Football is a very lucrative industry, with some of the best players in the world making enormous sums of money on and off the field. In 2025, footballers are among the highest paid athletes on the planet.
They make income through various channels; ranging from their salaries, signing bonuses, performance incentives to major brand endorsements and private business endeavours.
In the last three years, wages in soccer have spiralled out of control, due to the Saudi Pro League offering mouth-watering salaries to players as they bid to attract football’s biggest stars.
Nevertheless, only four of the 10 top earners in world football are plying their trade in the Saudi Pro League, while up to eight can be found in the top 20.
In this post, FootballOrbit breaks down the wages of the top 20 highest paid footballers in the world in 2025/26.
NOTE 1: The On-field earning figures reflect both base salaries AND bonuses, while Off-field revenue takes into account their earnings from sponsorships, advertisements, image rights and business endeavours, among other things.
NOTE 2: The On-field weekly salaries were used to deduce the hourly, daily, monthly and annual incomes. The On-field was added to the ESTIMATED Off-field revenue to arrive at the Per Year Total.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr/£237.8m)
Per Hour: £20,357
Per Day: £488,571
Per Week: £3,420,000
Per Month: £14,820,000
Per year on-field: £177,840,000
Per year off-field: £60,000,000
Per year (total): £237,840,000
Cristiano Ronaldo is the face of the Saudi Pro League, his arrival in 2022 — which instantly made him the highest paid footballer in the world — heralded the arrival of other superstars.
His contract with Al-Nassr expired this summer, and on the 26th of June, it was renewed.
Furthermore, the new deal saw CR7 handed the most lucrative contract in sport history by Al-Nassr. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner signed the new deal with the Saudi Pro League side for a reported signing-on fee of £24.5 million.
He now earns about £178m-a-year in wages, which is £488,571-a-day. His wages will see him rake in over a million pounds every three days!
Also, Al-Nassr have given Roanldo a 15 per cent ownership stake in the club, worth £33 million. They regard Ronaldo as a great ambassador not just for the club, but the league as well.
Off the field, Cristiano Ronaldo has endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, Altice, Binance, Herbalife, Panini, Therabody, and Whoop. His accumulated earning makes him the highest paid athlete in the world in 2025.
2. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/£103m)
Per Hour: £5,332
Per Day: £127,976
Per Week: £895,833
Per Month: £3,583,333
Per year on-field: £43,000,000
Per year off-field: £60,000,000
Per year (total): £103,000,000
Lionel Messi, while not earning nearly as much as Ronaldo, rakes in quite a lot too.
The Argentine ended his European career in the summer of 2023, leaving PSG to join Inter Miami just a few months after winning the FIFA World Cup with his country.
His salary makes him the highest paid player in the MLS, at about £43m per year.
However, his total compensation is higher due to revenue-sharing agreements off the field with Apple and Adidas.
Apart from Adidas and Apple, Lionel Messi also partners with other brands like Beats by Dre, Bitget, Epic Games, Hard Rock Cafe Inc., Konami, Lowe’s, Mastercard, PepsiCo, Royal Caribbean Group and Anheuser-Busch InBev.
3. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad/£80.3m)
Per Hour: £9,598
Per Day: £230,352
Per Week: £1,612,468
Per Month: £6,449,872
Per year on-field: £77,398,464
Per year off-field: £3,000,000
Per year (total): £80,398,464
Karim Benzema is yet another European legend who moved to the Saudi Pro League. After spending 14 years with Real Madrid, Benzema called time on his Los Blancos career, moving to Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.
The former Ballon d’Or winner is an elite No.9, having won numerous titles in the Spanish capital.
In Saudi, Benzema earns a head-spinning £1,612,468 per week. The Frenchman equally has sponsorship deals with Adidas, Bwin, Hyundai, SFR, and EA Sports.
4. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid/£73.3m)
Per Hour: £7,108
Per Day: £170,601
Per Week: £1,194,212
Per Month: £4,776,848
Per year on-field: £57,322,176
Per year off-field: £16,000,000
Per Year (total): £73,322,176
Mbappe is both the highest paid footballer in the Spanish La Liga and in Europe, on £1,194,212 a week.
