9. Rivaldo (Sao Caetano) – £45.5m
A former Fifa World Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or winner and European Footballer of the Year, Rivaldo has won just about everything possible in football.
Now 40, the former Brazil international recently returned home after signing for Sao Caetano, the fifteenth club of his illustrious career, after leaving Angolan club Kabuscorp at the end of last year. Scarred by poverty, he still shows the signs, including missing teeth and bowlegs. The story of Rivaldo is truly remarkable.
He will be best remembered for the five years he spent at Barcelona and the two seasons with AC Milan, which included winning the Champions League. He also won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil; enjoying lucrative sponsorship deals with the likes of Nike.
He signed for Barca from Deportivo La Coruna for £16 million in 1997 before renewing his contract in 2001 to become the highest paid footballer in the world on £4m a year. He was released from this contract and signed for AC Milan on a free transfer in 2002.
Rivaldo’s wealth has continued to build during the latter stages of his career. He earned £5m a year during his three seasons with Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, while he negotiated a further £2m a year from image rights.
He has a stake in a travel company and an art and design company while he boasts properties in Brazil and land in Angola.