American business magazine Forbes has ranked the top 20 top-paid footballers in the world.
Two Barcelona players are mentioned in the list: Thierry Henry is ranked third, lionel Messi sixth.
To compile the list, Forbes looked through team filings and spoke with talent agencies and soccer experts in the U.S. and Europe. All earnings are for 2008, salaries and incentives are included.
The magazine also claims that Barcelona closed last year a deal with Creative Arts Agency (CAA), the Hollywood talent agency of people like George Clooney, Steven Spielberg and Julia Roberts, to arrange sponsorship deals for its star players in the United States: "For Thierry Henry, the Barcelona striker who earned $28 million last year, his club's signing came a moment too late. After too many American consumers asked who that guy was in the Gillette commercial with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, he was yanked from the U.S. version and replaced by New York Yankee Derek Jeter.
But for his teammate Lionel Messi, the 21-year old Argentine wunderkind and runner-up to Ronaldo as Player of the Year, the timing couldn't be any better. Of the $18 million he made last year, only $7 million were in endorsements--a small sum considering his grace and agility on the field are worthy of Dancing With the Stars. To boost his chances of having U.S. commercial appeal he is now taking English lessons."
The top 20:
1. David Beckham (AC Milan/LA Galaxy) 46 million dollar
2. Ronaldinho (AC Milan) 33 million dollar
3. Thierry Henry (Barcelona) 28 million dollar
4. Kaká (AC Milan) 22 million dollar
5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) 21 million dollar
6. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) 18 million dollar
7. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 18 million dollar
8. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) 18 million dollar
9. John Terry (Chelsea) 18 million dollar
10. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 18 million dollar
11. Michael Ballack (Chelsea) 15 million dollar
12. Ronaldo (Corinthians) 15 million dollar
13. Fabio Cannavaro (Real madrid) 15 million dollar
14. Francesco Totti (AS Roma) 15 million dollar
15. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan) 14 million dollar
16. Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) 14 million dollar
17. Rio Ferdinand(Manchester united) 14 million dollar
18. Didier Drogba (Chelsea) 12 million dollar
19. Raul (Real Madrid) 12 million
20. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) 11 million dollar
Read more:
Messi second highest paid player in the world
Barcelona third richest club in the world
Messi third best paid football player in the world
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Henry third highest-earning football player
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7 comments:
David...overrated (media face)
Ronaldhino...overrated (earns more now when he is a half a player when he was 3years before)
Henry...probably overrated (hope for us to keep improving his form)
Kaka...ok (but he does not play)
Cristiano...ok (this season not even close a year before..probably never again)
Messi...to looooooooooooooowwwwwwww, best player in best club, pure magic...
Well, Messi earns 18 million dollars for doing what he probably loves most, football. I think this is absurd, he should earn 1 million, tops, same goes for the rest of them. Too much money in sports nowadays.
Don't get me wrong, I love Messi as much as the other supporter, it's just that this capitalism-thing scares me.
@Estp
He is #1 in the world so if for example he was the best Manager in the world he woud earn the same or even more.
it like this i know its not ideal but always when you have people that are the best in the world in something they get very much money.
bytheway think messi doesnt cost baca any cent he finance his salary from trikot and stuff...
no wonder eto'o want a better contract :/ the dude is not even on this list. This dude scores 25 goals each year..
This is not just salary. Its about other contracts..eg Henry Reebok, Eto-Puma, Beckham-Armani, Police, Pepsi etc.. So Messi can get better deals for himself..
Like it or not we live in a free market system. Until EUFA or Fifa decide to cap salaries nothing is going to change, and that doesn't look likely anytime soon. So we have to live with these silly salaries. I am not bothered with Henry being number 3. How many millions have Barca made in shirt sales and merchandice? He is proving this season to be the champion he really is. I agree there are heaps other overrated players while Eto'o, Yaya, Xavi, Iniesta and Alves could rightfully deserve to be in the top 20.
If UEFA caps salaries, then who do you think all the revenue would go to? The owners of course. Would you rather have one tycoon get all the money or 25 squad players also get a cut? The problem isn't the salaries, it's the fans that buy into the marketing machine.
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