Highest-Paid Footballers 2011, Richest Footballers

Highest-Paid Footballers 2011 Forbes list – Richest Footballers

Forbes Magazine released its 2011 worlds highest-Paid Soccer Players with David Backham topping the list.
Inter’s Cameroonian striker and four time African Footballer of the year, Samuel Eto’o currently Africa’s highest –paid footballer on the Forbes list.

These best players around the globe continue to pull in deals despite the globe continue to pull in deals despite the economic downturn. The Forbes income figures include salaries, bonuses and endorsements earned from May 2010 to May 2011.

No.1 David Becham:

• Net worth: £135 million or $219 million- according to 2011 Sunday Times UK Rich List
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $40 million
• Current Club: Los Angeles Galaxy

Beckham’s endorsement deal with Adidas is the biggest in the sport thanks to royalties from soccer apparel and cleats as well as lifestyle lines like ObyO.

No.2 Cristiano Ronaldo:

• Net worth: $160 million –(estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $38 million
• Current Club: Real Madrid 

Ronaldo is Facebook’s most popular athlete with 24 million fans, which is part of the attraction for sponsors like Nike, Armani, Coca-Cola and Castrol.

No. 3 Lionel Messi:

• Net worth: $110 million- (estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $32 million
• Current Club: Barcelona

Messi’s status as the world’s best player has started to translate into endorsement opportunities. The Flea has deals with Adidas, Lay’s, Konami, Audemars Piguet, Chery and AirEuropa.

No. 4 Ricardo Kaka:

• Net worth: $100 million-(estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $25 million
• Current Club: Real Madrid

The Brazilian midi was featured on the cover of EA Sports FIFA Soccer 11. The FIFA Franchise has sold 100 million units of the popular soccer game for Electronic Arts.

No.5 Ronaldinho:

• Net Worth: $90 milion –(Estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $24 million
• Current Club: Flamengo

The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year joined Brazilian club Flamengo in January after two seasons with AC Milan. His new deal runs until 2014.

No.6 Thierry Henry:

• Net worth: $60 million –(estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $21 million
• Current Club: New York Red Bulls

Henry Bought a New York City apartment for $14.9 million after move to MLS last year. His lucrative Gillette partnership wrapped up at the end of 2010.

No. 7 Wayne Rooney:

• Net worth: £37 million or $59 million- according to 2011 Sunday Times UK Rich List
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $20 million
• Current Club: Manchester United

Coca-Cola and Ronney recently parted ways, ending a deal that had been worth $1 million annually. Remaining sponsors include Nike and Electronic Arts.

No. 8 (tie) Frank Lampard:

• Net worth: £27 million or $43 million- according to 2011 Sunday Times UK Rich List
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $27 million
• Current Club: Chelsea

Lampard earns $11 million in salary on the pitch. His 135 career goals are the most ever by a Premier League midfielder.

No. 9 (tie) Zlatan Ibrahimovic:

• Net worth: $60 million –(estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $17 million
• Current Club: AC Milan

Barcelona paid a $94 million transfer fee to Inter Milan in 2009 for the rights to Ibrahimovic, which was the second-highest transfer fee ever.

No. 10 Samuel Eto’o:

• Net worth: $40 million –(estimated)
• May 2010 to May 2011 Earnings: $15 million
• Current Club: Inter Milan

The Cameroonian striker counts Puma and Ford as sponsors. He has won the African player of the year award a record four times.

The Inter Milan striker reportedly is set to join Russian soccer Club Anzhi Makhachkala in a deal that would make Eto’o the highest-paid player in the history of soccer. Anzhi will pay a $38.9 million transfer fee this week for the rights to Eto’o and the Cameroonian star is expected to sign a three –year deal with an annual salary of 20 million Euros or $28.8 million at current exchange rates. Dwarfing the earnings of Lionel Messi at Barcelona and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. The current highest-paid player in the game is Cristiano Ronaldo who earns an estimated 13 million Euros ($19 million).

Anzhi is owned by Russian investor Suleiman Kerimov, who is the 118th richest person in the world with a net worth of $7.8 billion.