Football is one of the most profitable and watched sports played in more than 200 countries around the world. Over 250 million people play Football around the world, making it the most-watched and played sport nowadays.
When it comes to assessing whether the richest soccer player in the world, the focus certainly shifts to debatable G.O.A.T. players Ronaldo and Messi, but there is a third one who topped our list of 20 richest soccer players in the world.
Given the sport’s reputation, many footballers undoubtedly signed contracts worth millions of dollars with different sports associations and well-known teams. Many of these footballers are among our list of Top 20 richest soccer players in the world.
By now, you might have a few names popping into your mind as to who the wealthiest soccer players are. Let’s dive into the list and find out:
20. Rio Ferdinand
Net worth: $75 Million
Rio Ferdinand is a former English footballer who was born in Peckham, London. With a total net worth of over $75 million, Rio Ferdinand is one of the world’s wealthiest soccer players. Rio Ferdinand began his soccer career with West Ham United and remained associated with the English Football club for three years from 1992 to 1995.
Rio Ferdinand played at the center-back position for Manchester United in the Premier League. He had been given a total of 81 caps for England during his football career. The veteran footballer holds the record of being a member of three FIFA World Cup squads.
Rio Ferdinand is also regarded as one of the most adorned English footballers of all time. He retired from the sport in 2015 and is currently working as a television analyst for B.T. Sport. He withdraws around 7 million pounds from his Football analysis for B.T. Sport.
19. Willian
Net worth: $75 Million
Willian Borges da Silva aka Willian is a Brazilian professional footballer who began his football career in 2006 by signing up with a Brazilian football club called Corinthians. Willian plays at the position of a winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Brazil national football team.
Willian joined the Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk in 2007. He won several honors for the Shakhtar Donetsk club, including four Ukrainian Premier League titles as well as the UEFA Cup in 2009. Willian joined Chelsea for £30 million in 2013 and won the Premier League and League Cup for England.
Willian represented Brazil at FIFA World Cup 2014 and 2018, 2015 Copa América, and Copa América Centenario. Willian was a member of the squad when Brazil won the 2019 Copa América on home soil. As of the year 2022, Willian’s net worth is estimated to be $75 Million, placing him among the world’s richest soccer players.
18. Arjen Robben
Net worth: $80 million
Arjen Robben had been playing football since he was a kid. He is a Dutch professional football player. Arjen Robben began his professional football career in 2000 after joining the F.C. Groningen football club. Having a net worth of $80 million, Arjen Robben is one of the world’s richest soccer players.
Arjen Robben plays at the position of the winger. He is best known for his dribbling skills, speed, ball control, and long-range shots. Robben is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world during his peak career.
Arjen Robben’s net worth is estimated to be $80 million as of 2022, placing him among the world’s richest soccer players.
17. Sergio Ramos
Net worth: $80 Million
Sergio Ramos is a Spanish professional football player. He is currently associated with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team and plays at the center-back position. He is also the on-pitch leader of his teams. Sergio Ramos has been a team member to play two European Championships, winning both of them. He also participated in two World Cups, winning one of them.
Sergio Ramos is well-known for his defenders’ position and is also admired for his passing and goalscoring techniques.
Having a net worth of $80 million, Sergio Ramos is the 17th wealthiest soccer player globally.
16. Andres Iniesta
Net worth: $86 Million
The Spanish professional footballer Andres Iniesta is the 16th wealthiest soccer player with an estimated net worth of $86 million. Andres Iniesta began his football career at the age of 10 when he joined the Albacete youth squad. Iniesta was declared player of the Nike Premier Cup in 1999 after leading the Barcelona Under-15 team to victory.
Andres Iniesta plays as a central midfielder. He had been associated with Barcelona for 22 years from 1996 to 2018, serving as skipper for three seasons. He is currently associated with the Japanese club Vissel Kobe as a captain. Andres Iniesta is regarded as one of the best midfielders of all time.
15. Ronaldinho
Net worth: $90 Million
Ronaldinho is a former professional football player from Brazil who is currently associated with Flamengo and the Brazilian national team. Although the attacking midfielder position is Ronaldinho’s forte, he has also been deployed as a winger or forward. He is regarded as the best footballer of his generation and the greatest soccer player of all time.
