Lionel Messi of Argentina controls the ball in the second half against Jamaica at Red Bull Arena on September 27, 2022 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images). Haaland has proved his worth and this is the first time that he finds his name in the list of the top 10 highest-paid footballers in the world. Arguably the greatest player to have played the game, Messi is seen as Barcelona's best player, having made 741 appearances in all competitions and scoring 640 goals since his debut in 2004. The 2022 FIFA World Cup Viral Sensation Has Got Many Fans. Scaloni led Argentina to win the 2021 Copa America title after defeating hosts, Brazil. They were the first two major titles in Portugals history. Netherlands are one of the dark horses at the tournament. After all, it is the performance on the field which makes them the highest-paid footballers commanding salaries and brand endorsements amounting to millions of dollars. He replaced Frank de Boer, who left the position following the teams disappointing Euro 2020 campaign. France won $38 million for winning in 2018 and distributed $11 million among 23 players, an average payment of roughly $480,000. (Photo by Power Sport Images/Getty Images), (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images), Llansantffraid, Wales. Top 10 highest-paid soccer players in the world in 2022. The end of the deal reportedly cost him around USD 5 million. []. It was a coming-out party of sorts for the then-19-year-old, who was named the best young player at the Russia-hosted event. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) | 508,143-a-week, 4. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal looks on during the UEFA Nations League A Group 2 match between Portugal and Spain at Estadio Municipal de Braga on September 27, 2022 in Braga, Portugal. Football Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Mbappe: The 30 highest-paid footballers Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Mbappe: The 30 highest-paid footballers By His astonishing speed demolishes any defensive formation of the opponents. You may opt-out by. His performances on the field for club and country have been complemented by successful marketing and commercialisation strategies which have propelled Neymar to the very top. He topped the list again in 2022 with total earnings of USD 130 million. Of his total projected earnings for the 2022-23 season, Iniesta is set to make USD 25 million in the form of on-field salary. He also has his own highly successful fashion brand named CR7 and has investments in the hospitality sector with Pestana CR7 chain of hotels. The research found the pay gap between players and general populace was biggest in China, where professional players earn 160 times as much as regular citizens. Sergio Busquets (Barcelona) | 357,733-a-week, 13. But despite the vast difference in the earnings of players in Spains La Liga and Englands Premier League, it is another nation which has the biggest pay gap between players and fans. He played for four different clubs, including Chelsea, from 2008 to 2015. The amounts earned depend on a player's experience and the team's specific terms and Germany manager, Hansi Flick, is the highest paid manager at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. McDonalds Korea Confirms Collaboration With K-Pop Group NewJeans And Fans Cant Contain Their Excitement! Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich) | 333,342-a-week, 23. Haalands off-field earnings, as per Forbes, are only USD 4 million from his engagements with corporates such as Samsung, Viaplay and Hyperice. On the 25th of May 2021, the German Football Association announced that Hansi Flick has signed a three-year contract to serve as the manager of the Germany national team. All rights reserved. The list takes into account all prize money, salaries and bonuses in their playing career as well as sponsorship deals, appearance fees, memorabilia and licensing income. For Ronaldo, though, the end may be closer than expected. In the Welsh Premier League, players earn an average $6,313 annually, compared to the national average of $34,188. 1 As Erling Haaland Debuts, Highest-Paid NHL Players 2022: Young Stars Are Making The Most Of Hockey's Hard Reality, The World's Highest-Paid Golfers 2022: LIV Golf Reshuffles Top Earners And Sends Pay Soaring, The World's 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams 2022, criticized United, the Glazer family and Ten Hag. Though its hard to imagine if you only look at the top table of world soccer, there are still countries where it doesnt pay to play. All the most succesful ones came to the realisation that at a certain stage the world was not their oyster after all, that hard work is seldom its A gifted attacking midfielder and winger, Hazard is one of Belgiums most prominent players. Like Neymar, Ronaldo enjoys a strong social media presence, and is one of the most marketable faces in the world. His salary is about $213 million (173m) a