If you are wondering how rich a footballer can be, you might want to know based on their annual salaries in their respective clubs, sponsorship deals and businesses they engage in. As we all know, football is the most popular sport on the planet today. Billions of people around the world follow the sport. Now that they are so well-known, these athletes benefit handsomely from their status as football stars.
- Top 10 Richest Football Players In 2021
- 10. Eden Hazard – $100 million
- 9. Andres Iniesta – $120 million
- 8. Paul Pogba – $125 million
- 7. Gareth Bale – $125 million
- 6. Wayne Rooney - $170 million
- 5. Neymar - $200 million
- 4. Lionel Messi – $400 million
- 3. David Beckham – $450 million
- 2. Christiano Ronaldo – $500 million
- 1. Faiq Bolkiah – $20 billion
Top 10 Richest Football Players In 2021
We may confidently assume that every big football player is a rich athlete. These players amass an incredible amount of money. Now, in this article, we will look at the top ten richest footballers in the world right now. So, without much further ado, let’s have a look at them below:
10. Eden Hazard – $100 million
- Date of birth: 7 January 1991
- Height: 1.75 m
- Wife: Natacha Van Honacker
- Salary: 13 million EUR (2020)
- Current club: Real Madrid CF (#7 / Forward)
Eden Hazard is one of the highest-paid footballers in the world today. He is a Belgian professional soccer player who plays for Real Madrid as an attacking midfielder or winger Eden started playing for his hometown club when he was four years old. A scout from Lille OSC noticed his talent and offered him a contract a short time later. He then made a move to Chelsea where he became loved by fans before making the move to Real Madrid.
Despite his present situation in Real Madrid, Hazard is considered to be one of the best players in the world. Even though he may not be the richest player in the world yet, he still has what it takes to take a better position in the ranks.
9. Andres Iniesta – $120 million
- Date of birth: 11 May 1984
- Height: 1.71 m
- Current club: Vissel Kobe (#8 / Midfielder)
- Wife: Anna Ortiz (m. 2012)
- Salary: 30 million USD (2020)
Andres Iniesta, a graduate of Barcelona’s academy, is regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time. As a result, he has amassed a net worth of around $120 million in football. The 37-year-old made his Barcelona debut in 2002 and went on to play for the club at the senior level for 16 years. Iniesta was a regular for Spain, scoring the game-winning goal in the 2010 World Cup. In 2018, the midfielder left Barcelona and joined Vissel Kobe in Japan. So far, he’s considered a legend in the sport because of his amazing records.
8. Paul Pogba – $125 million
- Date of birth: 15 March 1993
- Height: 1.91 m
- Nationality: French
- Salary: 15.08 million GBP (2016)
- Current club: Manchester United F.C. (#6 / Midfielder)
Paul Pogba is regarded as one of the best soccer players of his generation. He is one of the most expensive players in the world, and since he started playing, he has received several awards and led his team to numerous victories. Four ‘Serie A’ awards, two ‘Supercoppa Italiana’ awards, one UEFA Europa cup, and the FA Cup are among the titles he has won. He is currently a midfielder for Manchester United and the France national team. Paul Pogba’s net worth is $125 million as of 2021. He is one of the highest-paid footballers on the planet, with salaries, sponsorships, and bonuses totaling more than £23 million.
7. Gareth Bale – $125 million
- Date of birth: 16 July 1989
- Height: 1.85 m
- Salary: 15 million EUR (2019)
- Current club: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (#9 / Forward)
Gareth Bale is next on the list with a net worth of about $125 million. Although Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid reputation has been tainted by his recent exploits, there is no doubt that he has contributed significantly to the club’s success over the years. In 2013, Real Madrid paid Tottenham Hotspur €100 million for the Wales international, a world-record transfer fee at the time. Bale made an immediate impression, making frequent appearances in his early years. Los Blancos will win three Champions League titles in a row, with the winger playing a key role.
He is currently playing for Tottenham Hotspurs on loan after manager Zinedine Zidane ostracized him and admitted that the 32-year-old is free to leave the club. Being one of the highest earners in Real Madrid, Bale has remained steadfast in his stance so far, and his agent has confirmed that he will complete his deal with the club.
