5 Richest Football Players for 2015

 

Football is the world’s most popular sport and year in year out it keeps getting much more serious than ever.

There are more than 3.5 billion football fans worldwide and for many of them, football is not just a game, it is like a religion. Top professional football players are earning more than other pro-athletes as the wealthiest soccer players are all playing in Europe.

Spain, England, Italy, Germany and France are ranked as being the greatest league on Earth but where exactly does the lies. The Premier League which is describe as the most followed and watched league in the world pays it players an average of £2.3 million a year each, making it the best paying league in the world and with that been said we go across the globe to see which player is earning what this 2015.

Here are the top 5 richest football players in the world, according to Goal.com 2015 rich list.

5) Wayne Rooney – Net Worth: €103 Million ($112 million)

Wayne Rooney is highest goal scorer of all time for the Three Lions and also moving close to become Manchester United all time goal scorer.

He is the captain of the English national team and the Manchester United club, his move from Everton to Manchester United cost for ₤25.6 million in 2004. In 2009–10, Rooney was awarded the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year, he has also won the Premier League Player of the Month award five times. He came fifth in the vote for the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or and was named in the FIFPro World 11 for 2011.

Rooney has endorsement deals with Nike (he is the face of their T90 Laser IV boots) Nokia, Ford, Asda, and Coca-Cola. He appeared on six consecutive UK-version covers of Electronic Arts' FIFA series. In 2012, Rooney was listed as the fifth highest-paid player in the world, behind Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo, with an annual income of $32.6 million. We can say he still maintain that position just with higher revenue.

4) Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Net Worth: €105 Million ($114 million)

This Swedish professional football player is an internet sensation. He is the captain of the Swedish national team. He also plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain. In 2006 he completed a €24.8 million move to Internazionale by signing a four-year deal.

Ibrahimović is one of ten players to have made 100 or more appearances for the Swedish national team, and is the country's all time leading goalscorer. He has also represented Sweden at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2004, 2008 and 2012 UEFA European Championships. His spectacular bicycle kick for Sweden against England won the 2013 FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year.

Off the field he is known for his brash persona and outspoken comments, in addition to referring to himself in the third person (Zlatan). In December 2013, Ibrahimović was ranked by The Guardian as the third-best player in the world.

3) Neymar Jr.: Net Worth: €135 Million ($148 million)

Neymar is the captain of the Brazil national team. He plays for Spanish club FC Barcelona. He has scored 43 goals in 62 matches for Brazil. SportsPro named him the most marketable athlete in the world in the years 2012 and 2013. In 2014 alone he earned $33.6 million, according to Forbes. His move to Barca was worth €57.1 million making it the 15th most expensive football transfer of all time. The striker will make $74 million in salary over five years; $13 million of which is a signing bonus.

2) Lionel Messi – Net Worth: €200 Million ($218 million)

Lionel Messi is a true football legend. It is a pleasure to watch him play the game. This Argentine football player plays for Argentina national team and FC Barcelona. He is the first football player in history to win four FIFA/Ballons d’Or. As per Forbes 2014 list, Messi earned a total of $65 million within 12 months. He is one of football’s biggest endorsers of all-time.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo – Net Worth: €210 Million ($230 million)

His Real Madrid contract earns him more than €18 million per year. In 2014 he featured on Forbes list with total earnings of $80 million, which he made between 2013- 14. He is the captain of the Portugal national team. He became the most expensive player in the world when he won the World Best Player which saw he move from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 with a transfer fee worth €94 million. He also makes money by endorsing famous brands like Motorola, Tag Heuer and Nike. With the release of his latest movie titled Ronaldo, we expect this figure to rise very soon.

Compiled by Adekunle Adewale