year, and his net worth is $500 million. His debut season in France has not gone as he would have hoped, but he is likely to still win the Ligue 1 title. Last summer saw Cristiano Ronaldo return to Manchester United after 12 years away, but this season has not gone to plan for the Portuguese forward. Brazilian Oscar takes home $27 million in salary from Shanghai SIPG, in China's Super League [+] competition. Where should I look for the trials Im a Gambian but recently bade on UAE Im a footballer I play football n th Gambia i came hear i wanna continu I cover the intersection of sports, business and technology. Saudi Arabian football club Al Nassr recently made a handsome USD 225 million offer to Ronaldo, and rumours are rife that he may accept the three-year deal after the World Cup. One of the best players in the world right now, Mohamed Salah's star has been rising ever since his move to Liverpool. His sharp decrease in playing time hasnt diminished his popularity. Players in Spains top flight earn $2,896,151 125 times more than the average Spanish worker. Check Out His Salary, Endorsements And Luxurious Cars, The Best And Most Iconic FIFA World Cup Ads Thatll Trigger Your Nostalgia, What Is Neymars Net Worth? Raheem Sterling signed for Chelsea this summer. Unsurprisingly, Qatar manager Felix Sanchez is one of the highest paid manager at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Messi, who joined PSG as a free agent in the summer of 2021, will see his contract expire in June. pic.twitter.com/jtMSRrQsRq. This is one of those debate questions that bring out fire and fury. I say yes, and in this time of belittling everything about being a man in today Please contact your account representative for further details. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) | 390,254-a-week, 8. Trust us when we say the numbers on show are an absolute joke 30. In this article, FootballOrbit brings you the highest paid coaches at the 2022 World Cup. He has been plagued by injuries and fitness concerns over the four seasons he has played. We look at the 10 highest-paid football players in the world. Kylian Mbappe, who won the Golden Boot in Qatar with eight goals, came second in the race for the prestigious award with 44 votes. As a player, Didier Deschamps captained France to win the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. The Three Lions eventually lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. Qatar 2022 could be a watershed moment for the now-23-year-old superstar, ushering in a new wave of popularity and, potentially, an even bigger payday. He is also the most popular athlete account on Instagram, with an astounding 497 million followers. He has managed top clubs like Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United. City picked him from Wolfsburg in 2015 for a then club record transfer fee of around USD 82.5 million. Almost nothing has gone to plan for Eden Hazard since he made the move from Chelsea to Real Madrid in the summer of 2019, with injuries seeing him lose confidence and fall down the pecking order. Also Read: Alaves vs Valencia prediction, preview, team news and more | La Liga 2020-21. The Wales international would form a dangerous attacking trident with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, as Real Madrid stormed to three consecutive Champions League titles. According to the publication, his earnings between 1 May 2021 and 1 May 2022 from PSG salary and bonuses amounted to USD 70 million. The report says that Beckham signed a five-year deal for at least USD 19.78 million per year in May 2020 with Guild Esports. A nine-time La Liga Champion and four-time UEFA Champions League winner for Barcelona, Iniesta was also instrumental in Spains Euro 2008, Euro 2012 and 2010 FIFA World Cup championship victories. [], Unsurprisingly, some of the highest paid footballers in the world in 2023 are also among the best players on the planet. He has also scored over 700 goals for the clubs he has played for throughout his career, bringing his total goal tally to over 800. Already a superstar at the age of 21, Kylian Mbappe is seen as the future, but in the present he is one of the best footballers in the world. Paris Saint-Germain trio Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar are the three highest-paid players in the world. Sergio Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain) | 443,426-a-week, 6. I cover the world's most popular sport soccer (football). The legendary Argentinian who has recently won the World Cup in Qatar with his national team has been a prominent figure in football since his professional debut in 2004. His salary is about $213 million (173m) a year, and his net worth is $500 million. Griezmann was one of the biggest stars of the last decade and played a starring role in France's 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph. The same year, he also signed a USD 55 million deal to appear in EA Sports FIFA 21. Since then he has won 15 trophies at the