The Wales and Real Madrid star is the most expensive footballer ever.
Gareth Bale
Age: 24
Club: Real Madrid
Annual Salary: £15.6m
Net Worth: £35m
Considering Tottenham Hotspur snapped him up from Southampton for a mere £7m back in 2007, it’s incredible to see how quickly the speedy forward has gained in value after some very impressive seasons with Tottenham. Although the exact figure has not been confirmed, it is widely reported that Bale cost Real Madrid £85.8m, overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo as the most expensive player in football.Having previously won scored three goals in ten games and teaming up with Ronaldo to terrorise defenders in La Liga it is clear to see why Madrid were willing to invest so much in the former PFA Player’s Player Of The Year 2012/13, PFA Young Player Of The Year 2012/13 and FWA Footballer Of The Year 2012/13.
Adidas have reportedly paid Bale £2m for his Adidas campaign however this figure is set to be doubled by the end of the season to rival Nike’s poster boy Cristiano Ronaldo’s deal and keep the Welshman with Adidas. Bale has also appeared on the FIFA 14 cover alongside Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and recently signed a deal with BT Sport, bringing his total sponsorship and endorsement earnings to over £10m.
Bale has registered his trademark heart celebration as a logo with the Intellectual Property Office so in the future he can use the logo on clothing and other merchandise, which considering how well his shirt sold this season at Madrid probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Due to his Grandmother being English, Bale was eligible to play for England but instead chose to play for Wales, where he has made 41 appearances and scored 11 times. However, Wales will not be playing in the 2014 World Cup.