Ronaldinho won the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice during his career, i.e., in 2004 and 2005. He had also won a Ballon d’Or award in 2005. The veteran footballer is renowned for his creativity and technical specialties, including overhead kicks, free kicks pass, and dribbling.
Ronaldinho’s net worth is estimated to be $90 million, making him the world’s 15th wealthiest soccer player.
14. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Net worth: $90 Million
The Swedish footballer of Bosnian and Croatian descent, Zlatan Ibrahimović, plays as a striker for the Italian professional football club Milan. Ibrahimović is best known as one of the greatest strikers of his time. Having won a total of 31 trophies during his career, Zlatan Ibrahimović is regarded as one of the world’s most decorated active football players.
As of 2022, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s net worth is $90 Million, making him the world’s 14th richest soccer player.
13. Didier Drogba
Net worth: $90 Million
Didier Drogba is a retired professional footballer who has played for Chelsea in the Premier League as a deputy vice-captain. He played as a striker for the Ivory Coast national team and became the team’s all-time top-scoring footballer.
Didier Drogba’s career at Chelsea was the peak of his popularity, where he became the top-scoring overseas player of all time. Drogba is currently Chelsea’s fourth highest goal scorer of all time.
Didier Drogba earned some hefty amounts after his golden time at Chelsea. His current net worth is approximately $90 million making him the 13th wealthiest soccer player globally.
12. Samuel Eto
Net worth: $95 Million
Samuel Eto is a retired professional football player currently associated with the Turkish football club Konyaspor. Samuel Eto is regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time and the best African player, having won the African Player of the Year award four times: in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010.
Samuel Eto’s current net worth is $95 million making him the 12th wealthiest soccer player globally.
11. Kaka
Net worth: $95 Million
Kaka is a Brazilian retired professional footballer currently associated with the Sao Paulo football club as an attacking midfielder. Now a veteran footballer, Kaka began his footballer career just at the age of 8. He is regarded as one of the best football players of his time, thanks to his creative passing techniques, goal scoring, and dribbles from midfield. Kaka earned success not only at the club level but also on the international level. He is one of eight players who have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or.
As of the year 2022, Kaka’s net worth is estimated at $95 Million.
10. Eden Hazard
Net worth: $100 Million
Eden Hazard is a Belgian professional football player. He is currently associated with the Spanish club Real Madrid and leads the Belgium national team. Eden Hazard plays as a winger or attacking midfielder and is widely known for his creativity, speed, dribbling, and passing techniques.
Eden Hazard’s net worth of $100 million makes him the 10th wealthiest soccer player globally.
9. Pele
Net worth: $100 Million
Pelé is a Brazilian retired professional football player who played as a forward and sometimes attacking midfielder. Pele is termed as the greatest player of all time is one of the most successful and popular sports-person of the 20th century. For a period in his playing career, Pelé was the best-paid athlete in the world.
With a net worth of $100 million, Pele is the 9th wealthiest soccer player globally.
8. Francesco Totti
Net worth: $101.6 Million
Francesco Totti, an Italian professional footballer, is the 8th wealthiest soccer player globally with a net worth of over $101 million. Totti joined the Fortitudo football youth team just at the age of eight. He was recognized as Young Footballer of the Year during the 1998-1999 season and was named Italian Footballer of the Year one year later.
Francesco Totti played solely for Roma and the Italian national team, mainly attacking midfielder or second striker. He has also played as a lone striker or winger for his team. He is a creative yet offensive football player who is better known for his playing technique and goalscoring ability. He is also regarded as one of the greatest Italian players and Roma’s best football player.
7. Gareth Bale
Net worth: $125 Million
Gareth Bale is a Welsh professional football player who is currently associated with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur as a winger and is the Wales national team’s skipper. He also plays on loan for Real Madrid of the La Liga Club. His peers admired Bale for his striking from distance capability, his ability to dodge defenders, and tremendous speed.
With a net worth of $125 Million, Gareth Bale is the 7th wealthiest soccer player globally.
6. Wayne Rooney
Net worth: $145 Million
An approximate net worth of $145 million makes Wayne Rooney the sixth richest soccer player globally. Wayne Rooney is an English professional footballer who plays mainly as a striker and a forward but has also been in multiple midfield positions. He is currently associated with Premier League club Manchester United, the England national team, and captains the Championship football club Derby County.
Wayne Rooney was ranked fifth highest-paid football player globally and No.1 most-paid soccer player in England in 2012. Rooney is termed as the record goalscorer for both the England national team and Manchester United.