club, including the treble last season. With 3.6 billion people tuning in for the last World Cup in 2018, the event presents an unparalleled exposure opportunity for stars of the global game. He also endorses brands like Adidas, Budweiser, Mastercard, Pepsi and almost a dozen others. He is also very active on TikTok, where he often entertains more than 26 million followers of his with dance videos. Kevin De Bruyne $29m ($25.5m salary, $3.5m endorsements) De Bruyne has almost certainly been the best player in the worlds most lucrative league over the last five seasons and plays for a club owned by the Abu Dhabi Royal Family, so itd be weird if he wasnt in this top 10. . Interestingly, he got his first-ever World Cup goal in a match against Saudi Arabia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Iniesta spent almost his entire career with La Liga club Barcelona. His fame is further cemented by the fact that he is the worlds most followed human on Instagram, with a staggering count of over 500 million followers. Despite having been left out of the most recent Spain squad, David de Gea remains the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world. As a result, brands flock to the World Cup, and players, Biddle adds, offer a low barrier of entry into the sponsorship side of the event. It was his first national title. He earns 3.33m per month, making him the highest-paid manager in the world by some distance. What are Messi's contracts and endorsements? 1. Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - August 13, 2022 Manchester City's Erling Braut Haaland celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. In July 2022, Salah signed a new three-year contract with Liverpool, becoming the clubs highest-paid player earning around USD 423,000 per week. Kylian Mbappe's teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar is one of the most recognizable sportspeople in the world right now. Alongside Pep Guardiola, he is one of the only two managers to achieve a sextuple with their team. Former Southampton striker Graziano Pelle earns $21.7 million at Shandong Luneng and Brazilian Oscar takes home $27 million in salary from Shanghai SIPG. At the same time, relatively younger players such as Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbapp have become magnets for both advertisers and clubs with big budgets due to their sensational form and multiple successes. Rounding out the five highest-paid stars playing in Qatar are two more aging stars in Brazils Neymar Jr. and Polands Robert Lewandowski. Southgate is a former English midfielder. Please logout and login again. He endorses brands such as Nike, Herbalife, Livescore, Armani, TAG Heuer and Clear shampoo and Talabat and Jacob & Co. Furthermore, at Euro 2020; France got knocked out on penalities by Switzerland in the round of 16, following a 3-3 draw. What about those who have retired? Across 64 matches, the tournament posted an average audience of 191 million. He earns 5.5m annually. 10. The United forward is comfortably the highest-paid Premier League player, though, with De Bruyne taking second spot in that regard. Diallo said (via The Mirror): However, if his recent Instagram post is anything to go by, Mbappe has changed his stance in the ever-raging debate between Ronaldo and Messi, dubbing Messi as the best player. Here are some pictures from the opening ceremony. He still has another three years to run on his contract. [], Not only did Gary Lineker never received a red card in his career; but he was NEVER even shown a yellow card!!! Gerardo Tata Martino was appointed as manager of Mexico in 2019. Cash returns from businesses operated by the athlete are also included. Was The RJ Barrett Extension A Mistake For The New York Knicks? W hen Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi each crossed $100 million in total annual earnings for the first time in 2018, both were in their 30s, at the respective In the summer, the 33-year old admitted that he would like to leave the club, but it failed to materialise. Without further ado, let's take a look at the top 10 highest-paid footballers in the world. Unidad Editorial Informacin Deportiva, S.L.U. Should You Be Worried? He earns $23 million in wages and an additional $7 million in endorsements. Soccer players Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are the three highest paid athletes in the world, according to Forbes. On the 4th of August 2021, Van Gaal came out of retirement to take charge of the Netherlands national team for a third time. His first tournament as England manager was the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His attitude and performance with Manchester United have been harshly criticized this season. Brazil are one of the favourites to win the trophy. His estimated on-field earnings are estimated at USD 110 million higher than the total earnings of everyone else except Messi. But in 2021 Martinos side lost both the 2021 CONCACAF Nations League final and the CONCACAF Gold