Messi Tops Lists Of 2020 Highest Earning Footballers

Forbes estimated Messi’s yearly earnings at $126m with Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo second on $117m.

Neymar was in third place, with Paris St-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe fourth.

Three Premier League players – Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba and David de Gea – made the top 10, as did Real Madrid and Wales forward Gareth Bale.

Welshman Bale came eighth in the list at $29m despite a disappointing 2019/20 season, on a personal level, which saw him fall out with Real boss Zinedine Zidane and only features in two of his club’s last 14 matches of the campaign.

Liverpool forward Salah was fifth, ahead of Manchester United midfielder Pogba in sixth, with United goalkeeper De Gea in 10th.

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann was seventh and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was ninth.

The top three were in the same order as in 2019, although Mbappe rose three places from seventh to fourth.

Argentine Messi, 33, tried to leave Barcelona this summer and submitted a transfer request in August, but decided to stay because no club would be able to afford his release clause.

Forbes list of highest-earning footballers

Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina) $126m

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal) $117m

Neymar (Paris St-Germain and Brazil) $96m

Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France) $42m

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt) $37m

Paul Pogba (Manchester United and France) $34m

Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona and France) $33m

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid and Wales) $29m

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland) $28m

David de Gea (Manchester United and Spain) £27m.