Who are the top 10 highest paid footballers of 2024?

These sporting stars have certainly reached their financial goals

It's no secret that top footballers get paid well, both on and off the pitch. It's not just for their sporting skills, but also for things like sponsorships and advertising deals.

Now Forbes, a US business magazine, has released its annual report showing just how much money the big names of the game are making.

This year has seen a record breaking amount earned by Cristiano Ronaldo, who tops the list.

It's also revealed that four of the top 10 highest earning footballers on the list play for teams in Saudi Arabia, three play for the Premier League, two play for Spain’s La Liga and one for US Major League Soccer.

So let's take a look at who is taking in those big bucks.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo - £218m

Forbes described Ronaldo as "the most popular athlete on the planet".

The 39-year-old broke his own record for the amount of money a footballer earns in a year, after making £199m in 2023. He's also making at least double the amount of any other footballer on the list.

Ronaldo has a huge online presence and launched a YouTube channel in August. He broke another record by reaching 10 million subscribers in just one day.

He also has partnerships with big brands like Nike and his own hotel and clothing businesses.

Ronaldo’s contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr is set to finish after this season, but this year he's netted around £170m for his skills on the pitch.

2. Lionel Messi - £103m

Messi takes home the most earnings off the pitch - making around £58m.

He works with partners including Adidas and Apple TV, has an Instagram account with more than 500 million followers and has started his own production company.

The 37-year-old currently plays for Inter Miami in the USA and is contracted there until next year.

He captains both Inter Miami and the Argentina national team.

3. Neymar - £84m

Brazil legend Neymar has been playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal since 2023.

He is currently contracted with them until the end of the 2024-2025 season.

The 32-year-old has been out of action with a knee injury for the last year, but still works with partners like Puma.

He also makes money through endorsements, which are like a public show of support, on social media.

4. Karim Benzema - £79m

Benzema, who is 36, captains Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.

He is seen as one of the best strikers in the world.

This year he is estimated to make around £76m on the pitch and around £3m off it.

5. Kylian Mbappé - £69m

It's been a big year for Mbappé who fulfilled what he called his "childhood dream" of joining Real Madrid.

He also helped France reach the semi-final of Euro 2024, despite breaking his nose.

The 25-year-old made around £54m on the pitch and £15m off the pitch.

He is associated with companies like Nike and luxury fashion brand Dior.

6. Erling Haaland - £46m

Haaland has won Premier League championships, an FA Cup and a Champions League title during his time at Manchester City.

The goal machine from Norway joined City from German club Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

Haaland is a still rising star in the game, and along with Kylian Mbappé, is looking to take over in the legend stakes from Ronaldo and Messi.

He makes his money off the pitch through sponsorship deals.

7. Vinicius Junior - £42m

Vinicius Junior is the only new player to make it on to the Forbes list.

The 24-year-old has been with Real Madrid since he was 18 and is known for his goal scoring abilities.

The Brazilian footballer has brand deals with Pepsi and PlayStation to name a few.

8. Mohamed Salah - £41m

Mo Salah arrived at Anfield in 2017, and since then has become one of Liverpool's top goal scorers of all time.

The Egyptian footballer has worked with big brands like Vodafone and Adidas.

He also has around 100 million followers across his social media platforms.

9. Sadio Mané - £40m

Mané is Senegal's top goal scorer of all time, and he uses his wealth to give back to the place he grew up.

He has built a hospital, petrol station and post office in his hometown and gives money each month to the residents living there.

The 32-year-old currently plays for Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia.

10. Kevin De Bruyne - £30m

The Belgian star currently plays for Manchester City, but his contract is up at the end of this season.

There are rumours of a potential move to Al-Nassr for the 33-year-old midfielder.

De Bruyne works with big brands including Nike and McDonald’s.