France Football has exclusively published their annual Football Rich List and has named Black Stars Captain, Asamoah Gyan as 19th in the World and second in Africa.
Ivorian Yaya Toure tops the Africa list placing 17th in the World. The publication documents the highest paid individuals in football per year.
The calculations are based not just on individual’s contracts with their clubs, but all other forms of income including sponsorship deals.
Gyan has been tipped by many as the wealthiest Ghanaian footballer ever and this latest confirmation is expected to settle the debate ones and for all.
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) = €74m
Annual Salary: €36m (€3m per month)
Bonuses: €3m (Achieved following Barcelona’s quintuple in 2014/15)
Other forms of income: €35m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Ooredoo (3 year contract, €15m), EA Sports, Gatorade, Pepsi, Samsung, Gillette, Audemars Piguet, Space Scouter, Lay’s, Tata Motors, Huawei.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for the Argentinian international team and FC Barcelona, Dolce & Gabbana, Ambassador at the Expo 2020 Dubai, merchandise, Web TV, restaurant businesses, grape cultivation, a complex of luxury cottages, real estate and financial investments.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) = €67.4m
Annual Salary: €32m (€2.6m per month)
Bonuses: €400,000
Other forms of income: €35m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Altice-SFR, Pokerstars.com, Herbalife, Novo Banco, Soccerade, Clear, Sacoor Brothers, Sixpa, Hot, Pestana, Brandinext, Refa active Pao.
Other operations: Sportlobster, Fly Emirates, CR7 underwear, CR7 footwear, Roc by Monster, smartphone applications, real estate and luxury hotel investments, image rights – Mint Media.
3. Neymar (Barcelona) = €43.5m
Annual Salary: €20m (€1.6m per month)
Bonuses: €2.5m
Other forms of income: €21m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Konami, Panasonic, pokerstars.com, Claro, Tenys-Pé, Lupo, Guarana Antartica, Volkswagen, Red Bull, Celiar, Listerine, Police, Replay, Ultrafarma.
Other operations: Universal, advertising campaigns for FC Barcelona, NJR merchandise, NJR sportswear line, real estate investments.
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG) = €28.5m
Annual Salary: €20m (€1.6m per month)
Bonuses: €2.5m
Other forms of income: €6m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Volvo, Vitamin Well, Dressmann.
Other operations: Personal perfume brand, social media development project, advertising campaigns for PSG, publications, mobile phone applications, real estate investments.
Note: Ibrahimovic turned down a €3m contract from pokerstars.com.
5. Thiago Silva (PSG) = €26.5m
Annual Salary: €23m (€1.9m per month)
Bonuses: €1m
Other forms of income: €2.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Nissan, Skullcandy.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for PSG.
6. Angel di Maria (PSG) = €26m
Annual Salary: €24m (€2m per month)
Bonuses: €800,000
Other forms of income: €1.2m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for PSG.
7. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) = €24.5m
Annual Salary: €14m (€1.16m per month)
Bonuses: €500,000
Other forms of income: €10m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Foot Locker, Konami, Sony, BT Sports.
Other operations: Merchandise, image rights.
8. Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich) = €23.6m
Annual Salary: €16m (€1.3m per month)
Bonuses: €600,000
Other forms of income: €7m
Sponsorship contracts: Volkswagen, Weber, REWE, Gillette, BiFi, Young Wings.
Other operations: Merchandise, advertising campaigns with Bayern Munich.
9. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) = €22m
Annual Salary: €16.7m (€1.4m per month)
Bonuses: €300,000
Other forms of income: €5m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Samsung, Five Star, Triple S, Harper Collins.
Other operations: Publications, image rights, advertising campaigns with Manchester United.
10. Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona) = €21.5m
Annual Salary: €15m (€1.25m per month)
Bonuses: €2m
Other forms of income: €4.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Nissan, Sony, Dentix, Damm, Arcos.
Other operations: Football schools, financial and real estate investments, grape cultivation, farm holiday business.
11. Iker Casillas (FC Porto) = €21m
Annual Salary: €3.5m (€290,000 per month)
Bonuses: €12m (Payment from Real Madrid in order to agree to transfer away)
Other forms of income: €5.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Hyundai, Arriga Associados, Head & Shoulders, Dentix, Pelayo, Futbol Factory.
Other operations: 1K, merchandise, real estate investments.
12. Luis Suarez (FC Barcelona) = €20.3m
Annual Salary: €15m (€1.25 per month)
Bonuses: €2.5m
Other forms of income: €2.8m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Abitab.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for FC Barcelona.
13. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) = €20.2m
Annual Salary: €10.6m (€883,000 per month)
Bonuses: €600,000
Other forms of income: €9m
Sponsorship contracts: Puma, Pepsi, Gillette, EA Sports, Wix-Com, DirecTV.
Other operations: Football schools, Argentinian tourism office, publications, website, Web TV, advertising campaigns for Manchester City, image rights.
14. Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) = €18.9m
Annual Salary: €14m (€1.16m per month)
Bonuses: €400,000
Other forms of income: €4.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Deutsche Sportlotterie, Drutex, Situs, FTI Touristik.
Other operations: BT Sport, football schools, advertising campaigns for Bayern Munich.
14. Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich) = €18.9m
Annual Salary: €12m (€1m per month)
Bonuses: €700,000
Other forms of income: €6.2m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Gatorade, EA Sports.
Other operations: Real estate, land, commercial and financial investments, starting up companies, sports complexes, smartphone applications, football schools, racehorse stables.
16. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) = €18.8m
Annual Salary: €15.3m (€1.275m per month)
Bonuses: €500,000
Other forms of income: €3m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas, Funny Fisch, Beats by Dr Dre, Right Guard.
Other operations: Merchandise, advertising campaigns for Manchester United.
17. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) = €18m
Annual Salary: €13.5m (€1.125m per month)
Bonuses: €700,000
Other forms of income: €3.8m
Sponsorship contracts: Puma, Nissan, Airtel Africa.
Other operations: Football schools, image rights, real estate investments.
17. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) = €18m
Annual Salary: €14.5m (€1.2m per month)
Bonuses: €500,000
Other forms of income: €3m
Sponsorship contracts: Adidas.
Other operations: Image rights.
19. Asamoah Gyan (Shanghai SIPG) = €17.5m
Annual Salary: €15m (€1.25m per month)
Bonuses: €1m
Other forms of income: €1.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Puma, Uni Bank Ghana Limited.
Other operations: Merchandise, real estate and financial investments.
20. Eden Hazard (Chelsea FC) = €17m
Annual Salary: €13.2m (€1.1m per month)
Bonuses: €300,000
Other forms of income: €3.5m
Sponsorship contracts: Nike, Lotus, Sina Sports.
Other operations: Advertising campaigns for the Belgian national team and Chelsea FC, image rights, real estate and financial investments, FIFA 16 Ultimate Team, WWF.
Source: Soccernet