Cup to USA. His estimated on-field earnings are set to be USD 27 million and his off-field revenue will be around USD 4 million. WebHe has never completed a full match for the club. The 28-year old has made 165 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, scoring 104 goals. After a breakthrough season with AS Monaco, Mbappe made the news when Paris Saint-Germain splurged 130 million to make him the scond-most expensive As per the publication, Neymar is now set to make USD 55 million as on-field earnings and around USD 32 million off it. There is, of course, the fact that this is football a very lucrative sport where millions of dollars ride in the form of brand sponsorships and broadcasting rights across national leagues and international levels. Top footballers are also some of the most recognizable faces on the planet. Initially appointed as a caretaker manager, Lionel Scaloni was made the permanent manager of Argentina in 2019. This was Brazils 9th Copa America title, their first in 12 years and their first trophy in 6 years. Germany manager Hansi Flick will be the highest-paid coach at World Cup 2022 with an annual salary of 6.5 million, according to FinanceFootball. In the Welsh Premier League, players earn an average $6,313 annually, compared to the national average of $34,188. The average salaries of soccer players were compared with the average citizen salaries in 61 countries. However, Southgate often gets criticised for his ultra-conservative approach. In total, the five highest-paid players at the World Cup are expected to earn a total of $452 million this season, $173 million of which off the pitch, according to Forbes estimates. Neymar Jr. was the biggest star in the world of football after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the last decade. The Russian Premier League was fourth on the list, with players earning 103 times more than the average worker. Cristiano Ronaldo Image credit: Cristiano Ronaldo/@Cristiano/Facebook. He began his career with Ligue 1 club Lille before moving to Premier League club Chelsea in 2012. Ronaldo has won almost every trophy that the world of football can offer, including five Ballon dOr footballing worlds highest individual honour. Multiple media reports indicate that he is now eyeing the possibility of signing up both Messi and Ronaldo for Inter Miami CF. This is a BETA experience. The team reached the round of 16 at Euro 2020, where they lost 1-0 to Belgium. The highest-paid player in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo. He signed a lucrative new deal last summer which sees him earn 350,000 ($413,000) per week in wages. It should not come as a surprise that the worlds 10 richest footballers are also among the very best in the game. Kylian Mbappe $125m ($105m, $20m endorsements) For the first time in over a decade, Messi and Ronaldo have been knocked off the top spot of the highest Well, it depends if you are a common player or a high-profile one with experience in good football leagues, not necessarily Europe. For instance, t Heres a few ways: If youre still in school join your schools football team. If youre good enough youll get spotted by a professional, semi-pro The Egypt international is also one of the most admired footballers on the planet. Kylian MbappeNet Worth: What Is The French Footballers Salary? The issue of the highest-paid footballers in the world often creates a lot of interest, and the figures show that the players that make the most money play for a small circle of clubs. He has proven to be a shrewd investment, and has made 133 appearances in all competitions, scoring 99 goals. Professional footballers at the highest level are some of the highest paid athletes in the world. It takes players just over three days to earn the national average wage in England, the third biggest salary gulf on the list. However, the likes of Neymar Jr. and Mohamed Salah, two highly experienced forwards, also rake in millions. At the end of his first season, Flick led Bayern to the continental treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League. He led Qatar to win the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and to also reach the semi-final of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Pundits have repeatedly marvelled at the Belgian icons consistency in maintaining each of those attributes at the highest level to date. His CR7 brand is used on eyewear, footwear, underwear, fragrances, gyms and hotels. Subscribe to the AugustMan newsletter. Winter is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day. Reports suggest Haalands next shoe deal could be worth as much as $18 million annually. Oh and he also got Eoin Morgan to commentate on THAT Super Over. David Alaba (Real Madrid) | 365,863-a-week, 11. Around USD 65 million of this total will come from his salary at PSG. El club Al-Ittihad FC Jeddah de la Arabia Saudita estara en disposicin de hacer una oferta mareante para conseguir los servicios de Leo Messi. The Norwegian, who is