Step aside Messi and Ronaldo as Mbappé tops Forbes Rich List
A shift is taking place at the top table of footalling royalty as Mbappe takes the top spot in the Forbes list for the first time.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/diarioas/CCUYYB6WS6CT453QVQA3AMLUXQ.jpg)
Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe has emerged as the world’s highest-paid soccer player, according to Forbes magazine, the first time a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the list in eight years.
Mbappe, 23, is estimated to earn $128 million for the 2022-23 season before agents’ fees, a record for Forbes’ annual rankings, with PSG team mate Messi second at $120 million and Manchester United’s Ronaldo ($100 million) occupying third spot.
PSG’s Neymar ($87 million) and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah ($53 million) rounded off the top five.
Haaland breakthrough
Erling Haaland, who has made a blistering start to his Manchester City career after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in the close season, makes his debut in the top 10 with earnings of $39 million.
The rise of Frenchman Mbappe and Norwegian Haaland, the only players under the age of 30 on the list, signals a shift in the global game, the Forbes report said, as Messi and Ronaldo edge closer to the end of their glorious careers.
World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players 2022 (via Forbes)
- No. 1) Kylian Mbappe (PSG & France) - $128 million (estimated earning 2022-23)
- No. 2) Lionel Messi (PSG & Argentina) - $120M
- No. 3) Cristiano Ronaldo (Man United & Portugal) - $100M
- No. 4) Neymar Jr (PSG & Brazil) - $87M
- No. 5) Mo Salah (Liverpool & Egypt) - $53M
- No. 6) Erling Haaland (Man City & Norway) - $39M
- No. 7) Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona & Poland) - $35M
- No. 8) Eden Hazard (Real Madrid & Belgium) - $31M
- No. 10) Andreas Iniesta (Vissel Kobe & Spain) - $30M
In total, the 10 highest paid soccer players are expected to collect record earnings worth $652 million this season, up 11% from last year’s $585 million.