Football ⚽ also known as soccer in some parts of the world 🌍 is the biggest sport being played across the globe. Millions of people follow and watch football matches live or through other mediums 📺. The most watched and played game, football is a multi-billion-dollar industry 💰 and players who play this game at the international level and in popular clubs are earning plenty of wealth 💵. Players playing for famous clubs are being paid handsomely and a player playing for the richest club can earn millions of dollars per year 🏆and becoming richest footballers.
However, income from clubs or teams is not the only source for a footballer ⚽, a football player’s fortune is influenced by several things, such as investments 📈, endorsements 🏅, bonuses 🎁, and other pay. Some of the wealthiest football players in the world make additional money from other ventures or as business owners.
Players playing famous leagues like Premier League, La Liga, Chinese Super League, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga are earning a whopping amount. But there are some multi-billionaire footballers across the world. In this blog post, learn about the top 10 richest footballers in the world in 2024 📅.
List of Top 10 Richest Footballers in 2024
The list of top footballers comprises names of some famous footballers playing for popular clubs and also some not-so-familiar clubs or teams ⚽. Here is the list of the top 10 richest footballers in 2024 🌍.
1. Faiq Bolkiah
- Net Worth: $20 billion
- Team: Chonburi F.C., Thailand
- Records: Richest football player in the world
- Instagram Followers: 251K
Faiq Bolkiah is the world’s richest footballer with a net worth of $20 billion and is also believed the youngest richest footballer in the world 🌍. The professional footballer is from the Brunie royal family and is currently playing in the Thailand league as a winger for the Chonburi football club ⚽ and also part of the Brunei national team. The reason for the whopping net worth of Faiq Bolkiah is that he is the prince of Brunei. So, with an estimated $20 billion in net worth, Bolkiah is the richest football player in the world 💵. He has led the Brunei national team as captain since 2018 🏆. He has earned caps for the team since 2014 🏅.
2. Lionel Messi
- Net Worth: $600 million
- Team/ Club: FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Argentina National Team.
- Records: Most Liga goals, most Balloon D’Or winners, and much more
- Instagram Followers: 504 Million
Lionel Messi from Argentina is a popular footballer who played for various famous football clubs including Barcelona and Inter Miami ⚽. The famous footballer is considered an all-time great player 🏆 and is playing as a forward in Ligue1 club Paris Saint-Germain. Messi also captains the Argentina national team. He has a net worth of $600 million, making him the second richest football player in the world.
Moreover, Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or victories. He is the player who has received the coveted trophy the most times out of all of them. In 2020, he was included in the Ballon d’Or Dream Team, and he has also won six European Golden Shoes 👟.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
- NetWorth: $500 million
- Team: Al Nassar
- Records: Highest goal-scorer in the history of football so far and others
- Instagram Followers: 634 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most famous professional footballer from Portugal and is also a celebrity sportsperson acknowledged across the globe 🌍. Currently, Cristiano Ronaldo plays as a forward for the Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and is the captain of the Portugal national team. The most Ballon d’Or winners among European players, he has won five 🏆.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also known as the highest goal scorer in the history of football as he holds the record for most goals. The famous footballer is often compared with his fellow soccer legend Lionel Messi 🐐 and is regarded as one of the best football players of all time.
4. David Beckham
- Net Worth: $450 million
- Team: Manchester United
- Records: Won league titles in 4 countries and is the only player to do so.
- Instagram Followers: 88 Million
David Beckham is a well-known former English professional footballer who played for the famous English football club Manchester United 🏆. Beckham is also co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City football club. The footballer is famous for playing as an attacking midfielder and is considered one of the greatest players of his generation 🌟.
Beckham played for several clubs throughout his career including AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and the LA Galaxy. With six Premier League wins, one La Liga title, and one MLS Cup, the footballer has 19 major trophy victories. Football player Beckham announced his retirement in 2013 🏅.
5. Dave Whelan
- Net Worth: $210 million
- Team: Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra
- Awards: Freedom of the Borough
- Instagram Followers: —
Played as a winger for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra during his career, Dave Whelan is a former English footballer ⚽. The professional footballer is considered the 5th richest footballer across the globe with a total net worth of $210 💰. In 1959–60, Dave Whelan and Blackburn Rovers won the Football League Third Division North championship 🏆. 1966 marked his retirement from the NFL. He then established the Wigan Athletic football club and went on to become a prosperous businessman.
6. Neymar Jr.
- Net Worth: $200 million
- Team: Paris Saint-Germain
- Records: The youngest player to get 100 caps for Brazil, Santos’ all-time top scorer, and more
- Instagram Followers: 223 Million
Sixth on the list of the top richest footballers is Nemar Jr., a Brazilian professional footballer ⚽. Considered as the all-time best Brazilian player, Nemar play as a a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. Along with three Copa del Rey trophies, he earned two La Liga crowns and, in 2015, a UEFA Champions League with Barcelona 🏆. In 2016 and 2019, he assisted Brazil in winning the Olympic gold medal and the Copa América 🥇.
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Net Worth: $190 million
- Team: Serie A Club AC Milan
- Records: The greatest striker of all time, the oldest player to score in Serie A history, and more
- Instagarm Followers: 64 Million
Top class striker from Swaden, Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays in Serie A club AC Milan and the Sweden national team ⚽. Another richest footballer in the world has a total net worth of $190 million. Over his career, he has won 33 trophies, including one FIFA Club World Cup, five UEFA Champions League crowns 🥇, and eleven league titles 🏅.
8. Kylian Mbappe
- Net Worth: $180 million
- Team: Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain
- Records: Four goals in two appearances in the FIFA World Cup finals, and more
- Instagram Followers: 120 Million
French football player Kylian Mbappé play as a forward for both the France national team and Paris Saint-Germain, a team in League 1. The professional footballer is high regraded for this skills and is considered as one of the finest players of his generation 🌟. In his extraordinary career, Mbappe has won three Coupe de France titles, two Coupe de la Ligue wins, and four Ligue 1 crowns.
9. Wayne Rooney
- Net Worth: $170 million
- Team: D.C. United
- Records: The second-highest goalscorer and player with the most caps for England.
- Instagram Followers: 16 Million
Wayne Rooney is another richest English footballer with net worth of $16 million. The former professional footballer is regarded as one of the greatest players in Premier League and English history ⚽. With Manchester United, Rooney took home 13 trophies 🏆, which included five Premier League crowns, one FIFA Club World Cup title 🌍, and one UEFA Champions League title.
10. Ronaldo Luis Nazario
- Net Worth: $160 million
- Team: Real Madrid
- Records: Highest goals in a single La Liga season, third-highest goal scorer in Brazil, and more
- Instagram Followers: 30 Million
A legendary footballer from Brazil commonly known as Ronaldo. The former professional footballer holds the record of becoming the most expensive youngest player at the age of 21 💵. Throughout his career, Ronaldo has received various awards and achievements 🏆.
Conclusion
In conclusion, football is not only the most played and watched sport but also an multi-billon dollar industry ⚽💰. Professional footballers are earning millions of dollars playing this sport for different clubs and teams across the world. Popular footballers also generate whopping income from brand endorsements and other businesses 💼📈. The list above comprises names of the top 10 richest footballers and there are several other players who are also earning millions of dollars 💵.
