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The world’s two best footballers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are by far the two most well-paid footballers in the world. Messi and Ronaldo are the only two players to have a contract which pays them after tax deductions. The other players all have normal before tax contracts. These salary numbers also include some performance incentives and bonuses and real salaries might be a little lesser than the actual amount quoted by the media.The list is mainly filled with forwards showing that attack minded players are more valued than defenders by today’s football clubs.Here is the list of 10 footballers with the highest salaries in 2015/16 season:Note: Only salaries are considered, brand value and endorsements have not been included
#10 Luis Suarez (Barcelona) - 205,000/week
The Uruguayan has just been astonishing this season scoring and setting up goals for fun. Suarez is the third most expensive player in football history and his performances over the years have shown why he is worth that much.
Supremely talented and tenacious, Luis Suarez always gives more than a 100% on the pitch. Known for his direct running and skillful dribbles, Suarez has been absolutely tormenting defenders over the years. The Barcelona forward also has a penchant for nutmegging opponents often leaving them for dead.
Suarez together with Messi and Neymar has taken the present Barcelona team to a whole new level. The Uruguayan is not only capable of scoring goals but he also sets up many of them for his team-mates with Messi and Neymar often benefiting from Suarez’s service.
£205,000 per week is definitely worth it for a striker of Suarez’s calibre.
#9 David Silva (Manchester City) - 210,000/week
Winner of two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a league cup in his time at Manchester City, David Silva has been one of the major reasons for Manchester City’s emergence as a footballing superpower in the recent seasons.
Truly magical in midfield for Spain and Manchester City, his passing ability and possession-retaining qualities have earned him the nicknames "Merlin" and "El Mago" from his team-mates and fans. Currently aged 30, the Spanish playmaker has seen his influence wane slightly this season.
Although he primarily serves as a playmaker for his team, he is capable of scoring goals himself as well as creating them, which enables him to be deployed in several offensive roles.
Struggling a bit for form and fitness this season, Silva will be looking to bounce back soon and show why Manchester City are paying him £210.000 a week for his services.
#8 Neymar (Barcelona) - 220,000/week
Neymar is considered to be Lionel Messi’s heir at Barcelona and many former players and legends such as Pele have already claimed that he will soon become the best player in the world.
Neymar's dribbling skills, tricks and playmaking ability are reminiscent of compatriot Ronaldinho. His common traits are his creativity, passing, finishing, dribbling, feints and technique, being described as both "electric" and "explosive".Although naturally right-footed, he is capable of scoring with both feet, as well as with his head, and is an accurate free-kick and penalty taker.
He commented on his attributes saying: "I'm always trying to perfect everything – dribbling, shooting, headers and control. You can always improve."
Already one of the best-paid footballers in the world at just 24, there have been talks of a new contract at Barcelona which will surely see him moving up this list. Considered to be the next big football superstar, it is only a matter of time before Neymar becomes the highest paid footballer in the world.
#7 Asamoah Gyan (Shanghai SIPG) - 227,000/week
Asamoah Gyan has had a strange career but he has definitely been one of the best-paid footballers in the last few years. The Ghanian striker first came into prominence due to his stunning performances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup which earned him a move to Premier League side Sunderland.
After a mixed spell at Sunderland, he moved to UAE club Al Ain where he was absolutely prolific scoring an astonishing 68 goals in 56 league matches. His goalscoring exploits earned him a move to cash-rich Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG in 2015.
After he joined Shanghai SIPG, it was revealed that his weekly salary was £227,000 instantly making him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
Although there have been many high profile signings this January transfer window, Gyan still remains the highest paid footballer in the Chinese Super League.
#6 Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - 230,000/week
Balotelli to Agueroooooooooooo! Who can forget the last gasp winner Aguero scored against QPR to give Manchester City a 3-2 victory and more importantly the Premier League title on the last day of the 2011/12 season. The Argentine striker is already a Manchester City legend and some fans will say that he deserves even more than what he is currently being paid at the Etihad.
Aguero is characterised by agility, acceleration and strength, being described as "sharp and clever" by former Argentine player Osvaldo a view which is shared by his international captain Lionel Messi, who believes Aguero possesses "immense power, strength and an incredible work ethic." Combined with his close control, dribbling skills, and strength to keep the ball, he has been described as "a menace in the box".
