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Being a footballer at the highest level comes with monumental perks. It thrusts an individual onto the world stage, affords them a wide audience and the attention they garner can translate to a lot of money. Footballers plying their trade in the top European leagues are some of the highest paid athletes in the world.
In addition to the wages they pocket from the club, players will have other sponsorship and endorsement deals which are very lucrative. Famous footballers often become the faces of advertising campaigns and they can generate revenue from this by so much as sharing a photo on their social media.
Every kid who grew up watching football would have paid attention to the pair of cleats their favorite footballers were wearing. Over the years, top brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma and New Balance, to name a few, have all actively competed to dominate the market.
They have tried to get the most high-profile footballers on board to advertise their product. Without further ado, let's take a look at five players with the most lucrative boot deals.
(Figures courtesy: The Sun)
#5 Mario Balotelli - £5 million (Puma)
It's hard for football fans to look at Mario Balotelli and not think about what could have been. The Italian had astounding potential and ability but lacked the temperament to cut it. Balotelli is still only 31 years old but has largely fallen off the radar.
He did a pretty good job for AC Milan in the 2013-14 season after joining from Manchester City. In 2014, he signed a 10-year boot deal with Puma. His form has since fallen off drastically and he is currently playing for Turkish side Adana Demirspor.
But the Puma boot deal is still in operation and that makes the edgy Italian striker one of five footballers with the most lucrative boot deals.
#4 Kylian Mbappe - £14 million (Nike)
Kylian Mbappe is the crown prince of football. The Frenchman is only 23 years old but has already had an illustrious career. He was a standout performer for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winning France team.
Mbappe has also won the Ligue 1 title four times and has the added distinction of having won it with two different clubs, namely Monaco and PSG. Nike pounced on the chance to tie the PSG star to a long-term deal.
The figures involved show just how far Puma was willing to go to get one of the biggest stars in the world on board. Mbappe earns £14 million annually from the 10-year deal. The deal is valid for as long as the Frenchman plies his trade in a top league.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo - £15 million (Nike)
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time. The Portuguese international is also one of the biggest superstars in the history of the beautiful game. Ronaldo is a global sporting icon and is the most-followed individual on Instagram with 393 million followers.
As such, it comes as no surprise that getting one of the most popular athletes on the planet to sign a deal with them has cost Nike an arm and a leg. The Portuguese international's marketability is unrivaled and Nike found it appropriate to offer him a lifetime deal reportedly worth £740 million.
Yes, you read that right. That's what you get for being one of the most successful footballers in the world. Ronaldo is by far Nike's highest earning athlete.
#2 Lionel Messi - £18 million (Adidas)
Nike and Adidas are two of the most popular sports brands in the world. So when Nike gets Cristiano Ronaldo, Adidas obviously has to rope in Lionel Messi. That's how we maintain balance in the world. Messi has a lifetime deal with Adidas and even has his own sub-brand within the company called 'Adidas Messi'.
Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all time. He has won nearly everything there is to be won, including a record seven Ballon d'Or awards. The Argentinian international has had a wonderful career and is still going strong at the age of 34.
Messi is an idol to many and one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. He earns £18 million a year from his deal with Adidas.
#1 Neymar - £23 million (Puma)
Neymar might not have reached the heights of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he will go down in history as one of the greatest of the modern era. The PSG attacker continues to be one of the best in the world but niggling injury issues have impeded his journey to the very top.
The Brazilian international is a joy to watch on the football pitch and is one of the most technically gifted and intelligent players to have graced the game.
Nike and Neymar parted ways in 2020. Puma immediately swooped in and tabled an extremely generous offer that couldn't be refused. The length of the deal is not known but the Brazilian international reportedly earns £23 million per year.