Likewise, the talismanic forward will earn around a whopping £58m every year for the entirety of his five-year contract, while off-field riches boost that sum up to around £74m every 12 months.
Although, Real Madrid pay him a lower base salary, but he receives lucrative bonuses, which, if all active, would put about £1.2m in his pockets every week.
Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland earns a higher base salary in European football, but Mbappe’s full package when bonuses are brought in is bigger.
Besides, the Frenchman has endorsements with Accor, Hublot, Nike, Oakley, and Sorare.
5. Erling Haaland (Manchester City/£53m)
Per Hour: £5,208
Per Day: £125,000
Per Week: £875,000
Per Month: £3,500,000
Per year on-field: £42,000,000
Per year off-field: £11,000,000
Per Year (total): £53,000,000
Earlier this year, Erling Haaland signed a 9-year contract extension with Manchester City, till 2034.
Both base salary and bonuses will see him earn £875,000 weekly, which easily makes him by far the highest paid footballer in the Premier League in 2025.
Additionally, the Norwegian striker has commitments off the pitch with Beats by Dre, Breitling, Midea, Nike, and Unilever.
6. Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli/£42.4m)
Per Hour: £5,010
Per Day: £120,244
Per Week: £841,708
Per Month: £3,366,832
Per year on-field: £40,401,984
Per year off-field: £2,000,000
Per Year (total): £42,401,984
After making a name for himself in the Premier League, Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez joined Saudi club Al-Ahli in 2023.
His salary at Al-Ahli is £841,708 per week, leaving him in third place only behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
Additionally, Mahrez is the highest paid African footballer in the world.
He promotes brands like Djezzy, Laboratoires VENUS SAPECO, and Nike. He also has sponsorships in the telecommunications, health and beauty, and clothing categories.
7. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr/£34.9m)
Per Hour: £3,967
Per Day: £95,215
Per Week: £666,506
Per Month: £2,666,024
Per year on-field: £31,992,288
Per year off-field: £3,000,000
Per Year (total): £34,992,288
Sadio Mane is widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time and one of the best wingers in the Premier League in his prime.
In 2023, he left Bayern Munich to team up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
The Senegalese attacker earns £666,506 weekly wages in Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, Mane has endorsement deals with major brands including New Balance, Pepsi, and Vodafone.
8. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona/£33.6m)
Per Hour: £3,305
Per Day: £79,338
Per Week: £555,366
Per Month: £2,221,464
Per year on-field: £26,657,568
Per year off-field: £7,000,000
Per Year (total): £33,657,568
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski has been instrumental for Barcelona since his arrival from Bayern Munich in 2022.
Despite his advanced age, Lewandowski continues to shine in La Liga and although he is not scoring at the same rate as he did at Bayern, his numbers are still impressive.
The Catalan giants have equally rewarded him generously with a high salary, making him the top earner in their current squad.
Lewandowski earns £555,366 weekly, £2,221,464 monthly and almost £27m annually on the field alone.
Furthermore, his endorsement portfolio includes collaborations with major brands like Nike, Huawei, EA Sports, and Procter & Gamble.
9. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/£33.2m)
Per Hour: £2,380
Per Day: £57,142
Per Week: £400,000
Per Month: £1,600,00
Per year on-field: £19,200,000
Per year off-field: £14,000,000
Per Year (total): £33,200,000
Dubbed the “Egyptian King”, Mohamed Salah is one of the best players of the current generation and one of the greatest Liverpool players of all time.
He is known for his clinical finishing, dribbling, speed, and playmaking abilities.
On the 11th of April 2025, Salah signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool, ending months of speculation over his future at the club.
This was due to his contract being set to end at the end of the season and interest from other clubs, namely from the Saudi Pro League.
Moreover, his new deal of £400,000 per week made him outrightly the highest paid footballer in Liverpool and second in the Premier League.