the son of celebrated Premier League footballer Alfie Haaland, initially played in leagues in Norway and Austria and won the Austrian Bundesliga for Red Bull Salzburg. Buy Manchester City Puma Football T Shirt Here. But Qatar have been eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup after losing their opening two games. And he already entered his name in history books in the very first match of Portugal by becoming the first footballer to score in five World Cup tournaments. As per the terms of his deal, the former Manchester City man earns 325,000 ($384,000) per week in wages. Before joining Liverpool in a transfer worth around USD 44 million in 2017 from Serie A club Roma, Salah briefly played for Chelsea and Fiorentina. The TV broadcast rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup alone amount to USD 2.64 billion and the total prize pool is USD 440 million up from USD 400 million in 2018. Mohamed Salah picked up his third Premier League Golden Boot last term. (Main image: Andrs Iniesta/@andresiniesta8/Twitter; Featured image: Leo Messi/@leomessi/Instagram). He ended the association earlier in 2022 after reports said that the Chinese multinational supported Russia technologically in the invasion of Ukraine. The richest soccer players list is dedicated to footballers and is more like a future projection of their earnings by the end of a season, which happens in the summer every year. The 31-year old did not enjoy the best of relationships with manager Zinedine Zidane, and a result was barely used last season. You may opt-out by. A graduate of the Atletico Madrid youth academy, de Gea moved to Manchester United in 2011 for 19 million. He also endorses 11 brands, including Nike, Therabody, Credit Karma and Wow Hydrate, which adds another USD 4 million to his annual earnings. The 34-year-old was paid $35 million and became the seventh most-paid footballer of the year. Jadon Sancho (Manchester United) | 350,000-a-week, 15. He was appointed as manager of England in 2016. Reuters. Under him, Belgian also topped FIFA Mens Ranking in 2018 and held onto the spot for four consecutive years till Brazil dethroned it in 2022. (FIFA boss Gianni Infantino said in May that he expects 5 billion viewers for the 2022 tournament.) Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Mbappe: The 30 highest-paid footballers, with all the data collected by Capology for FBREF, Man Utd vs Barcelona: Head to Head Record, Europa League 2022/23: Last 16 Fixtures confirmed, Dates and Everything We Know So Far. Mbapps status on the world stage will be extreme, especially with the EA Sports association, his boot deal [with Nike] and everything that comes with that, Rossi Biddle, owner of sports marketing firm XtraTimeFC, says, speaking of his endorsement partners. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) | 338,708-a-week, 19. 9. Lionel Messi scored 91 goals in 69 matches for club and country in 2012.Ninety one. After a satisfying spell as interim coach, he was appointed on a permanent basis. He replaced his former boss, Joachim Low. Both Messi and Mbappe were also included in the FIFPro World XI. He had earlier managed the likes Paraguay, Newells Old Boys, Barcelona and Argentina in his career. The development came days after Ronaldo severely criticised the clubs system, team manager Erik ten Hag and most of its players. The Argentine is one of the six billionaire athletes in the world today, with Forbes valuing the total earnings in his career at USD 1.15 billion. (The only other player close is Messi at $55 million.) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) | 350,000-a-week, 16. The highest-paid soccer The two-year contract Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. His first tenure was horrible as Netherlands shockingly failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. I think that people just want to have one more Ronaldo moment, he says, adding, Soccer fans love Messi, soccer fans love Neymar, but off the field they dont necessarily appeal to the average person, where Ronaldo does.. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 on a lucrative two-year contract which sees him earn $62 million in wages per annum. In 2019, Tite led Brazil to win the 2019 Copa America on home soil. This made him become one of the 3 players that have won the FIFA World Cup both as a player and as a manager. Ancelotti's options for the Clasico without Benzema and Rodrygo. Please logout and login again. The Chinese club spending most on wages in the 2018 season was Guangzhou Evergrande, where players received an average of $2,190,533. This year, Messi, generally now considered to be the best player of all time, will earn a salary of $92 million. The Portuguese striker has been bamboozling opponents on the field with blistering speed and outstanding accuracy even at the age of 37, when most footballers would go into retirement mode. Soccer players Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are the three highest paid