6. Wayne Rooney – $170 million
- Date of birth: 24 October 1985
- Height: 1.76 m
- Current club: Derby County Football Club (manager)
- Wife: Coleen Rooney (m. 2008)
- Position: Forward, Midfielder
Wayne Rooney, one of England’s best footballers, had a great run at the top of the game during his prime. Manchester United agreed to spend £25.6 million on Rooney in 2004, even though he had been a prodigious talent since his Everton days. However, the England international would go on to become the Red Devils’ all-time leading goalscorer, with 253 goals in 559 appearances in all competitions. The 34-year-old started as a forward but evolved into a midfielder as time went by, with his passing and imagination being praised. Following his departure from Manchester United in 2017, he played for Everton and Derby County before retiring. As of 2021, Wayne Rooney’s net worth is approximately $170 million, making him one of the richest soccer players in the world.
5. Neymar – $200 million
- Date of birth: 5 February 1992
- Height: 1.75 m
- Salary: 36.8 million EUR (2021)
- Current club: Paris Saint-Germain F.C
Neymar is a well-known face around the world, another prodigious talent who has been bound for the top since his early days in Brazil. In 2013, he moved to Barcelona from Santos, where he formed a terrifying attacking trident with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) triggered the forward’s €222 million release clause after four amazing years at the club, making him the most expensive transfer ever. The Brazil international has often been struggling with injuries since he made that move. However, last season, the 29-year-old was instrumental in PSG reaching the Champions League final. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help his team this season but no doubt, he is a joy to watch any day and anytime.
4. Lionel Messi – $400 million
- Date of birth: 24 June 1987
- Height: 1.7 m
- Wife: Antonela Roccuzzo (m. 2017)
- Salary: 71 million EUR (2021)
- Current club: FC Barcelona
Arguably the greatest player to have played.
Lionel Messi, perhaps the greatest football player of all time, is currently one of the most valuable athletes on the planet. For a long time, the Argentinian international has been Barcelona’s talisman. Messi is the best passer, playmaker, and goal scorer for Barcelona. Despite Barcelona’s disastrous season, the diminutive forward is still one of their few bright spots. He is also proving that he is at his best. Because of how hard he worked for it, his net worth of about $400 million speaks well of his profession. This makes him one of the richest footballers on the planet.
3. David Beckham – $450 million
- Date of birth: 2 May 1975
- Height: 1.8 m
- Wife: Victoria Beckham
Despite retiring from football in 2013, David Beckham has created such a reputation around his name that he is one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. Beckham was a Manchester United youth product who made nearly 400 appearances for the club in all competitions. He went on to play for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain, establishing himself as a global superstar in the process. The England international is currently a part-owner of Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer team that started in 2020. Beckham is known as a cultural figure in the UK.
2. Christiano Ronaldo – $500 million
- Date of birth: 5 February 1985
- Height: 1.87 m
- Salary: 31 million EUR (2021)
- Partner: Georgina Rodríguez (2017–)
- Current club: Juventus F.C.
Cristiano Ronaldo, like David Beckham, has built a reputation for himself that exists independently of his on-field results. On the field, Ronaldo is regarded as one of the best football players ever. The Portuguese powerhouse is known as great at both Manchester United and Real Madrid and is the club’s all-time leading goal scorer with 450 goals in just 438 appearances in all competitions. In 2018, the 35-year-old transferred to Juventus, where he has become their best player. The Portuguese international forward is one of the highest-paid players in the world, which makes him the second richest footballer in the world. Cristiano is world’s most followed celebrity on Instagram with 286 million followers as of the time of this writing.
1. Faiq Bolkiah – $20 billion
- Date of birth: 9 May 1998
- Nationality: American
- Parents: Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei
- Current club: C.S. Marítimo
I assume this is the footballer that will amaze you because he is not that popular. However, the fact is that he is the richest footballer on the planet with a net worth of about $20 billion. Faiq Bolkiah is the son of Jefri Bolkiah, Prince of Brunei, and nephew of Hassanal Bolkiah, the current Sultan of Brunei. Bolkiah started his football career with AFC Newbury and went on to train with the likes of Southampton, Arsenal, and Chelsea before joining the Foxes in 2016. He did, however, leave Leicester City in 2020 without even playing a game for the club.
