The richest football player in the world 2023: Football aka football is the most played and watched sport in the world. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry, and the top players who excel at the highest level get paid well. The richest football players in the world earn millions of dollars every year, and some even amass fortunes measured in billions of dollars.
Several factors contribute to a footballer’s wealth, including salary, bonuses, endorsements and investments. Some of the richest footballers in the world also own companies or have other sources of income.
Let’s take a look at the top 11 richest football players in the world:
Top 11 richest football players
Here are the 10 richest soccer players in the world. Brunei Prince Faiq Bolkiah is at the top, followed by Messi and Ronaldo.
1. Faiq Bolkiah | 20 billion dollars
Team: Chonburi FC, Thailand
Record: Richest soccer player in the world
Faiq Bolkiah is a Brunei professional footballer who plays as a winger for Chonburi FC of Thailand and the Brunei national team. Bolkiah is the richest footballer in the world, with an estimated net worth of $20 billion. He has played for the Brunei national team since 2014 and has been the team’s captain since 2018. He is the Prince of Brunei. Bolkiah’s father is Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei, and his uncle is Hassanal Bolkiah, King of Brunei.
2. Lionel Messi | 600 million dollars
Team: Paris Saint Germain
Records: most Balloon D’Or winners, most league goals and more
Awards: World Player of the Year, FIFA Ballon d’Or and many more
Book: “GOAT” Messi and more
Movie: Lionel Messi: The Greatest
Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and is the captain of the Argentina national team. He is the second richest football player in the world, with a net worth of $600 million.
He has won 7 Ballon d’Or awards, which is a record in itself. He is the player who has been awarded the coveted trophy the most times. He also won six European Golden Boots and was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team in 2020.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo | 500 million dollars
Team: Al Nasar
Records: top scorer in football and more
Awards: European Golden Shoe, FIFA Golden Ball and many more
Book: Cristiano Ronaldo: Rise of the Winner
Movie: Cristiano Ronaldo: The World Under Your Feet
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is the captain of the Portugal national team and plays as a forward for Saudi club Al Nassr. He has won 5 Ballon d’Or awards, the most of any European player.
Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer with the most goals in international football. He is considered one of the greatest football players of all time. and constantly clashed with football legend Lionel Messi.
Also read | 10 best scorers in football (soccer)
4. David Beckham | 450 million dollars
Team: Manchester United
Record: Only player to win League titles in 4 or more countries
Awards: Premier League Player of the Month, BBC Sports Personality of the Year and more
Book: Beckham: My World (autobiography)
Movie: King Arthur, The Man From UNCLE
David Beckham is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder. He is considered one of the best players of his generation and one of the most famous athletes in the world. Beckham has played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. He has won 19 major trophies, including 6 Premier League titles, 1 La Liga and 1 MLS Cup. Beckham retired from professional football in 2013. He is currently the fourth-richest footballer with a net worth of $450 million.
5. Dave Whelan | 210 million dollars
Team: Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra
Award: Freedom of the City
Book: David Whelan: Play to Win – Autobiography
Dave Whelan is an English footballer who plays as a winger. He was born in Bradford, England on November 24, 1936, and during his career he played for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra. He won the Northern League Cup with the Blackburn Rovers in 1959–60. He retired from professional football in 1966. He later became a successful businessman and founded Wigan Athletic Football Club. His net worth is $210 million.
6. Neymar Jr | 200 million dollars
Team: Paris Saint Germain
Records: Youngest player to have 100 caps for Brazil, all-time top scorer for Santos and more
Awards: Golden Ball, FIFA Puskas, Player of the Year and many more
Book: Neymar: My Story: A Conversation With My Father
Movie: Neymar: Perfect Chaos
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, known as Neymar Jr. or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. Neymar is the greatest Brazilian soccer player of all time. He won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles and the 2015 UEFA Champions League with Barcelona.
