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Football is widely regarded as the most popular sport in the world and it is a well-known fact that the amount of money involved in the sport is staggering, to say the least. The likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are unsurprisingly amongst the highest-paid players in the world but aside from the usual suspects, the following list is the most startling example yet of the financial backing of Asian clubs as in recent years, a handful of top European superstars have moved to China and Japan after being offered lucrative contracts.
Three players from the cash-rich Premier League feature on the list and unsurprisingly, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also represented as it's often been the case in recent years. On that note, 10 of the highest-paid footballers in the world currently.
Also read: Top 10 footballers in the world right now
10. Oscar
Club: Shanghai SIPG
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Contract length: 4-year-deal worth $26 million per season (2017-2021)
Endorsements: $3 million
Salary & Bonus: $26 million
Total: $29 million
Notable sponsors: Adidas
Oscar sealed a lucrative move to China to ply his trade with Shanghai SIPG in 2017 after the Chinese club offered to more than triple his weekly wages. The Brazilian international lit up the Premier League in his time with Chelsea but has since then sealed a move away from Europe to become one of the highest-paid players in world football outside Europe.
The 28-year-old is one of the marquee players in the league and remains to be sponsored by Adidas despite his move to China.
9. Mesut Ozil
Club: Arsenal
Contract length: Three-year-deal worth $24 million per season (2018-2022)
Endorsements: $6 million
Salary & Bonus: $24 million
Total: $30 million
Notable sponsors: Mercedes Benz, Adidas, Beats by Dre
Mesut Ozil became one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League, by virtue of his contract extension in the summer of 2018, which was one of Arsene Wenger's last defining actions as Arsenal boss. The German international has since then fallen out of favour under Unai Emery and speculation continues to persist over his future, as he's been linked with a move away from North London.
Ozil is widely regarded as one of the greatest playmakers of this generation and is one of Adidas' leading athletes, with the likes of Mercedes Benz and Beats also sponsoring him.
8. Kylian Mbappe
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Contract length: Three-year-deal worth $20 million per season (2018-2021)
Endorsements: $10 million
Salary & Bonus: $20 million
Total: $30 million
Notable sponsors: Nike, Hublot
At the age of 20, Kylian Mbappe has established himself as one of the best players in world football and has already accomplished a fair bit in his young career. Since moving to Paris Saint-Germain in a record-breaking deal in 2017, the Frenchman has been one of the standout players for club and country and is amongst the highest-paid footballers in the world.
The World Cup winner is one of Nike's leading athletes and is also sponsored by watch manufacturers Hublot. Mbappe's is tied up with the Parisian club till the summer of 2021 and is expected to move to Real Madrid at some point in his career, to satisfy a lifelong dream of his to ply his trade with the Spanish giants.
7. Alexis Sanchez
Club: Inter Milan, on loan from Manchester United
Contract length: 4 and a half year-deal worth $21 million per season (2018-2022)
Endorsements: $9 million
Salary & Bonus: $21 million
Total: $30 million
Notable sponsors: Nike, Pepsi, Huawei
Alexis Sanchez failed to hit the ground running after sealing a controversial switch to Manchester United from Arsenal, but the Chilean international was the highest-paid player in the Premier League at the time. Since then, the former Barcelona man has been flogged off on loan to Inter Milan in an attempt to get his career back on track but the Red Devils are reportedly paying a sizable chunk of his wages, as part of the loan deal with the Italian club.
Sanchez is sponsored by the likes of Pepsi, Huawei and Nike amongst others and also played a starring role in the film 'Mi Amigo Alexis', a movie about a young Chilean kid who aspires to follow in his hero's footsteps.
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6. Andres Iniesta
Club: Vissel Kobe
Contract length: Three-year contract worth $30 million annually (2018-2021)
Endorsements: $2 million
Salary & Bonus: $30 million
Total: $32 million
Notable sponsors: Nike, Sony, Arcos, Nissan, UFX
After 22 years with Barcelona, Andres Iniesta parted company with the Catalan giants in the summer of 2018 and is currently plying his trade with Vissel Kobe. The Spaniard is the highest-paid outside Europe and is set to spend three years in Japan, where David Villa and Fernando Torres also plyed their trades before announcing their retirements recently.