athletes in the world, according to Forbes. His latest contract at the club is set to bring him on-field earnings of USD 25 million for the 2022-23 season. As for his future at the club level, ESPN, citing sources, reports that he might not join Beckhams Inter Miami CF and stay on at PSG for at least one more season till 2024. Messi is considered by many as the worlds greatest active footballer. However, he is best known for his near invulnerability as a central midfielder with fellow Spain icon Xavi. Gareth Bale earns the same amount as Eden Hazard, so he could have been sixth and the Belgian fifth. The France international, who began his career with Real Sociedad, made his name with Atletico Madrid, where he became one of the best attackers in world football. Messi and his team recently led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has treated his players to personalized, 24-carat gold iPhone 14 Pros from iDesign Gold. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Englands Premier League is the league where players receive the largest average annual salary, taking home $3,935,197 a year in the worlds richest league. He became the manager of Portugal in 2014. In total, Messi has scored over 785 goals in his senior career. Nevertheless, he is into his last few months as a Real Madrid player, then the club will be freed of his exorbitant salary. French superstar Kylian Mbapp reigns supreme while Argentinas Lionel Messi and Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo are chasing international glory one final time. He hardly features for Real Madrid these days but takes home $28.6 million in wages and another $2.5 million in endorsements. Encouraged by Cristiano Ronaldos transfer to Al-Nassr, Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad are reportedly plotting to bring 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Messi to the country. The 53rd IFFI, conducted jointly by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), saw several celebrities gracing the gala. But quantifying the precise state of the leagues finances is impossible when there is close to no transparency from most clubs.. Paul Merson predicts the result of Liverpool vs Man Utd and other PL GW 26 fixtures! Borussia Dortmund acquired him in 2020 and Haaland, who is hailed for his incredible strength, finishing and speed, became a goal-scoring machine for the German club. Bale has now returned to his beloved Tottenham Hotspur on loan, where he has enjoyed a bright start. Now, their best hope is getting into the top four, with trophies no longer a possibility. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) | 338,708-a-week, 22. He became the third manager (after Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson) to reach a World Cup semi-final with England. Thanks to the money riding on it and mega tournaments, such as FIFA World Cup, football is one of the worlds most watched sports nowadays. As per the publication, he made another USD 25 million as off-field earnings, including endorsements for brands such as Puma and Red Bull, in the same period. All eyes are on the Argentine at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, especially because Messi has already stated that it is surely his last. His performance at the national level, too, has been equally affected during this period. Furthermore, Argentina won the 2022 Finalissima, after defeating Italy 3-0 at Wembley. Shark Tank India: 8 Brands That Were Already Famous Before Appearing On Season 2, Shubman Gills Net Worth: His Impressive Income, Career Records And Other Achievements, Week In Geek: Steven Yeun In The MCU, New Lord Of The Rings Movies And The Discovery Of Universe Breakers. As per a report by Forbes, Qatar spent USD 220 billion in the 12 years since it was selected in 2010 as the host of the World Cup on infrastructure and related developments. The success of a football team also Deschamps led France to victory at the 2018 World Cup. Copyright 2023 FootballOrbit. At the age of 35, he has another two years left on his deal. Raphael Varane (Manchester United) | 340,000-a-week, 18. PSG now claims three of the worlds five highest-paid players, including the 29-year-old Neymar, who lands at No. FootballOrbit is your go-to blog for football analysis, opinions, facts and features! Instead, it is Neymar, who has recently come in for a lot of criticism as the face of the PSG project, following yet another Champions League disappointment. He is currently in his third spell as manager of Netherlands. Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all time. Fun Fact:For the majority of the 2006/07 season in which we won the first of three consecutive titles, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were just 22 and 21-years old respectively. Amazingly, Jack Grealish, Robert Lewandowski and Antonio Rudiger aren't even in the top 30 highest-paid footballers in the world right now, despite the fact all three of them are earning 300,000-a-week or slightly more.