Off the field, Salah’s star power shines beyond the Premier League, reaching across North Africa and the Middle East, making him highly sought after by brands in the region. He partners with major companies like Vodafone, Mountain View Egypt, Pepsi, and Adidas, among others.
10. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/£31.9m)
Per Hour: £2,479
Per Day: £59,509
Per Week: £416,566
Per Month: £1,666,264
Per year on-field: £19,995,168
Per year off-field: £12,000,000
Per Year (total): £31,995,168
Vinicus Junior is one of the best soccer players in the world right now.
The skillful Real Madrid winger is always a threat for opposition defenders, and his ability to decide games on his own makes him one of the most influential footballers in the world.
As a result, he is being paid handsomely by Real Madrid. Vinicius is currently one of the top earners at the 15-time Champions League winning team, despite his young age.
Likewise, the departure of Neymar from Al-Hilal to Santos has seen Vinicius Junior become the highest paid Brazilian footballer in the world — at £416,566 per week (including bonuses).
Junior also makes quite a lot from sponsors like Nike, Netflix, Pepsi, Sony, Yum!, Clear, Omo, Rexona, Playstation, Betnacional, Vivo, EA Sports, Gatorade, and Unilever.
11. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/£30.7m)
Per Hour: £2,479
Per Day: £59,409
Per Week: £416,566
Per Month: £1,666,264
Per year on-field: £19,995,168
Per year off-field: £10.800,000
Per Year (total): £30,795,168
Harry Kane is the highest paid English player in the world, and slightly misses out on being in the top 10 overall globally .
He earns almost £1.2m per month, but makes a lot from endorsements with brands like Skechers, Cadbury, Mars, Coca-Cola and Hugo Boss.
12. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/£29.9m)
Per Hour: £2,479
Per Day: £59,509
Per Week: £416,566
Per Month: £1,666,264
Per year on-field: £19,995,168
Per year off-field: £10,000,000
Per Year (total): £29,995,168
Following closely behind Harry Kane is Jude Bellingham, who has become a global superstar after moving to Real Madrid.
He finished in third-place in both the 2024 Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
He earns the same weekly salary as Vinicius Junior (and even Harry Kane) at £416,566, which includes bonuses though.
Off the field, Bellingham makes about £10m annually from promoting the likes of Adidas, EA Sports, Lucozade, Skims’, McDonald’s, and Louis Vuitton.
13. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid/£29.3m)
Per Hour: £3,141
Per Day: £75,386
Per Week: £527,706
Per Month: £2,110,824
Per year on-field: £25,329,888
Per year off-field: £4,000,000
Per Year (total): £29,329,888
Another English man…..
Considered one of the best right-backs in the world, Trent Alexander-Arnold is known for his range of passing, crossing and assists, as well as his set-piece taking ability.
This summer, he left Liverpool, bringing an end to his 20 year association with the club.
He joined Real Madrid and now earns £527,706 per week, including bonuses.
While Adidas is his most significant endorsement deal, Alexander-Arnold also collaborates with brands like Calvin Klein and Nivea.
Furthermore, in 2023, he joined the investment group of the Alpine racing team of Formula One.
14. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal/£27.7m)
Per Hour: £3,441
Per Day: £82,599
Per Week: £578,194
Per Month: £2,312,776
Per year on-field: £27,753,312
Per year off-field: N/A
Per Year (total): £27,753,312
Senegal captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, left Chelsea to join Al-Hilal in 2023 — after just a single season with the Blues.
In the Saudi Pro League, Koulibaly now earns an astonishing £578,194, over £2.3m per month, and close to £28m-a-year.
15. Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli/£25.4m)
Per Hour: £3,157
Per Day: £75,791
Per Week: £530,539
Per Month: £2,122,156
Per year on-field: £25,465,872
Per year off-field: N/A
Per Year (total): £25,465,872
Ivan Toney is the fourth English man on this list. England has the most players (four) in the top 20 highest paid footballers in the world.
Interestingly, none of them plays in the Premier League.
