The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar has started and the 32 teams are divided into eight groups. Footballers are among the most well-known sporting icons in the world. Many of them have become household names all over the world and they have also become well-known faces of some of the most popular brands.

5 richest footballers

1.   Cristiano Ronaldo- $450 million 

According to reports, Cristiano is the wealthiest football player on the planet right now, with a net wealth of $450 million. Ronaldo earns £15 million per year for wearing Nike football boots, making him Nike’s highest-paid footballer. The Portuguese forward became the first footballer to sign a lifetime contract with Nike.

Ronaldo also owns the ‘Insparya’ hair transplant clinic, which has locations in Spain and Portugal. He also owns the luxury hotel brand CR7 in Portugal.

2.  Lionel Messi- $318 million

Lionel Messi has an approximately net worth of $318 million. In 2019, the Argentine forward launched a clothing line called ‘The Messi Store,’ as well as a retail outlet. According to reports, the 34-year-old earns £18 million per year for wearing Adidas-branded boots. He agreed to a three-year contract with PSG, with a reported salary of £93.8 million over the next three years.

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3.  Neymar- $200 million

Neymar is a Brazilian football player with a reported net worth of $200 million. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the world, having played for Santos, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as the Brazilian National Team. Neymar signed a fresh 5-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, possibly making him the highest-paid athlete in terms of base salary.

4. Kylian Mbappe- $180 million

Kylian Mbappe’s net worth is expected to be around $180 million. He has earned $20.8 million from wages and winnings alone, making him the wealthiest young footballer in the world right now. He ranks 33rd among the world’s highest-paid athletes. According to Forbes, he is a Nike athlete, and in 2019, Nike released Mbappe’s first Mercurial shoes. In 2018, he became Hublot’s first active player global ambassador.

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5. Gareth Bale- $131 million

Bale’s net worth is estimated to be around 131 million US dollars, to put things into perspective, his net worth was reportedly set at 87 million dollars in 2019. Bale signed a six-year, 24 million-dollar contract with Adidas in 2014, which meant he was making profits of around four million dollars per season. This is roughly what he is still earning from the German multinational corporation, according to the Daily Star.