Highest Paid Footballer in the World 2025: Top 10 Richest Players Ranked

Football is one of the most popular games on this planet, and with such high stature and stakes comes a lot of money. As such, the highest-paid footballers in the world make for some of the wealthiest athletes across all sports globally. That said, some may be left shocked by the exorbitant amounts of money that top football teams shell out on a weekly and yearly basis. From Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski to one of the greatest soccer players in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, we have included players from all leagues, showing how diverse our list is.

All things considered, it may still be a fair investment, seeing that these high-profile players are some of the best in the business and have made it a habit to deliver the goods on the biggest occasions and on the biggest stages. Thus, the highest-paid footballers in the world are known to have put in years and years of hard work and toil, which has in turn made them deserving of the riches and the wealth that they have accumulated.

Who Is the Highest Paid footballer in the World Right Now?

S No	Player Name	Club	Salary (Annually)
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£176.8m
2	Karim Benzema	Al-Ittihad	£83.2m
3	Lionel Messi	Inter Miami	£46.8m
4	Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£37.9m
5	Riyad Mahrez	Al-Ahli	£30.16m
6	Robert Lewandowski	Barcelona	£28.08m
7	Kylian Mbappe	Real Madrid	£26.00m
8	Erling Haaland	Man City	£26.00m
9	N’Golo Kante	Al-Ittihad	£26.00m
10	Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£26.00m

Also Read: From Rags to Gold: Top 20 Highest Paid Players in Premier League

Top 10 Highest Paid Soccer players in the World (May 2025 Rankings)

10. Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal)

Easily one of the best defenders in the Saudi Pro League, Kalidou Koulibaly has nearly achieved every trophy possible he could at Al Hilal. A smashing success since his move to the SPL, the former Chelsea defender has been rock solid behind a lot of the team’s success over the last few seasons. With a weekly pay of £500,000, he has cemented his place at the 10th position on our list.

Despite the clock slowly winding down on his career, Koulibaly still remains one of the best in the Saudi Pro League. That said, it could well result in him placing even higher among the highest paid footballer in the world. 

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
33	Senegal	£500,000

9. N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad)

One of the most respected midfielders in the Saudi Pro League, Kante has sealed his reputation as one of the greatest French players of all time. Despite winning many major trophies from the FIFA World Cup to the English Premier League, he remains a model professional and a role model for his fans and teammates. 

That said, Kante has also broken barriers off the pitch, with a global fan following, thanks to his heroics for France in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He is reported to be making around £500,000 per week at Al Ittihad, making him one of the highest paid soccer player.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
34	France	£500,000

8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Another one of the next generation of goal-getters is the man-machine, Erling Haaland. Bursting onto the scene with his unbelievable goal tallies, Haaland has now been leading the line for Manchester City for a few years now and is doing a very good job of it. With a number of top-scorer awards to his name already, Haaland’s ability to use his massive frame and speed to flood the goalmouth and add to his tally means that he is one of the very best in the business. 

In addition to this, it helps that he plays for Manchester City, a club that is known for taking good care of their players. Despite his simpler approach to life, Haaland is one of the highest paid footballer players in the Premier League and that is something he will look to ensure is the case for the future as well with his multimillionaire contract at Eithad.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
24	Norway	£500,000

7. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

Following his move to Real Madrid, things haven’t exactly been smooth sailing for the French superstar and talisman. While his goalscoring form hasn’t declined much by the standards of many, he has struggled to find his feet in the white and gold Real jersey. That said, he is still one of the most prolific goal scorers in the world and on his day, can single-handedly decide the game, no matter how grand the occasion may be.

While his move from Paris Saint-Germain wasn’t the mega-money deal the people may have expected, his signing fee and salary at Real Madrid most certainly make up for that. With a legal battle with his former club regarding outstanding wages still ongoing, Kylian Mbappe could well find himself higher on this list much sooner than expected. 

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
26	France	£500,000

6. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

At number 6, we have one of the most dangerous strikers on the planet currently, Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski has become the star man this season, having regained his form, and he has ensured that Barcelona stays in the hunt for the La Liga trophy this season. The Polish striker is a massive favorite for the Ballon d’Or this season and he is now one of the highest paid footballer in the world.

As such, FC Barcelona has ensured that their veteran superstar is well taken care of and has splurged massive amounts to keep him content and determined at the Camp Nou. Should his form continue, one can expect his wealth to expand exponentially in the coming years. 

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
36	Poland	£540,000

5. Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)

Following years of performing at the elite level with the likes of Leicester City and Manchester City, before making a move to Saudi Arabia, where he signed for Al Ahli. Even in Saudi Arabia, things have not gone to plan for the Algerian as he is yet to win any silverware with the club. 

Still, the Saudis entrusted the player with untapped wealth and many other luxuries, benefits, and royalties. However, with his contract ending in 2027, he is all set to get paid a hefty amount of salary at one of the elite clubs in the Saudi Pro League. He is earning £500,000 per week, which makes him one of the highest paid footballer in the world.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
34	Argeria	£580,000

Also Read: Top 10 Richest Footballer in the world | 2025

4. Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr)

By all means, there can be no doubts regarding Sadio Mane’s abilities as a player and his status as a future Liverpool legend. One of the most prolific attackers of the Premier League in his time, Mane’s range and collection of goals will always be fondly remembered in Merseyside. With the promise of even more riches and wealth in Saudi Arabia, it made sense for the Senegalese international to call time on his career in European football.  He is one of the highest paid footballer, as he is earning an extravagant amount of £730,000 per week at Al Nassr.

That said, Mane is known for having a heart of gold, donating regularly to the deprived and struggling in Senegal. Not only that, but he has also overseen the construction of wells, hospitals, and schools in the remote, village areas of the country as his way of giving back to his home and community. 

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
33	Senegal	£730,000

3. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

As expected, the king of football was always a shoo-in for this list, as he is with any related to the sport. Undoubtedly one of the best football players of all time, it only makes sense that he is also one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. Since his departure from FC Barcelona, it has been an interesting ride for the Argentine king as he first made his way to Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami, where he has found some solid footing. 

Now surrounded by more of his former Barcelona teammates, Lionel Messi is arguably having the time of his life, playing with them and making an absolute killing while doing so. Having achieved everything there is to in the sport, it is the perfect ending to his incredible story.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
37	Argentina	£900,000

2. Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad)

Set to go down as a Real Madrid legend when all is said and done, Karim Benzema is living the dream with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Having put in his best years in a Madrid shirt, Benzema has accumulated a trophy haul that many still only dream of. With his best years behind him, the Frenchman made the decision to move to Saudi Arabia, like many others, and is much better off for it. 

While his start at Al-Ittihad may not have gotten off on the best note, Benzema has started to find his feet again, and with his new manager being the legendary French defender Laurent Blanc, fans can rest assured that his time in the game is far from over.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
37	France	£1.6m

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)

Easily at the top of the highest-paid footballers in the world, by a substantial margin, is Cristiano Ronaldo. Following an exemplary career at Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, the move to Al-Nassr fills Ronaldo’s competitive fire and desire to win, whilst earning him a mega payday. While he can easily walk away from the sport at any time, his desire and dedication are what make him one of the best of all time, and that is exactly how he is being treated at Al-Nassr. 

While his work on the field will always be remembered for years to come, Ronaldo has also spent a lot of time making things work for him off the pitch as well. As the inevitable draws near, Cristiano’s current deal will ensure that he will have more than enough for himself and his future generations as well.

Age	Country	Salary (Per Week)
40	Portugal	£3.4m

Also Read: Top 20 Highest Earners in the Premier League- 2024/25

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