5. Alexandre Pato
Net worth: $145 Million
Alexandre da Silva aka Alexandre Pato is a Brazilian professional footballer. Pato began his footballer career at the age of 16. Sports Club Internacional signed him in 2000, where he led the team to win the FIFA Club World Cup in 2006. Pato plays as a forward and is currently a free agent, having most recently played for São Paulo.
Alexandre Pato’s current net worth is estimated to be $145 Million.
4. Dave Whelan
Net worth: $220 Million
David Whelan, aka Dave Whelan, is a former English footballer who played for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra during his football career. The veteran footballer currently owns the Football League Championship club Wigan Athletic. He has also remained the chairman of the Wigan Athletic club for twenty years.
With a net worth of $220 million, Dave Whelan is the oldest footballer on our list of the world’s top 20 richest soccer players.
3. Lionel Messi
Net worth: $400 Million
You might have wondered if the G.O.A.T. football player Lionel Messi would be the richest soccer player in the world. Although, with a striking net worth of $400 million, Messi is at no.3 in our list of richest soccer players in the world. Despite being at no. 3, Messi is currently the best football player in the world.
Messi is an Argentine professional football player. He plays as a forward and is associated with the Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team as skippers; he has been associated with Barcelona for his entire professional football career. Messi holds the record of winning six Ballon d’Or awards and six European Golden Shoes. Messi has also won a record total of 34 trophies during his career at Barcelona. He has won ten La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and six Copas del Rey trophies.
Over the years, Messi has begun to translate his popularity around the world into several endorsement opportunities. His current net worth is $400 million, making him the 3rd richest soccer player globally.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Net worth: $450 Million
With a net worth of $450 million, the Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s second-wealthiest soccer player. Real Madrid paid $132 million to Manchester United in 2009 for Cristiano Ronaldo, turning him into the most expensive soccer player in Football.
Cristiano Ronaldo plays as a forward for Serie A club Juventus and is associated with the Portugal national team as skipper. Owing to Ronaldo’s popularity as the greatest football player of all time, he has won five Ballons d’Or and four European Golden Shoes. Ronaldo has won 30 major trophies during his extraordinary football career. His trophies include seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA Nations League title, and one UEFA European Championship. Ronaldo has scored a record total of 130 goals and assisted in 40 goals, the most number of assists in the history of the UEFA Champions League.
1. David Beckham
Net worth: $450 Million
David Beckham is the richest soccer player globally, with a net worth of over $450 million. However, he is a retired professional football player but is still very popular among his fans. David Beckham is the first English footballer to hold the league title in four different countries; England, Spain, France, and the United States. David Beckham had been associated with the sport for 20 years and was declared the highest-paid footballer in 2004.
During his career, David Beckham had been associated with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Milan, and the England national team. He announced retirement from the sport in 2013. He has won 19 major trophies during his 20-year career as a soccer player.
Summary
Here is the summary of the top 20 richest soccer players globally, along with their net worth.
| Sr No. | Soccer Players | Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | David Beckham | $450 Million |
| 2. | Cristiano Ronaldo | $450 Million |
| 3. | Lionel Messi | $400 Million |
| 4. | Dave Whelan | $220 Million |
| 5. | Alexandre Pato | $145 Million |
| 6. | Wayne Rooney | $145 Million |
| 7. | Gareth Bale | $125 Million |
| 8. | Francesco Totti | $101.6 Million |
| 9. | Pele | $100 Million |
| 10. | Eden Hazard | $100 Million |
| 11. | Kaka | $95 Million |
| 12. | Samuel Eto | $95 Million |
| 13. | Didier Drogba | $90 Million |
| 14. | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | $90 Million |
| 15. | Ronaldinho | $90 Million |
| 16. | Andres Iniesta | $86 Million |
| 17. | Sergio Ramos | $80 Million |
| 18. | Arjen Robben | $80 Million |
| 19. | Willian | $75 Million |
| 20. | Rio Ferdinand | $75 Million |
How many of these footballers did you anticipate to be among the top richest soccer players’ list? Which was the most shocking entry for you? Let us know in the comments.
Bart Metz
Wednesday 4th of November 2020
I want to be next Messi, not matter what he always surprise everyone with his technique and super fast sprints. Ronaldo is also great but my top favorite is messi.