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It is every footballer's dream to walk out into the stadium donning his national colours at the world's biggest stage - the FIFA World Cup. Footballers though have more than just national pride to play for at this mega event. With sponsors investing loads of cash on these stars, they are expected to live up to the hype placed on them by their investors, and this summer's World Cup extravaganza at Brazil is no different. Here's a list of football stars with the highest sponsorship deals at this World Cup. Have a look:
#10 Luis Suarez (Uruguay and Liverpool)
Though the Uruguay striker has earned himself notoreity for his biting antics on the pitch, he continues to rake in a lot of money from sponsors, notably a £3 million Pounds-a-year deal with Adidas. The Liverpool star reportedly dug his teeth into Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's Group D clash on 24 June. Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez didn't take any action on that day, but FIFA has pressed charges of misconduct on the 27-year-old. If proven, Suarez can face upto a 24-match ban, that may spell doom for his national and club career. This is also bound to affect his sponsorship value, as his ratings as a bankable star may take a steep dip. 888poker - the world's second-largest online poker network, have already hinted at dropping Suarez from their ads.
#9 Frank Lampard (England and Chelsea)
The Chelsea and England veteran is also quite a bankable star. The 36-year-old midfielder has a lucrative £3 million Pounds-a-year deal with Adidas and also a deal with Pepsi. Though England have had a dismal outing at the 2014 World Cup, brand Lampard still sells. The Three Lions have already went back home after finishing bottom of their Group D, with just a solitary point. But Chelsea's all-time leading goal-scorer, Lampard is still one of English football's biggest stars.
#8 Steven Gerrard (England and Liverpool)
England skipper Steven Gerrard is well-known for his dedication and loyalty. The 34-year-old has throughout his career stayed loyal to his love - Liverpool. And maybe this display of loyalty has helped boost his image as a good brand. Stevie G earns an estimated £5 million Pounds-a-year courtesy sponsorship deal with Jaguar and Adidas.
#7 Sergio Aguero (Argentina and Manchester City)
In a very short span of time Sergio Aguero has already established himself as one of the English Premier League's finest strikers. Kun was instrumental in guiding Manchester City to the 2012 and 2014 EPL titles. Setting the Premier League on fire has its advantages, most notably witnessing brands flocking to you for promotion. Aguero lends his face to major brands like Puma and Pepsi, accumulating an estimated wealth of £5 million Pounds every year.
#6 Wayne Rooney (England and Manchester United)
One of the rare positives in England's pathetic 2014 World Cup campaign, has been Wayne Rooney breaking his World Cup jinx. Wazza had earlier featured in two World Cups (2006 and 2010), but had failed to find the net even once. In Brazil this summer, he finally scored his first ever World Cup goal, in a 2-1 loss to Uruguay. But for Manchester United, Rooney continues to be their biggest star. A veteran of five Premier League titles with the Red Devils, he has the highest shirt sales amongst the current team. The 28-year-old striker takes home almost £8 million Pounds every year due to deals with Nike and EA Sports.
#5 Mesut Ozil (Germany and Arsenal)
As a person, Mesut Ozil doesn't like too much of the spotlight. The German playmaker likes to stay quiet off the pitch and instead his exploits on the pitch do the talking. But for all those who doubt his money-crunching abilities, Arsene Wenger doesn't shell out £42.5 million Pounds just like that. The 25-year-old finally saw the Gunners end their 9-year wait for a trophy at the 2014 FA Cup final against Hull City. A major shirt-seller for the North London club, Ozil is also at the heart of Joachim Loew's plans for Germany. He ranks sixth amongst the players with the biggest boot endorsements, courtesy his £4.9 million Pounds-a-year deal with Adidas.
#4 Thomas Mueller (Germany and Bayern Munich)
According to Bild magazine, Thomas Mueller is the player with the highest marketing value in the German team (€24.9 million). In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Muller was named the Best Young Player of The Tournament, and also won the Golden Boot (5 goals and 3 assists). The 24-year-old is still crucial for Germany's chances at this edition, and has already netted three goals in two outings for Die Mannschaft.
#3 Neymar Jr. (Brazil and Barcelona)
The Brazil heartthrob has already mesmerized the crowd at this World Cup. The 22-year-old is currently joint top-scorer (along with Argentina's Lionel Messi) at the 2014 World Cup, after netting four goals in three group ties for the Selecao. His media-friendly attitude plus his fondness for making headlines off the pitch (his ever-changing hairstyle being one of the reasons) makes him a darling for big brands. The Barcelona star earns an estimated £4.9 million Pounds-a-year from Nike. The boot-making giant had recently designed 'Hypervenom', a new design of football boots just for Neymar.
#2 Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona)
Messi magic may have stunned Porto Allegre, but he still has to be content with being second best in the list for highest sponsorship deals. The little Argentine netted a sublime freekick, his second of the match, to ensure a 3-2 win for the Albicieste against Nigeria on June 25. The Barcelona and Argentina talisman earns an estimated £13.6 million Pounds-a-year from German sports-goods manufacturing giant Adidas. He is also a global ambassador with Turkish Airlines and has endorsements with Pepsi, EA Sports and Procter & Gamble.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal and Real Madrid)
Portugal may just as well pack their bags and book their flights back home, but that doesn't make any difference to Cristiano Ronaldo's brand value. Paulo Bento's men are almost assured of a World Cup exit after gathering just one point in two Group G games. But CR7 is still has a major commercial pulling, most notable being his £14.1 million Pounds per-year deal with Nike. The Real Madrid star also has deals with major brands like Coca-Cola, Castrol and KFC, and earns more from sponsorships than his rival Lionel Messi. Atleast something to cheer about for the Portugal captain, right?
