10 highest earning footballers in 2016

#4 Neymar - $36 million

While almost all footballers get the major chunk of their yearly earning from wages, it is the exact opposite for Neymar. The Brazilian gets more money from sponsors than what he gets from Barcelona!

Neymar used to get a total of just $14 million as wages and bonuses from the La Liga giants. He signed a new contract in 2016 worth $26.4 million a year, and his earnings are just going to skyrocket in 2017.

When you get sponsored by 12 companies like Nike, Red Bull, Panasonic, Konami and Gillette, you are bound to earn a fortune. Neymar makes a whopping $22 million from endorsements - $8 million more than the wages he earned in 2016!

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#3 Zlatan Ibrahimovic - $37 million

In 2016, Zlatan Ibrahimovic played for Paris Saint-German and Manchester United. The Swedish international took a wage cut to join the Red Devils in the summer and still managed to become the 3rd highest paid player in the world!

The 35-year-old striker took home a total of $30 million as wages and bonuses last year. The major chunk of it was because of the league title and the Coupe de France the won with PSG. He also got a £1 million loyalty bonus from PSG when he left them after completing his contract.

Zlatan jumped from Nike to Adidas in 2016 when he was moving to Old Trafford. He made a total of $7 million in endorsements and ended making a total of $37 million in the whole year.