Being good on the field means you get paid off of it. That is what the following ranking illustrates. The top 10 earning soccer players in the calendar year of 2022.
The list is broken down between what the player has earned total from salary and endorsement deals. All of the players on the list earned more in salary than endorsements but Cristiano Ronaldo is still the man at marketing himself as he earned the highest from sponsorships at $60 million.
Where does Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, and De Bruyne rank when it comes to total income? Find out below.
10. Antoine Griezmann – $27.5 Million
Antoine Griezmann (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Currently on loan to Atlético Madrid, the World Cup winner is hoping for a better second season than the first. Antoine Griezmann is still one of the highest paid players in the world, but his last two seasons have been utter disappointments.
9. Kevin De Bruyne – $29 Million
Kevin De Bruyne (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Maybe the best pure thinking midfielder in the world. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne has been nothing but world class. De Bruyne will be one of the players to watch at the 2022 World Cup as the golden generation of Belgium players make their last march for a major title.
8. Raheem Sterling – $29.4 Million
Raheem Sterling (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Raheem Sterling got a salary increase as a product of a move from Manchester City to Chelsea. On a team that has disappointed, Raheem Sterling has been the lone spark of a dismal Chelsea team.
7. Andrés Iniesta – $30 Million
Andrés Iniesta (Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty Images)
Andrés Iniesta is in year five of his Japanese adventure and has one of the best contracts in the game for a 38-year-old. $30 million to one of the best soccer minds of all time.
6. Eden Hazard – $31.3 Million
Eden Hazard (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Real Madrid flop signing Eden Hazard may not see the field much for the Spanish giants, but he certainly can’t complain about his contract. Hazard has made over $100 million for 70 games.
5. Mohamed Salah – $39.5 Million
Mohamed Salah (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has been a central figure for the Reds in the last five years. Salah may not be in the World Cup, but his talent is on display week in and week out in the Premier League.
4. Neymar – $91 Million
Neymar (Getty Images)
Neymar has one of the best salaries and endorsement deals in the game, the PSG superstar is flying high this season as Ney looks to finally win a World Cup in Qatar 2022.
3. Lionel Messi – $110 Million
Lionel Messi (Getty Images)
The best player of all time is third with over 100 million in salary and endorsements. Messi is a global brand and much like Michael Jordan in the NBA his legacy will be huge for years to come.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – $113 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo (Photo by Oleg Bilsagaev/Getty Images)
One thing is to be able to sell yourself another is to be just as good, Cristiano Ronaldo does both. Still a major player at Manchester United, Ronaldo has seen better days and his hoping for a great World Cup to cement a great legacy.
1. Kylian Mbappé – $125 Million
Kylian Mbappé (Getty Images)
Maybe the face of the sport in a post Messi and Ronaldo world, Kylian Mbappé is electric on the field with explosive speed, dribbling, and a scoring ability that can only improve in the years to come. He has one up on Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar, he is a World Cup winner.
