31. Francesco Totti (Roma) – £20.5m
Francesco Totti has long been referred to as a ‘Golden Boy’ of Italian football. A Roma star and a World Cup winner in 2006, Totti is the joint-second top goalscorer in Serie A history after notching close to 300 goals.
Totti is now 36, but still commands a weekly salary of £81,000 and has a potential annual bonus of £244,000. He has been one of the biggest earners in the Italian top flight for almost 15 years.
His profile remains exceptionally high, helped by the media interest in him and his wife, glamorous former showgirl Ilary Blasi. The pair are referred to as the Italian Posh and Becks. This high profile has helped Totti maintain lucrative off-field earnings. Sponsors and partners include Party Poker, Faceoff, ID-box, Nobile Spa and Domus Marmi.
He also published a book deal in 2006 called ‘I’m Going to Chip Him’, while he owns The Never Without You fashion range, the Number Ten football school and Totti Top Sport motorbike team. Properties include a luxury Rome home worth at least £4.3 million and a luxury villa in Dubai worth £2.5m.