Who is the highest paid footballer: biggest earners amid Kylian Mbappe transfer saga

PSG star Kylian Mbappe has reportedly been offered a mouthwatering figure of £604m a year in wages by Saudi giants Al-Hilal.

The Frenchman is currently in talks over the possibility of a move to the MIddle East with PSG accepting a world-record transfer offer of £259 million.

If the move to Saudi materialises, Mbappe would become the highest paid player in football history and he would receive a weekly wage of £11.62 million, according to CBS.

But who is currently the highest paid footballer in the world and how much do they earn per year?

Here is everything you need to know.

Who is the highest paid footballer in the world?

The Saudi Pro League announced itself as the new superpower in world football with the signing of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in January 2023.

The Portuguese star signed for Al-Nassr on a free transfer just two months after his controversial exit from Manchester United.

At the time Ronaldo said: “I am eager to experience a new football league in a different country. Al-Nassr Club’s vision is very inspiring.”

The move made Ronaldo the world’s highest paid athlete in history and it is estimated that he is now earning more than £177 million per year

Ronaldo’s salary at Al-Nassr is estimated to make him around £3.4 million per week.

Football’s highest earners

Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid team mate Karim Benzema followed the Portuguese star to Saudi Arabia this summer by joining Al-Ittihad, and he is now the second-highest paid player in the sport.

The French striker called time on his Bernabeu career after a 14-year association with the club and joined the Jeddah-based Saudi Pro League champions in a deal which earns him around £172 million per season, according to football journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Benzema’s deal is also expected to include add-ons for promoting the country’s 2030 World Cup bid.

The Saudi Pro League’s latest transfer target Kylian Mbappe is the third highest earner in the sport.

His current PSG contract earns him an annual salary of around £96 million with a weekly wage in the region of £2 million.

World record transfer holder Neymar is also one of the sport’s highest earners. The Brazilian striker has an annual salary of £48 million a year and around £950,000 per week.

Lionel Messi opted against a move to the Middle East, in favour of a switch to Inter Miami. Details of Messi’s contract have differed but it is estimated that he earns between £40-48 million a year.

The World Cup winner will reportedly receive an ownership stake in the club as part of his contract, with advertising and image talks ongoing with Apple, Adidas and others.