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The Ligue 1 is one of Europe's top five domestic football leagues. However, compared to its four other counterparts, the French top flight is often derided as a 'farmer's league', owing to its perceived lack of competitiveness.
Lille punctuated Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s three-year Ligue 1 reign last season by beating the Parisians to the league title. However, after a summer of high-profile arrivals, PSG are on course to win their eighth league title in ten years. During this period, Monaco (2016-17) were the only other team to triumph in Ligue 1.
The French top flight has a lot of world-class players, who earn handsomely. On that note, here's a look at five players with the most wages in Ligue 1 at the moment:
#5 Marquinhos (six-time Ligue 1 winner) - €288,461 per week
Marquinhos is one of the best-paid players in the French top flight. The PSG captain has made over 200 appearances in the competition, winning six titles and scoring 20 goals.
Still only 27, the Brazilian centre-back is widely regarded as one of the best active central defenders in the game. Proficient at both ends of the field, Marquinhos was snapped up by PSG from AS Roma in 2013, and has been a first-team regular since then.
Currently contracted until 2023-24, Marquinhos is all set to pen an extension that would keep him in Paris until at least 2026.
Except 2017-18, the Brazilian has netted three league goals in each of his last five French top-flight campaigns. With another league title almost a formality, Marquinhos will hope to lead PSG to their first-ever UEFA Champions League title this season.
#4 Sergio Ramos - €403,846 per week
Sergio Ramos was one of a spate of high-profile arrivals at the Parc des Princes last summer.
The Real Madrid legend arrived in the French top flight on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract with Ligue 1 giants PSG. Owing to his pedigree and achievements in the game, Ramos is one of the top earners at the club and in the French top flight.
However, owing to injuries, the 35-year-old centre-back has only appeared four times in three competitions for his new club.
Ramos recently made his home debut for PSG, coming on as a second-half substitute in their 2-0 league win over State Brestois.
#3 Kylian Mbappe (four-time Ligue 1 winner) - €480,769 per week
Kylian Mbappe is one of the best players in Ligue 1 at the moment. The PSG attacker has scored 117 goals in the competition, with all but 16 of them coming for his current club.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has won four French league titles, three with PSG and one with Monaco. Still only 23, Mbappe already has a decorated resume, with only the European Championship and UEFA Champions League conspicuous by their absence in his burgeoning trophy cabinet.
Unsurprisingly, the Frenchman is one of the highest-paid players in the French top flight, reportedly earning €25 million per year. Mbappe, whose PSG contract runs out at the end of the season, was the subject of intense interest from Real Madrid last summer.
The young striker was subject to two humungous bids of €160 million and €200 million from the Spanish side which were rejected by the Parisian club.
With the striker seemingly unwilling to extend his stay in Paris, he is widely tipped to move to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.
#2 Neymar (three-time Ligue 1 winner) - €707,692 per week
Neymar made headlines when PSG splashed €222 million in the summer of 2017 to sign him from Barcelona. That made the 29-year-old the most expensive player in the history of the game.
However, Neymar has blown hot and cold during his stint at PSG. Due to injury, the three-time Ligue 1 winner has missed more league games than he has played since then. In 80 games in the competition, he has bagged 59 goals and 36 assists.
With reported wages of €36.8 million, Neymar is one of the highest earners in the French top flight. He was reportedly close to leaving PSG before signing an extension last year that would keep him at the club until 2025.
Despite his reported wages of over €700,000 per week, the three-time Ligue 1 is yet to truly set the stage on fire.
#1 Lionel Messi - €803,846 per week
Lionel Messi is arguably one of the best players to have graced the game, and unsurprisingly completes the all-PSG top-five Ligue 1 earners list.
After a prolific stint at Barcelona, the Argentine arrived at PSG last summer on a free transfer. That was because the Blaugrana couldn't offer him a contract extension owing to La Liga's financial fair-play rules.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner reportedly earns €41 million a year at PSG, which makes his weekly salary over €800,000. However, the 34-year-old has failed to replicate his Barcelona heroics in Paris, netting only six times across competitions. That includes only one strike in 11 Ligue 1 games.
Messi has struggled for form and fitness in the French capital. Currently recuperating after a bout with COVID-19, the Argentine would hope for a strong end to the season.
