Top 10 richest footballers in the world, and their wealth sources [2024]

Ranked as the tenth richest footballer worldwide, Ronaldo Fenômeno is a Brazilian football legend noted for his exceptional skill on the field and for building an amazing commercial empire. 

Among the several businesses in his holding company, ODDZ runs Octagon Latin America Agency, Ronaldo TV, Beyond Films, Wayz Travel, and Base. 

Originally investing a mere R$ 50 million in the team, Ronaldo increased his wealth in April 2024 by 109 million euros (R$ 600 million) after selling his shares in Cruzeiro to businessman Pedro Lourenço. 

Ronaldo still manages large holdings in the USL team Fort Lauderdale Strikers as well as Real Valladolid. He also owns the sports agency 9ine Sports & Entertainment, which notably discovered Neymar. 

He also started a chain of football-orientated schools, with 28 sites in Florida and Brazil already. He founded R9 Gestão Patrimonial in 2018 to oversee the wealth of football stars.

Following a merger with Galápagos Capital, this project grew more robust and produced Galáticos Capital, which today manages the assets of several sportsmen, including Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus. 

Ronaldo's success is reinforced by his relationship with Madrid-based sports management company Tara Sports, which helps him acquire clubs.

Kylian Mbappé ranks as the ninth richest player in football and continues to be one of La Liga's top earners despite his annual pay at Real Madrid much less than the €70 million he made during his best years at PSG.

Mbappé secured significant signing bonuses—€11 million for his transfer to PSG and €100 million for his later move to Real Madrid—by using unique bargaining terms in his moves. The world's fastest player is positioned to climb even higher in the wealth rankings in the next few years with an image rights deal guaranteeing him 80% of his commercial rights at Real Madrid.

Mbappé became the highest paid footballer in the world in 2022 alongside his €40.7 million salary and endorsements; his income was boosted by notable sponsorships with worldwide companies including Nike, Hublot, Dior, and Oakley, which add an additional €18 million annually to his wealth.

Renowned Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimović is now eighth among the richest football players worldwide after building a sizable business empire with his partner Helena Seger. Beyond his enormous income from his outstanding career, Zlatan has also concentrated on real estate, buying houses ranging from his homeland of Malmö and Are to the Stockholm archipelago.

Unknown AB manages his affairs and are in charge of his intellectual property rights and brand. Among his most notable projects is the conversion of a historic church in central Stockholm into a luxurious 1,000-square-meter residence allegedly costing 110 million SEK (£8.5 million).

Through well-known brand alliances with Vitamin Well and Volvo, the latter seeing almost a 200% boost in sales during their ad featuring the mysterious athlete, Ibrahimović has dramatically increased his fortune.

His wife Helena has assumed an unofficial but key role in managing his company affairs, therefore contributing significantly to Ibrahimović's commercial success.

Ibrahimović has endured serious failures despite his successes, particularly with his full share in the padel courts company Downtheline Holding, which struggled in the sport during the epidemic.

Furthermore, his little foray into fashion with the A-Z clothesline ended after two years of losses of about 200 million SEK. Moreover, Ibrahimović's foray into football club ownership—having bought a 47% share in Swedish team Hammarby—has not produced the anticipated results, as seen by the insistent attempts of club members to repurchase his shares.

Ibrahimović nevertheless maintains a major presence in football, especially as a senior adviser to AC Milan via his relationship with RedBird Capital Partners, where he greatly influences the internal choices of the club.

Having made a spectacular metamorphosis into a successful business career after his time as a player, Dave Whelan, former owner of Wigan Athletic and founder of JJB Sports, ranks as the seventh richest footballer worldwide.

Though most known for helping Wigan's incredible climb to the Premier League, highlighted by their FA Cup victory against Manchester City, Whelan's financial path started with Whelan Discount Stores, then followed the sale of his sportswear retail chain, JJB Sports, for £190 million in 2007.

Whelan, who was once Britain's richest football player, still has an amazing estimated net worth of £175 million, greater than that of football stars like Kylian Mbappé, even if he now takes a more modest role in both sports and business.

The self-built DW Stadium, which Wigan Athletic calls home even after his retirement in 2015 following two decades of leadership, bears his legacy.

Consistently listed among the top paid sportsmen worldwide since his historic move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar still gets an annual salary of €100 million in Saudi Arabia, ranking sixth among the richest football players worldwide. Throughout his spell at PSG, the Brazilian's pay was only surpassed in Europe by that of his teammate, Kylian Mbappé.

Excluding his first stint at Santos, Neymar has accumulated a minimum of $717.5 million via his income and lucrative endorsement deals with brands such as Puma, Red Bull, and Pokerstars over his career.

His enormous wealth is reflected in an ostentatious lifestyle, including a Boeing 747-400 private jet courtesy of Al Hilal, a $220 million aircraft with a master suite, luxurious leather interiors, and a throne-like golden seat.

