messi, 36, is the first MLS player to appear in the Top 10 list since David Beckham in 2012. Messi, who earns $70 million in off-field deals, has generated ticket sales and social media followings for Inter Miami and the league itself.
Neymar
Neymar is third on the list, with an estimated 2023 income of $112 million. The Brazilian star followed suit with Ronaldo after signing with Saudi Pro League’s Al Hilal. Neymar, 31, also earns $32 million off-pitch, including his sponsorship deals with Puma, Konami, and Red Bull.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe settles for fourth with an income of $110 million after leading all footballers last year with a reported $128 million. Mbappe, 25, remains with Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain, although his contract will expire this summer. Talks about the Frenchman heading to Real Madrid remain active.
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema rounds the top 5 richest footballers list with a reported income of $106 million. The 37-year-old also plays in the Saudi Pro League for Al Ittihad after last playing for Real Madrid. However, Benzema’s relationship with the Saudi club has been pretty testy.
