Football is the most popular sport in the United States, and football is also the most popular sport in the world, but in a different way. Americans generally know this latter football as football. Although not as popular in the United States, football has a strong following across the world.

Due to the global popularity of football, the sport’s top players have salaries that rival those of the biggest names in the NBA and NHL. You may not know all of these names, but sports fans all over the world certainly know them. And it earns them millions of dollars a year. Here are the 10 highest paid footballers in 2022:

10. Eden Hazard: $26 million

square mile lists the 10 highest paid football players in the world, with Eden Hazard as the first name on the list. A Real Madrid winger, Hazard’s annual salary stands at $26 million. According to Baltic weatherhe earns over $475,000 a week.

9. Gareth Bale: $26 million

Another Real Madrid winger, Gareth Bale also receives an annual salary of $26 million. His weekly salary stands at more than $659,000 according to the contract he signed in 2016.

8. Robert Lewandowski: $27 million

We’re leaving Spain and heading to Germany for the No.8 player on the list, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. The Polish player will turn 34 at the start of next season, but he’s still playing at a high level and earning his $27 million salary.

7. Paul Pogba: $27 million

Manchester United are one of the biggest names in the sport, so playing for them is lucrative. Such is the case of midfielder Paul Pogba, who earns an annual salary of $27 million playing for the iconic team.

6. Kylian Mbappe: $28 million

First of three PSG players on the list, Kylian Mbappe is a striker for France’s Ligue 1 side. The 23-year-old earns $28m a year and has reportedly refused to sign a contract extension, potentially in sight to travel to Real Madrid in due time. His weekly take stands at almost $512,000 – and only seems to increase with his next contract.

5. Kevin De Bruyne: $28 million

We start the top five with Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. He will be with City for the foreseeable future after re-signing with the club in the summer of 2021. After signing this new contract, De Bruyne earns an annual salary of $28 million. He receives just under $437,000 each week as he enters his thirties and turns 31 in June.

4. Andres Iniesta: $31 million

The 38-year-old Spaniard scored the winning goal at the 2010 World Cup, and Andres Iniesta is still going strong a dozen years later. Now a midfielder for J1 League club Vissel Kobe, he still plays at a high level for the team he leads. They pay him well for his efforts, to the tune of $31 million a year.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo: $36 million

As we get to the top three, we see names that even non-football fans are likely to know. First in the trio is Cristiano Ronaldo, a 37-year-old striker for Man U. He signed a two-year contract with the club in 2021, making him the highest-paid player in English Premier League history with 36 million dollars annually. salary. Every week, Ronaldo makes around $600,000.

2. Neymar Jr.: $36.5 million

You know you have succeeded when you are known simply by your first name. Such is the case with PSG striker Neymar Jr., who is on an annual salary of $36.5 million after signing an extension in the summer of 2021. The 30-year-old Brazilian soccer star receives more than 756 000 dollars a week from the team.

1. Lionel Messi: $41 million

Despite having such a high annual salary, Neymar isn’t even the highest paid player in his own team. His PSG teammate Lionel Messi is considered by many to be the best player in the history of the sport. So it’s no surprise that he tops the list.

What may surprise is the number: $41 million per year for a two-year contract he signed in 2021, with an option for a third year. Messi’s weekly earnings stand at almost $1.2 million.

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