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The Premier League is home to some of the most popular and successful footballers. They have proven their worth on the big stage time and again and have deservedly earned an envious fanbase. These players earn a fortune for themselves and live luxurious lives that is a big part of their star attraction. Gone are the days when footballers made money only by playing the sport.
The global recognition that football has received over the last decade and the boom in social media platforms has only made these stars more viral. The competitive nature of the Premier League is widely acknowledged throughout the globe. The quality of football is appreciated and also keeps many of these players on the radar of football lovers from everywhere.
Premier League stars have a great fashion sense
Popular footballers are approached by global brands to endorse their products because such is their craze and influence in these times. Many superstars of the game are known for their style statement and the way they carry themselves off the pitch. Inevitably in doing so, they feed off all those brands who wish to use them as ambassadors.
It's difficult to know exactly what one player thinks of another's brand endorsement, the cheques these brands pay them and the difference that exists. But for us fans, it surely makes for interesting speculation to compare and contrast who's being paid how much to afford their glittering lifestyle.
Here are the five Premier League players who generate the most income through their Instagram:
#5 Raphael Varane - £73,000
Manchester United finally put a full stop to their pursuit of long-term target Raphael Varane by snapping him up from Real Madrid this summer. The Red Devils paid an initial £34 million transfer fee to bring Varane to the Premier League.
Undoubtedly, four Champions League titles and a World Cup come with great recognition and high regard by the fans. Varane enjoys a following of 17.3 million on Instagram, but is known for keeping things simple in terms of his fashion statement.
He hardly ever goes overboard in terms of his hairstyle or apparel as visible through his Instagram profile. Even before his arrival in the Premier League, Varane was endorsing some very popular brands. He was chosen as the Global Ambassador for JBL.
The Man United defender has also been spotted promoting products from Braun on his Instagram. He earns nearly £73,000 for one promotional post on his Instagram profile. With the former Real Madrid defender's arrival, it is expected that the Red Devils will challenge for the Premier League title this year.
#4 Thiago Silva - £77,000
Before joining Premier League side Chelsea, Thiago Silva played in one of the fashion capitals of the world in Paris, France. There is no way that the vibe of Paris, the aroma of style and fashion, does not rub on an individual when they stay in France for eight long years.
The Chelsea veteran has a total of 18.2 million followers on Instagram. His feed is mostly full of his training sessions with Brazil and Chelsea and posts featuring family are few and far between. Silva maintains a very natural and candid profile.
But don't let that fool you into thinking he goes humble when it comes to influencing. The Premier League star earns £77,000 for every promotional post that he puts in. Nike and Nissan are the two notable brands he endorses and is often spotted in their commercials.
A move away from PSG proved beneficial for the Brazilian as his dream of winning the Champions League became a reality last year. In an all Premier League final, Chelsea defeated Manchester City to lift the trophy. At 37, SIlva is nearing the end of his career but his game time is being managed well in the Premier League by Thomas Tuchel.
#3 Mohamed Salah - £187,000
Making the Premier League all about himself is nothing new for Mohamed Salah. A popular debate going around is whether he is currently the best player in the world, and his on-field performances are making it harder than ever to dispute that. The Egyptian has started the campaign in blistering style and is scoring mesmerizing goals effortlessly.
The Liverpool forward enjoys a following of 44.2 million on Instagram and there is no doubt that if he wasn't a footballer, he'd definitely make a great fitness expert.
He can be seen posting about his workout sessions and how he spends time off-field with his Liverpool squad members. Salah has contracts with popular brands like Adidas, Mobil, Pepsi etc and can be spotted promoting them through various commercials. The Premier League star earns a crazy £187,000 for a single promotional post.
If Salah can keep his form throughout the remainder of the season, he might be on route to breaking some big records. The Liverpool forward has already scored seven goals in eight games in the Premier League. He has also scored five goals in the Champions League in just three games.
#2 Paul Pogba - £208,000
There is still a lot of speculation going on concerning Paul Pogba's future with Manchester United and whether this time next year he will be a United player or not. Nonetheless, as long as he is in the Premier League, he will continue to be the second-highest paid player for an Instagram post.
Pogba earns a whopping £208,000 from a single promotional post. He has always been known for being a style icon. Never shy of experimenting with his hair, the French midfielder has always been the center of attention for his showings on and off the pitch.
The three notable companies that use Pogba as their face are Pespi, TCL and Adidas. But the Premier League midfielder has always contributed towards charity with an open heart and has his own Pogba Foundation, which was launched in 2017.
In the Premier League, the 28-year old has frequently been criticized for not emulating the same performances that he produces with the French national team. But this season has been an exception as Pogba has not put a foot wrong in the Red Devils jersey. He has provided seven assists in eight games in the Premier League.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - £1.5 million
Was there ever any doubt? Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular athlete around the globe and his Instagram following is a testament to the same. He is a global sensation with 353 million followers on the app, the most for any page or person on Instagram.
The influential nature of Ronaldo's actions was visible in the recent Euro 2020 tournament when, in a press conference, he kept aside a bottle of Coca-Cola and remarked "Drink water". Even though the reported 4 billion dollar loss was not down to the Portuguese star's doing, one can imagine how it would have impacted budding athletes around the world and for many who will see it in the future.
The former Real Madrid player returned to the Premier League this year in a sensational homecoming that broke records across social media. Just after announcing his move, Manchester United gained a million new followers on Instagram.
After Ronaldo announced his return to the Premier League on his Instagram, the post became the most liked with 19 million likes. The Portuguese star has endorsed global brands like Tag Heuer, Herbalife Nutrition, Nike and Clear. He is regularly seen in these commercials.
The Premier League superstar has his own brand named 7EGEND. All of this allows him to earn an unrivaled £1.5 million from a single promotional post on Instagram. This is seven times the sum of his next Premier League contemporary.
