Top 10 highest paid football players in the world

By Peter Ochieng 

Football players are some of the best paid sportsmen and women around the globe, with their salaries running into millions of shillings every month, earned as wages and endorsements.

According to Radio Times.com, the list of top 10 highest paid players in the world comprises three Africans, while clubs in Saudi Arabia are turning out to be the best employers.

Portuguese Captain Christiano Ronaldo, Brazilian Neymar, Karima Benzema and N’Golo Kante are some of players plying their trade in the Saudi Pro League.

Incidentally, they form a clique of players in the top earning bracket in the world. Check out for the full list, which runs from 1st to 10th.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) – £3.4m

He is one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Ronaldo attracted plenty of criticism for moving to Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, after a mutual termination of his contract at Manchester United in late 2022.

Way past his prime, the 39-year-old footballer signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Al Nassr in what pundits say is the start of his journey towards retirement.

2. Neymar (Al Hilal) – £1.7m

The Brazilian is in line of big names to quit Europe for the riches on offer in Saudi Arabia. He joined Saudi Pro league champions Al Hilal on a two-year deal from PSG in August 2023.

Despite earning a jaw-breaking salary, Neymar was sidelined for the better part of the just concluded 2023/2024 season.

In France, PSG enthusiasts still wonder whether they really got value for money for the world-record transfer fee they forked out for the Brazilian forward, as he failed to lead the club to Champions League glory in six seasons.

3. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – £1.6m

The Frenchman brought down the curtain on his hugely-successful spell at Real Madrid, when he left the Bernabeu upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the 2022/23 season. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expected him to stay, but that is now water under the bridge.

The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner put pen to paper on a two-year contract with Saudi Professional League outfit Al-Ittihad, after leaving Real Madrid.

4. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) – £750,000

Messi turned down a switch to Saudi Arabia and a possible emotional return to Barcelona, as he elected to join David Beckham's Inter Miami on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

One of the best footballers the world has ever seen, winding up his career.

5. Sadio Mane (Al Nassr) – £650,000

One of the Africans on the list. A disappointing single season at Bayern Munich saw the Senegalese seal a transfer for the second summer in a row in 2023, after previously being on the books of Liverpool.

He joined Al Nassr on a four-year deal until 2027.

6. Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) – £580,000

The second African on world’s top earners list. After helping Manchester City to win the treble, including the first Champions League title, a new challenge was on the agenda for Riyad Mahrez.

The Algeria international winger sealed a £30 million switch to Al Ahli. He signed a contract with the club until 2027.

7. N'Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad) – £500,000

“70 percent of the earth surface is covered by water, N’Golo Kante covers the remaining 30 percent,” was a popular joke when the French midfielder played for Leicester City and Chelsea, due to his high energy levels.  

He joined Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia on a two-year contract, after his deal with Chelsea expired at the end of the 2022/23 season.

The 34-year-old is one of the most decorated players in recent history, having won all the major trophies including the World Cup and Champions League.

8. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal) – £500,000

Kalidou Koulibaly is the third and last African on this list. The Senegalese was heralded as the perfect replacement for Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea, but less than 12 months later he was one of the many high-profile players to make the switch to Saudi Arabia.

9. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) – £400,000

The England Captain opted to leave Tottenham Hotspur and the Premier League in the summer of 2023, with the England international in desperate search of silverware.

He spectacularly failed to pick up trophies during his debut season in Germany with Bayern Munich. He is still waiting to win his first silverware, despite a remarkable scoring record for Spurs, Bayern and England.

10. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) – £300,000

One of the best players of the current generation. Kylian Mbappe quit PSG for Real Madrid this summer in the worst kept secret in football, however, he had to take a major pay cut to complete the move.

Although he will receive less than his PSG wage, the 25-year-old winger banked a stunning £128 million signing-on bonus to be paid over five years.