Top 10 Richest Footballer in the World | 2025 Ranked

Football, often referred to as the world’s most beloved sport, has not only made legends on the pitch but also created millionaires off it. As the global popularity of the game continues to rise, so do the earnings of its top athletes through massive contracts, brand endorsements, and business ventures. If you’ve ever wondered who could be the richest footballer in the world? You’re not alone. Our latest list of the top 10 richest footballer in the world is filled with staggering net worths that might just surprise you.

While names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé dominate headlines for their unmatched skills, they also rank among the wealthiest. But none tops the list quite like Faiq Bolkiah, who takes the crown as the richest football player in the world. In this article, we break down the financial empires of these athletes, revealing who truly stands as the richest player in the world. So if you’re curious to know who the richest football player is, keep reading as we unveil the official ranking of the top 10 richest footballers in the world based on net worth, annual salary, and current status.

List of Richest Footballer in the World

There have been countless figures who cemented their position as one of the greatest football players of all time, but how much money they made is a different story. We have compiled this list of the richest footballer in the world 2025. So if you’re curious to know the top 10 richest footballer in the world, here is a ranking table of the top 10 richest footballers in the world based on net worth, annual salary, and current status.

How We Ranked the Top 10 Richest Footballer in the World?

Here are some of the vital ranking factors we have taken into consideration before assembling the top 10 richest footballer in the world.

• Career Earnings: Career earnings include all the income that a player has earned during their overall career. We are considering all the variables, too, like the bonuses and monetary rewards earned by a player after completing a specified achievement
• Current Salary: We analysed current player salaries, including base pay, bonuses, and signing fees from club contracts. High-profile moves, especially to leagues in Saudi Arabia or the United States, significantly boosted several players’ rankings.
• Endorsements: A crucial element of a player’s income comes from global brand endorsements. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Mohamed Salah earn millions through partnerships with brands like Nike, Puma, and more.
• Investments: Beyond football, many players have built wealth through smart investments and entrepreneurial ventures, such as Messi’s ownership in tech companies or Ronaldo’s CR7 lifestyle brand, all contributing to their financial empires.
• Equity Stakes: To give a clearer picture to our readers, we have also considered the Equity Stakes of a player in different Clubs or Businesses. One of the major contributors to a player’s net worth.

Who is the Richest Footballer in the World in 2025

After going through and filtering players based on our ranking factors, we’ve compiled our list of the richest footballer in the world, which includes players from past legends who retired, present greats, as well as future icons like David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.

10. Kylian Mbappe (France)

The French superstar Kylian Mbappé is one of the best football players in the world, which has made him the owner of his massive estimated $180 million net worth. Mbappé accumulated his net worth with his current salary, business ventures, and endorsement deals. In 2024, Mbappé moved to Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain, accepting an annual salary of approximately €15 million net per season, roughly €288,000 per week.

Mbappe is among the top 10 richest footballers in the world, with brand endorsements from renowned companies like Hublot, Dior, and Oakley, which add an additional 18 million to his net worth. Additionally, the football player is also a main ambassador for Nike’s football series. The player is still on the rise, which makes him the strongest competitor to go shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in both Monetary terms as well as professional performance.

9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most successful & charismatic footballers of his time. The Swedish legend Zlatan's estimated net worth of $190 million makes him one of the richest footballers in the world. The former Swedish striker has played for some iconic clubs like FC Barcelona, AC Milan, and others, which tells us why he is ranked the 9th player on our list of the richest footballer in the world. His football contracts were often among the highest-paid in the sport.

The AC Milan and PSG legend succeeded off the field after retirement, and his income has extended massively to endorsements with multi-million-dollar companies like Nike and Volvo. He has also launched his perfume company and has invested in various ventures, including a sports agency and a media company. Also, his fearless and strong attitude has attracted many commercials. He is currently serving at Serie A club AC Milan in an advisory role.

8. Karim Benzema (France)

The former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is next on our list of the richest players in the world of football in 2025. Benzema is one of the most distinguished footballers who has an estimated $200 million net worth from his professional career and endorsement deals. Benzema’s primary contributor is his club contract. However, the player retired from the international scene in 2022. After a historic 2022-23 season, Benzema signed a lucrative deal with a Saudi Arabian club.

In 2023, the Ballon d'Or winner transferred to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad and agreed upon a $100 million annual salary, with only $4 million coming from the brands and endorsement deals. Speaking of which, Benzema endorsed many prominent brands like Adidas, EA Sports, and Hyundai. He deservedly earns the tag of the richest footballer in the world. The Frenchman is still active as a player, securing multi-million dollar paycheques; his position is expected to improve on this table.

7. Wayne Rooney (England)

One of the greatest Manchester United players, Wayne Rooney is a true legend for the Three Lions. The Englishman's staggering net worth drastically changed in the 2nd half of his footballing career, where he had high-value contracts, including a high-paying move to Major League Soccer side D.C United, and later moved to Derby County as a player-coach. The previously mentioned highlights of the player’s career add up to around 75% of his career earnings.

