Who Is the Highest Paid Footballer
The highest paid footballer is Lionel Messi, who joined Inter Miami in July 2023 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. His reported annual base salary is around 45 million dollars, with additional compensation from equity, bonuses, and commercial agreements. Forbes and other outlets list Messi among the top earners in global sports when total income is calculated. Forbes breakdown of Messi's Inter Miami contract and expected earnings.
Before Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo topped many 2019 lists after moving to Juventus, with an annual salary exceeding 30 million euros at the time. By 2023, Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia pushed his reported annual earnings above 200 million dollars, including salary and a large commercial package. Both players illustrate how league choice and club deals reshape the highest paid footballer ranking over time. Forbes details on Ronaldo's Al Nassr contract and total earnings.
How Footballer Pay Is Structured
Top player contracts usually combine a fixed base salary, guaranteed bonuses, and performance incentives tied to goals, appearances, and trophies. Clubs also add equity stakes, image rights deals, and commercial participation, which can double or triple reported salary figures. The highest paid footballer label often reflects total compensation rather than just the payroll number. SEC filings for public sports and entertainment companies show how compensation is reported.
In European leagues, salary figures are typically reported in euros and include taxes, while Saudi Pro League contracts are often quoted in dollars with tax-free status. MLS contracts in the United States use a mix of base salary, guaranteed money, and designated player rules that allow clubs to exceed the salary cap for select stars. These structures make direct comparisons difficult and affect how the highest paid footballer is measured across different leagues.
Rankings and Total Earnings
Forbes regularly publishes a list of the highest paid athletes, where footballers frequently appear alongside basketball, boxing, and soccer peers. In recent editions, Messi and Ronaldo rank at or near the top when salary, bonuses, and off-field income are combined. Forbes highest paid athletes ranking with salary and earnings data.
Other outlets use different methodologies, focusing on on-field salary alone or including sponsorship, merchandise, and media rights income. The highest paid footballer in pure salary terms can shift each year depending on contract timing, league regulations, and club investment strategies. When total earnings are counted, players with large global brands and long-term commercial deals tend to lead the list regardless of league size.