Football is arguably the most lucrative career in the world in recent times and footballers who ply their trade in the sport have been rewarded immensely by the beautiful game.
PSG signed Neymar last season in world-record transfer fee people’s reactions and opinions on the mega move was wild. When questions on what one can do to make such whopping amount was thrown out, expectedly there was nothing legitimate if not for corrupt politics, peddling of illegal drugs and crime according to the peoples opinions.
Football has gone way beyond what it used to be in the past. A whole lot of money is being pumped into the sport which makes it even bigger. It has changed the perception of so many parents who were indifferent with the career years back and now are open and even rooting for their daughters to play football. Though Neymar’s 222 million move to Paris Saint Germain placed him as the world’s biggest transfer it still didn’t make him the highest paid footballer in the world as someone has been seating tightly in that position for a while.
Without further ado, let’s meet the Top 10 highest paid footballer in the world and uncover where Neymar is spotted on the list:
10. Kylian Mbappe (PSG) €18m
Mbappe made his senior debut for France in 2017, after previously representing them at under-17 and under-19 levels. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup,
Mbappe became the youngest French player to score at a World Cup, and became the second teenager, after Pele, to score in a World Cup Final. France won the tournament,
he finished as the joint second-highest goalscorer, and he received the Best Young Player Award for his performances.
09. Hulk (Shanghai SIPG) €20m
He is described by FIFA’s official website as “a direct powerhouse of a centre- or wide-forward who knows his way around the box”. He is strongly built for a footballer and acquired his nickname due to his likeness to actor Lou Ferrigno, who played the Incredible Hulk on the eponymous television show in the 1970s
08. Ezequiel Lavezzi (Hebei Fortune) €22m
A full international for Argentina since 2007, Lavezzi was part of their team which won an Olympic Gold medal in 2008, and also helped them reach the finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa America, and the Copa America Centenari
07. Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) €23m
At international level, Ozil has played 86 matches for the Germany national team, scoring 22 goals. He represented his country in two FIFA World Cups, as well as two UEFA European Championships, and was an integral part in both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012 team in South Africa and Ukraine, starring as the joint-highest assist provider in the competitions. Ozil also contributed as a part of the 2014 World Cup-winning side in Brazil, with his versatility aiding in his nation’s triumph in a 1–0 victory over Argentina in the final.
06. Antoine Greizmann (Atletico Madrid) €23m
He earned his first cap for the senior national team in 2014, and played at that year’s World Cup, helping his country to the quarter-finals. At UEFA Euro 2016, France finished runners-up as hosts, while Griezmann was the top goalscorer and was voted the Player of the Tournament. He later won the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a tournament in which he scored four goals, won the Bronze Ball as the third best player, and was named man of the match in the final.
05. Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United) €23m
Popularly dubbed “El Niño Maravilla” (The Wonder Child), Sanchez has been a full international for Chile since 2006, and has earned 121 caps, making him the team’s most capped player of all-time. With 39 goals, he is the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He played in an instrumental role in allowing Chile to reach the final of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, while further leading the side to their first international victory at the 2015 Copa America, scoring the winning penalty in the final against Argentina. He later contributed to a repeat of this triumph, aiding in the side’s retention of the trophy at the Copa America Centenario
data-ad-format="auto">
04. Oscar (Shanghai SIPG) €24m
He is a Brazilian international and has represented his country at the under-20 level, at the 2012 London Olympics and at senior level. On 20 August 2011, Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final win against Portugal, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final. Oscar later described his performances at the tournament as being a “gateway to the senior side.” His playing style and ability have drawn comparison to compatriot Kaka.
03. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) €30m
A Portuguese international, Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federationin 2015. He made his senior debut for Portugal in 2003 at age 18, and has since had over 150 caps, including appearing and scoring in eight major tournaments, becoming Portugal’s most capped player and his country’s all-time top goalscorer. He scored his first international goal at Euro 2004 and helped Portugal reach the final. He took over full captaincy in July 2008, leading Portugal to their first-ever triumph in a major tournament by winning Euro 2016, and received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer of the tournament, before becoming the highest European international goalscorer of all-time. One of the most marketable athletes in the world, he was ranked the world’s highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2016 and 2017, as well as the world’s most famous athlete by ESPN in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
02. Neymar (Paris Saint Germain) €36m
With 57 goals in 89 matches for Brazil since debuting at age 18, Neymar is the third highest goalscorer for his national team, trailing only Pele and Ronaldo. He was a key player
in Brazil’s victories at the 2011 South American Youth Championship, where he finished as leading goalscorer, and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. His participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa America was cut short by injury and a suspension, respectively. The following year, he captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men’s football at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and two years later featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
01. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) €40m
Messi became the youngest Argentine to play and score in a FIFA World Cup during the 2006 edition, and reached the final of the 2007 Copa America, where he was named young player of the tournament. As the squad’s captain from August 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals: the 2014 World Cup, for which he won the Golden Ball, and the 2015 and 2016 Copas America. After announcing his international retirement in 2016, he reversed his decision and led his country to qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
Post navigation
Comments
Post a Comment