30. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) – £20.5m
One of the most highly rated full-backs in the world, the Philipp Lahm is a one-club player who has progressed through the Bayern ranks and is closing in on 100 caps for his country.
The Bayern and Germany captain has four DFB-Pokal cups and four Bundesliga titles to his name, while he was also part of the Germany side that finished runners-up at Euro 2008 to Spain.
He earns a salary of £141,000-a-week and an annual bonus worth up to £488,000. With endorsements included he earns £12 million-a-year.
Lahm published a controversial best-selling autobiography in 2011, called ‘Der feine Unterschied: Wie man heute Spitzenfussballer wird’ (The Subtle Difference – How to Become a Top Footballer). The book received extensive media attention and caused quite a stir in Germany as it criticised former coaches including Rudi Voller and Ottmar Hitzfeld and recommended gay footballers not to come out.
He has a very substantial sponsorship deal with Adidas, plus endorsements with Nintendo, RTL, Libella and Cewe Fotobuch. He has established the Philipp Lahm-Stiftung foundation to support underprivileged children and is also an official ambassador representing ‘Fifa for SOS Children’s Villages’.