The ten richest football players in the world.
Goal.com has compiled a list of the world’s richest footballers.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Richest Clubs In World Football
The top ten, which includes just two Premier League stars, is compiled by assessing identifiable assets including salaries, length of contract, bonuses, endorsement and sponsorship deals, properties and other business interests.
We count down the top ten wealthiest players in the world:
10. Thierry Henry: £47m
The Arsenal legend is the one of two players on this list who ply their trade outside Europe and makes the top ten thanks largely to his lucrative move to New York Red Bulls in 2010. The Frenchman is now 36 but remains a regular scorer for the MLS outfit.
9. Gianluigi Buffon: £52m
The Italy and Juventus captain is the highest paid goalkeeper in world football, thanks largely to his bumper contract with the Old Lady. It seems like the 36-year-old has been around for ever but he probably still has a good few years left at the top.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic: £57m
A series of moves between a host of big-name clubs including AC Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Juventus and PSG has seen Zlatan amass a huge wealth. The mercurial Swede is one of the most charismatic figures in the game and also boasts a huge sponsorship deal with sportswear brand Nike.
7. Ronaldinho: £64m
The 33-year-old may have left Europe four years ago but he remains one of the most recognisable footballers on the planet and judging by his performances for Atletico Mineiro, he’s still got plenty of talent.
6. Neymar: £66m
The darling of Brazilian football finally got his huge move to Europe last summer which has seen him shoot up the list. The Barcelona superstar will carry his country’s hopes on his shoulders at this summer’s World Cup.
5. Kaka: £67.5m
The Brazilian flopped at Real Madrid but is back to his best at AC Milan and will surely be remembered as one of the club’s favourite sons. A series of endorsements in Brazil take Kaka’s worth to nearly £70m.
4. Wayne Rooney: £69m
The Manchester United striker has just signed the biggest contract in British football history which will see him earn £85m over the next five years – that’s £300,000 a week. The bumper new deal, plus various endorsements, make Rooney the best paid English footballer.
3. Samuel Eto’o: £70m
The Cameroonian had to take a monster £13m pay-cut when he joined Chelsea from Anzhi in the summer, with his wages dropping from £350,000 to £100,000 per week. Eto’o – who was the best paid footballer in the world during his spell in Russia – is still worth a cool £70m.
2. Lionel Messi: £120.5m
The Barcelona superstar isn’t used to finishing runner-up but Messi falls short of top spot – just as he did in the 2013 Ballon d’Or. With Barca trailing Real in the La Liga stakes, it could be hat-trick of disappointments for Messi this season.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: £122m
The Portuguese was named the best player on the planet in 2013 and has claimed further bragging rights over rival Lionel Messi after being named the world’s richest footballer – just ahead of the Argentine.