He helped Brazil win the 2016 Olympic gold medal and the 2019 Copa América.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimović | 190 million dollars
Team: Serie A Club AC Milan
Records: oldest player ever to score in Serie A, best striker of all time and more
Awards: ESPY Award for Best MLS Player, FIFA Puskas, Golden Foot, Serie A Player of the Year and many more
Book: I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović (autobiography)
Movie: Asterix and Obelix: Central Kingdom (Guest)
Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović plays as a forward for Serie A club AC Milan and the Swedish national team. Ibrahimović has played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, LA Galaxy and AC Milan as the greatest striker of all time. He has won 33 trophies in his career, including 11 national championships, 5 UEFA Champions League titles and 1 FIFA Club World Cup title. He helped Sweden qualify for the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
8. Kylian Mbappe | 180 million dollars
Team: Ligue 1 Club Paris Saint-Germain
Record: Four goals in two FIFA World Cup finals and more
Awards: FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, Golden Boy, Kopa Trophy, etc
Book: Kylian Mbappe: World soccer star and more
Kylian Mbappé is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is considered by many to be one of the best players in the world and one of the most exciting young players of his generation. Mbappé has won 4 Ligue 1 titles, 3 Coupe de France titles and 2 Coupe de la Ligue titles with PSG. He also won the 2018–19 Ligue 1 Golden Boot. and 2021–22.
Mbappé played 21 matches for France and scored 17 goals. He helped France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup and was named the best young player at the tournament.
Related | Lionel Messi vs Kylian Mbappe: Who is better?
9. Wayne Rooney | 170 million dollars
Team: DC United
Record: Second-most capped England player and second-highest goalscorer.
Awards: MLS Team of the Year, FIFPro World Young Player of the Year, etc.
Book: Wayne Rooney: My Decade in the Premier League (Autobiography)
Movie: ROONEY (Netflix series)
Wayne Rooney is a retired English professional footballer who plays as a forward. He is considered one of the best players in the history of the Premier League and England.
Rooney has won 13 trophies with Manchester United, including five Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title and one FIFA Club World Cup title. He retires from professional football in 2021.
10. Ronaldo Luís Nazário | 160 million dollars
Team: Real Madrid
Records: Brazil’s third top scorer, most goals in a La Liga season and more
Awards: European Golden Shoe, FIFA World Player of the Year, World Player of the Year, Serie A Best Foreign Player, etc.
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, better known as Ronaldo, is a retired footballer and successful businessman from Brazil. He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. During his illustrious football career, Ronaldo has achieved countless records and accumulated a considerable fortune. At just 21 years old, he became the most expensive player in football history and the youngest person to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or—a record that still stands today.
Since 2000, he has been a United Nations Development Program Goodwill Ambassador, using his fame and influence to positively impact various humanitarian causes.
11. Alexandre Pato | 145 million dollars
Team: São Paulo FC
Record: Youngest goalscorer in a FIFA senior tournament
Awards: Serie A Best Young Player, Golden Boy, Italian Super Cup and many more.
Alexandre Pato is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Orlando City SC in the US Professional Soccer League. He is known for his speed, dribbling and finishing. Pato started his career at Internacional, where he won the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2006. He then moved to AC Milan, where he won the 2011 Serie A championship. Pato also played for Corinthians. , São Paulo, Villarreal, Chelsea, Tianjin Quanjian and the City of Orlando. He played 27 matches for the Brazilian national team and scored 10 goals.
The richest football players in the world: Top 11 list
The top 11 richest footballers or footballers in the world are as follows:
| location. | Player | net value |
|---|---|---|
| first. | Faiq Bolkiah | 20 billion dollars |
| 2. | Lionel Messi | 600 million dollars |
| 3. | cristiano ronaldo | 500 million dollars |
| 4. | David Beckham | 450 million dollars |
| 5. | Dave Whelan | 210 million dollars |
| 6. | Neymar Jr. | 200 million dollars |
| 7. | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 190 million dollars |
| 8. | Kylian Mbappe | 180 million dollars |
| 9. | Wayne Rooney | 170 million dollars |
| ten. | Ronaldo Luis Nazario | 160 million dollars |
| 11. | Alexandre Pato | 145 million dollars |
The world of football is witnessing the rise of extraordinary talents who have not only achieved greatness in the sport but have also amassed huge fortunes. From record transfer fees to lucrative endorsement deals, these footballers have set new standards for financial success. As the sport evolves, we can expect to see some new talent on the list above.
Also read | What are the 17 rules of football?
Categories: Trends
Source: vcmp.edu.vn