Given his family-run company, NR Sports, manages his brand and image rights, Neymar's excellent economic knowledge adds even more value. His constant alliances with stars from music, movies, and other disciplines also greatly enhance his financial empire.

With a net worth of $450 million, David Beckham ranks sixth among the richest football players worldwide. The Sunday Times Rich List indicates that coupled with his wife, Victoria Beckham, their total wealth amounts to $514 million.

By the time Beckham retired in 2013 following an incredible career at Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Paris Saint-Germain, he was among the highest paid athletes in the world, earning almost $800 million through bonuses, sponsorships, and pay-back.

Having been a worldwide ambassador for well-known companies including Armani, Gillette, PepsiCo, and Adidas, his foray into the corporate world was seamless. Under his company, DB Ventures, Beckham has developed relationships with brands including Adidas, Tudor watches, and Haig Club whisky.

He confirmed his financial success in 2022 by selling 55% of DB Ventures to Authentic Brands Group for $230 million. Beckham bought Inter Miami for $25 million in 2014, founding the MLS team in 2018, and saw a notable rise in value following Lionel Messi's acquisition.

The club's income increased remarkably 233% from $60 million in 2023 to $200 million in 2024. Celebrated for his lavish way of life, Beckham owns an art collection worth around $44 million and a car collection valued at more than $3 million.

Emphasising his status as one of the richest and most marketable former football players worldwide, his real estate portfolio consists of English countryside homes, a $38 million townhouse in London, a penthouse in Miami, and a property on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai.

With a net worth exceeding $650 million and career earnings more than $1 billion, Lionel Messi is the fourth richest football player in the world. Major transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami have strengthened his fortune with bumper contracts that have significantly raised his financial situation.

Apart from his football income, Messi has acquired significant sponsorships with companies such as Apple, Adidas, Pepsi, Budweiser, Gatorade, and Mastercard, boosting his whole income for 2023 to around $135 million, according to Forbes.

Beyond football, the Argentine star entered the corporate world with Play Time Sports-Tech, a $200 million holding company committed to investments in media, sports, and technology.

Messi runs the MIM Hotels chain in Spain, entered the fashion business with his own line of clothes, and worked with luxury company Jacob & Co. on a wristwatch series. By means of these endeavours, football's greatest left-footed player has demonstrated his extraordinary on-field performance as well as his keen commercial acumen, therefore attesting to his rank among the richest football players.

With a net worth of $800 million, substantially boosted by his historic contract with Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr, which pays him a world-record salary of €200 million annually, Cristiano Ronaldo sits third amongst football's richest players. Ronaldo's pay is substantially higher than that of other top athletes, like Lionel Messi, who earns far less at Inter Miami, thanks to this very beneficial agreement.

Apart from his football earnings, Ronaldo, Portugal's greatest athlete, has diversified his portfolio with several business projects, including his CR7 hotel chain with opulent locations in Madrid, Lisbon, and New York; a sizeable investment in the Insparya hair transplant clinic; and a flourishing apparel, fragrance, and shoe line.

Ronaldo's economic sense is also reflected in his investments in a modern padel club in Portugal, his relationship with the bottled water brand Ursu9, and successful sponsorships with well-known worldwide brands such as Nike, Herbalife, and Clear Shampoo.

His fortune and profile are greatly enhanced by his digital presence, which includes amazing social media achievements like being the first player to surpass 1 billion followers, therefore confirming his rank among the richest football players worldwide.

Former football player Mathieu Flamini has established himself as the second richest footballer by seamlessly transitioning from sports to business and having a net worth of $19.8 billion. Beginning his career at the French team Olympique de Marseille, Flamini later featured for elite clubs including Arsenal and AC Milan, accumulating multiple caps for the French national team before retiring in 2019.

2008 saw him co-found GF Biochemicals with Italian entrepreneur Pasquale Granata while still a professional footballer. GF Biochemicals concentrates on the synthesis of levulinic acid, a bio-based replacement for petroleum that finds use in several products usually obtained from fossil fuels, including plastics and detergues.

With the company's present valuation of around 30 billion euros, Flamini's personal wealth—about 15 billion euros—was significantly bolstered.

Following queries revealing his ties to offshore firms, his fortune has come under scrutiny. This has led to questions about his business operations and relationships with former Arsenal major shareholder Alisher Usmanov, a Russian tycoon.

The richest football player in the world is Faiq Bolkiah, a royal family member from Brunei and nephew of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah—one of the richest and longest-reigning kings in the world. His extraordinary family fortune—his own net worth is sometimes believed to be more than $20 billion—rather than his football performance defines this difference. Bolkiah's net worth is strongly related to the royal inheritance, and the enormous wealth controlled by the Sultan's family rather than his quite meagre income from football, distinguishes him from the richest football players worldwide.

His time at Leicester City, Chelsea, and Maritimo was driven more by personal enthusiasm than by financial need since his family's riches allow him to pursue his athletic goals free from the typical financial constraints faced by emerging players. Apart from being the richest footballer in the world, Faiq Bolkiah is especially the youngest member of this privileged group.