Wayne Rooney's Coaching stint at Derby County also contributed to his net worth. He also appears for post-match analysis on some of the reputable networks of the world, which helps him earn more even after his football career ended. With the given financial figures, the player is ranked 7th on our list of the richest footballers in the world. Wayne Rooney has cemented his place as one of the best Premier League players of all time.

6. Dave Whelan (England)

Dave Whelan might not be as recognised as some football icons are in our list, but with his $230 million net worth, he has grabbed the attention of football fans worldwide. His 200+ million dollar network is mainly constituted of income from sports and business. A former professional footballer who played for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra, His football journey was cut short by injuries, but we can say it was a blessing in disguise for the player.

The player’s transformation from a footballer to an entrepreneur was remarkably successful. He acquires and puts his focus on expanding ‘JJB Sports’, which grew into one of the United Kingdom’s largest sports retail chains. His wealth, added with Whelan Sports, made him one of the richest former footballers in the world. Dave also owned Wigan Athletic, which climbed the levels of the English football pyramid to win the English FA Cup in 2013.

5. Neymar (Brazil)

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, aka Neymar, is one of the most renowned Brazilian footballers and prolific scorers in the world. Neymar has an estimated $250 million net worth, which he earned from his club earnings and various brands/endorsement deals. Currently playing for Santos FC, Neymar is known for his exceptional talent, dribbling, and clinical finishing. And the player is also known for his record-breaking transfer fees of around 200 million euros. Playing for Santos, the Brazilian is one of the richest footballer in the world.

As per the records, ex-Barcelona star Neymar was under contract with Saudi football Club Al-Hilal with an impressive annual salary and now plays for his boyhood club Santos FC in Brazil with a lower wage. Neymar became one of the highest-paid athletes after accepting the offer of a £138 million a year salary at Al Hilal. Other than his football income, Neymar has also endorsed many big brands, including Puma, Panasonic, Volkswagen, Claro, and Unilever, contributing significantly to his annual income. Arguably one of the best dribblers of all time, the footballing world has seen.

4. David Beckham (England)

Hailed as one of the greatest English players, David Beckham has an estimated net worth of $450 million, thanks to a diversified income portfolio. While his playing days are over, his earnings continue through endorsements (Adidas, H&M, Haig Club), business ventures, and especially his ownership stake in Inter Miami CF, a Major League Soccer franchise. The player was a prominent figure at Manchester United, and in the later stages of his career, represented Real Madrid, Milan and French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

After that, David went to Major League Soccer to finish off his professional career at LA Galaxy. Now, the retired English player earns 100% of the income from off-field sources like club ownerships and endorsements. The player also has an impressive personality, which attracts brands to him for commercials. Beckham is one of the richest player in the world.

3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Next, we have Lionel Messi in our top 10 richest players in the world of football with an estimated $850 million net worth. One of the greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, has amassed a vast net worth with his football career and endorsement deals. The World Cup winner Lionel Messi is one of the players who has crossed the $1.3 billion earnings mark in his career, including $900 million in career earnings and $400 million from his brands and endorsement deals. Messi is one of the richest footballer in the world.

Argentine star Messi currently plays for MLS side Inter Miami with an annual earnings of $60 million, including $12 million in base salary per year. Other than his professional football income, Messi has multi-million dollar deals with various brands like Pepsi, Budweiser, and Socios, including Adidas’ lifetime $10 million deal. He has invested in various business ventures- hotels and clothing. The player also featured in the Forbes list of the top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2025.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

The second world’s richest footballer is Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, with an estimated $1 billion to $1.2 billion net worth. Following his massive contract extension with Al Nassr recently. Ronaldo is known for his exceptional talent and for dominating the football field both on and off the field. He crossed 900 million followers all around the world and ranked 1st in the Forbes list of highest-paid footballers in the world. His recent contract extension with Al Nassr is the highest average salary in sports history, with almost $700 million for 2 years.

Al Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo's annual earnings are an estimated $275 million, making him the highest-paid football player in the world. All thanks to his hefty club deal, which pays an annual salary of around €200 million, which has bolstered Ronaldo’s net worth. However, it is only a part of Cristiano’s huge wealth, as most of his earnings, estimated at $65 million, come from brands and endorsement deals like Nike, CR7, Clear, Herbalife, etc. According to a report, Ronaldo signed a lifetime deal with Nike worth $1 billion, which explains his vast net worth. Ronaldo is one of the richest footballer in the world.

1. Faiq Bolkiah (Brunei)

Brunei Royal Family member and professional footballer Faiq Bolkiah is often cited as the world’s richest football player. The forward plays for Ratchaburi in the Thai League 1 and has an estimated net worth of $20 billion, mostly inherited from his family's fortune. 26-year-old Bolkiah is also captain of the Brunei national team and plays for the Ratchaburi F.C. Speaking of his football earnings, Faiq Bolkiah receives a monthly salary of 100,000 baht, which is roughly equivalent to $2,900.

There are also limited details available about Bolkiah’s brands and endorsement deals. Overall, Faiq Bolkiah’s net worth is dominated by his royal family’s affluent wealth, and his minimal football salary plays a nonexistent role with no endorsement deals. Bolkiah is the richest player in the world.