Iniesta is Nike athlete and is also sponsored by the likes of Sony and Nissan and the Spaniard will go down as one of the most decorated players in the history of the game, having won notable trophies for club and country.
5. Paul Pogba
Club: Manchester United
Contract length: 5-year-deal worth $20 million per season (2016-2021)
Endorsements: $13 million
Salary & Bonus: $20 million
Total: $33 million
Notable sponsors: Adidas
Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United from Juventus in the summer of 2016 for £89 million, a record-breaking fee at the time and it could be argued that the Frenchman hasn't lived up to the billing with the record English champions. The former Juve man has not produced the goods consistently for United but remains one of the key players for club and country, as he played a starring role in France's triumph in the 2018 edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Pogba is one of Adidas' leading athletes and remains one of the highest-paid players in world football, with a base salary of £20 million a season. The Frenchman is the highest earner in the Premier League currently and it remains to be seen if he extends his stay with the Red Devils beyond next summer, as it has been reported that he has keen admirers at Real Madrid.
4. Gareth Bale
Club: Real Madrid
Contract length: 5-year-deal worth $28 million per season (2016-2022)
Endorsements: $6 million
Salary & Bonus: $29 million
Total: $35 million
Notable sponsors: Adidas, Nissan Motors, Konami and Foot Locker
Despite his current situation at Real Madrid, where he has reportedly had a falling out with manager Zinadine Zidane, Gareth Bale remains one of the highest-paid players in the world and the Welshman made defining contributions in each of their Champions League triumphs in the decade.
Bale is sponsored by the likes of Adidas and Konami amongst others and the former Tottenham Hotspur winger has been a key player for Real Madrid this season, despite coming close to sealing a move to China this summer.
3. Neymar Jr
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Contract length: 5-year-deal worth $70 million per season (2017-2022)
Endorsements: $35 million
Salary & Bonus: $70 million
Total: $109 million
Notable sponsors: Gillette, McDonald's, Beats by Dre, a subsidiary of Apple Inc. (AAPL), and Nike
Neymar's sensational move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017 sent shockwaves across Europe and in moving to the French capital, the mercurial Brazilian became the most expensive player in the history of the game, as the Parisian club triggered his £222 million release clause.
The 27-year-old is a key player for club and country and his base salary at club level is second only to Lionel Messi, who is the highest-paid player in world football currently. Aside from being a Nike athlete, the Brazilian international is also sponsored by the likes of Gilette and McDonald's, and is second only to Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to Instagram followers.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Club: Juventus
Contract length: 4-year-deal worth $70 million per season (2018-2022)
Endorsements: $45 million
Salary & Bonus: $64 million
Total: $109 million
Notable sponsors: Nike, Altice, DAZN, MTG, Herbalife
Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a move to Juventus in the summer of 2019, after spearheading to Real Madrid to a hattrick of Champions League titles and overseeing the most successful era in the club's decorated history. Since moving to Italy, the Portuguese international has carried on with his goalscoring exploits and played a key role in the Biaconeri's Scudetto winning campaign and topped off a stellar season by winning the UEFA Nations League.
The likes of Electronic Arts and Nike are amongst his noteworthy sponsors and the 34-year-old is also the most followed athlete on Instagram, with more than 190 million followers to his name. Cristiano is also well set to become the second player in the history of the game to amass 100 international goals, as he moved to within one goal of a century of goals for Portugal with a goal against Luxembourg in the European Qualifiers.
1. Lionel Messi - Barcelona
Club: Barcelona
Contract length: 4-year-deal worth $80 million per season (2017-2021)
Endorsements: $47 million
Salary & Bonus: $80 million
Total: $127 million
Notable sponsors: Adidas, Pepsi, Lays, Gatorade, Jacobs & Co, Mastercard, Ooredoo
Widely regarded as the greatest player to ever grace the game, Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi is unsurprisingly the highest-paid player in world football currently. The diminutive Argentinian looks set to spend the entirety of his career with the Catalan giants and earns an eye-watering sum of $127 million a year including endorsements and bonuses.
Aside from bagging a lifelong contract with Adidas, the 31-year-old is also sponsored by the likes of Pepsi, Lays and Gatorade amongst other brands and is understandably one of the most marketable athletes of all time, having made a name for himself as one of the most gifted footballers of all time.
