37. Andrea Pirlo (Juventus) – £19.5m
Italian World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo has proved many doubters wrong since leaving AC Milan as a free agent for Juventus in 2011. The classy midfielder was the fulcrum of the Bianconeri team that won Serie A in his first season in Turin.
The 33-year-old played for AC Milan for 10 years, winning both Serie A and the Champions League twice, having joined for a £15 million fee from city rivals Inter with whom he spent three seasons. He was earning double at San Siro compared to his current salary.
Pirlo earns £47,000-a-week with the reigning Serie A champions in Turin, with a potential bonus of £407,000 a season.
Pirlo’s wealth is a result of being a top performer for the last 15 years in Serie A and Italy and including two huge transfers. He has a lucrative sponsorship deal with Nike. He also has a stake in his father’s two ironworks in Brescia called Elg Steel.