After making a name for himself at Brentford, Ivan Toney joined Al-Ahli in 2024.
His arrival in Saudi Arabia has seen him become one of the highest paid footballers in the world, earning £530,539 weekly (including bonuses).
16. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona/£23.6m)
Per Hour: £2,686
Per Day: £64,484
Per Week: £451,391
Per Month: £1,805,564
Per year on-field: £21,666,768
Per year off-field: £2,000,000
Per Year (total): £23,666,768
Lamine Yamal is the only teenager on this list, and what a prodigy he is!
The 18-year-old signed his first professional contract with Barcelona on the 27th of May, penning a 6-year deal.
The deal makes him the second highest paid player at Barca. Including bonuses, Yamal earns £451,391 per week.
Moreso, the Spanish superstar has off-the-field sponsorship deals with Adidas, Beats, Oppo, and Konami.
17. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/£22.3m)
Per Hour: £2,526
Per Day: £60,628
Per Week: £424,398
Per Month: £1,697,592
Per year on-field: £20,371,104
Per year off-field: £2,000,000
Per Year (total): £22,371,104
Jamal Musiala became the highest paid German footballer in the world after signing a new contract until 2030, on the 14th of 2025.
While his base salary is £315,000 per week, bonuses takes it up to £424,398.
Also, Musiala has endorsement with Nike, among others.
18. Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona/£20.1m)
Per Hour: £2,499
Per Day: £59,985
Per Week: £419,899
Per Month: £1,679,596
Per year on-field: £20,155,152
Per year off-field: N/A
Per Year (total): £20,155,152
Frenkie de Jong has been a regular presence in Barcelona’s midfield ever since his arrival from Ajax in 2019.
Thanks to his dedication, performances, and seniority within the squad, De Jong has been rewarded with a high salary, making him one of the top earners at the club.
The Dutchman earns almost £420,000 per week. He promotes Nike, but his off-field earnings cannot been ascertained.
19. Ngolo Kante (Al-Ittihad/£19.9m)
Per Hour: £2,479
Per Day: £59,409
Per Week: £416,566
Per Month: £1,666,264
Per year on-field: £19,995,168
Per year off-field: N/A
Per Year (total): £19,995,168
N’Golo Kante made the move from Europe to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in 2023, as the midfielder left Chelsea after spending seven seasons at Stamford Bridge.
Kante is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders from this generation, having won the Premier League and Champions League with Chelsea along with the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France .
Considering the kind of player the Frenchmen is, Al-Ittihad secured his signature with lucrative wages — making him one of the highest earners in Saudi Arabia.
20. Sergej Milinković-Savić (Al-Hilal/£19.9m)
Per Hour: £2,479
Per Day: £59,409
Per Week: £416,566
Per Month: £1,666,264
Per year on-field: £19,995,168
Per year off-field: N/A
Per Year (total): £19,995,168
Sergej Milinković-Savić left Lazio after eight years and snubbed interest from Juventus, Arsenal and Chelsea in order to make the switch to Saudi Arabia.
At Al-Hilal, he teamed up with Kalidou Koulibaly and former Wolves star Ruben Neves.
The Riyadh-based outfit pay Milinković-Savić £416,566 per week, more than £1.6m per month, and almost £20m annually.
Omission of Neymar
Neymar’s return to Santos has seen him relinquish his title as the highest-paid Brazilian player in the world. The forward agreed to forgo significant earnings upon terminating his contract with Al-Hilal, as Santos cannot afford the same salaries as his previous club.
Consequently, Neymar finds himself outside the highest paid Brazilian players for the first time in 12 years.
When he was at Al-Hilal, Neymar’s hefty salary ranked as the third-highest in the Saudi Pro League, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
Furthermore, Neymar’s change of scenery now sees him earning just 7% of his salary at Al-Hilal.
His salary at Santos will be supplemented by the club’s earnings from his image rights, and the estimate cannot be specified. This is the reason for his omission from this list.
SOURCE: Most of the figures used in this article were sourced from Capology.