Aguero is one of the most complete forwards playing the game, however, the striker is slightly injury prone and Manchester City will be hoping that their most important player remains fit as the season heads for an exciting finish.
#5 Yaya Toure (Manchester City) - 230,000/week
Formerly a defender, Yaya Toure plays primarily as a box-to-box midfielder, often switching between offensive and defensive stances throughout matches. Touré is a complete and versatile midfielder, who can play in several midfield positions and he is regarded as one of the best midfielders of this generation.
Although Yaya Toure’s agent Dimitry Seluk is never short of making controversial statements, he has definitely managed to get his client a very lucrative deal, making him the 5th highest paid football player in the world.
The Ivory Coast midfielder has had a mixed campaign this season turning in some disinterested performances and he might be on his way out of City this summer after it was announced that Guardiola will be becoming their new manager.
If Toure does leave the Etihad this summer, it will be interesting to see which club he joins as only a few clubs in the world are capable of matching his wage demands.
#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain) - 250,000/week
PSG’s talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic is another striker who earns £250,000 a week. The Swedish striker is the undoubted superstar of the PSG side and his goals and contributions have made Paris Saint-Germain a force to reckon with in Europe.
Ever since Ibrahimovic moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, the Ligue 1 outfit have won the French league 4 years in a row largely thanks to his contributions. The Swedish striker has scored some spectacular goals and he is one of the most complete forwards in our game capable of scoring with both feet and he is also a major threat in the air.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract has not been renewed by PSG so far and with his contract getting completed in the summer, teams will be queuing up to obtain the Swedish striker’s signature.
Although 34, Zlatan has shown that age is just a number putting in astonishing performances consistently.
The mercurial Swede is definitely worth the huge amount he is being paid at PSG.
#3 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 250,000/week
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is the third highest paid footballer in the world. Rooney is considered to be one of England's most talented players and Manchester United are paying an eye-watering amount of £250,000 a week to keep their captain at Old Trafford.
Having comfortably been outshone by less fancied players like Jamie Vardy, Odion Ighalo and even his own teammate Anthony Martial, Rooney has looked jaded and slightly off the pace this season. Once the first name on the team sheet, fans have been very vocal about their disapproval of their captain’s form and some sections of the crowd even called for him to be dropped.
Playing in a variety of positions, be it the role of a striker or as a no.10, Rooney has failed to capture the fans' imagination at the Theatre of Dreams. However, fans should write off a player of Rooney’s class at their own peril as the recent resurgence in his form has shown glimpses of the old Rooney United fans love.
United fans will be questioning whether Wayne Rooney has done enough to justify his ridiculously high wages.
#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 275,000/week after tax
The only footballer ever to win the Ballon d’Or five times, Lionel Messi is an absolute phenomenon. The diminutive Argentine has been Barcelona’s main man since 2008 and has put in some spell bounding performances in the Champions League.
His pace and technical ability enable him to undertake individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line or the right side of the pitch. Tactically, Messi plays in a free attacking role; a versatile player, he is capable of attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch.
With a market value of €120 million, Lionel Messi is the most valuable player in the world currently.
Barcelona have ensured Lionel Messi remains happy by making him the second highest paid footballer in the world.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) - 288,000/week after tax
One of the two stand out footballers of this generation along with Lionel Messi, Ronaldo is one of the greatest players ever to play the beautiful game. Ronaldo’s goal scoring exploits have been mind boggling considering the fact that he plays as a winger on most occasions.
The Portuguese superstar first captured the world’s attention at Manchester United, putting in some stunning performances, leaving defenders flat-footed with his dazzling skills. After his move to Real Madrid, Ronaldo took his game to a whole new level becoming one of the best goalscorers ever to play the game.
Having a burning desire to be the best, Ronaldo has worked hard to hone his undoubtedly prodigious talent. Ronaldo is capable of scoring all types of goals be it stunning long-range efforts, free kicks, simple tap-ins or even powerful headers.
The three-time Ballon d’Or winner is the highest paid footballer in the world.
Some of the other highest paid footballers in the world are:
Alex Teixeira and Ramires (Jiangsu Suning) – £200,000
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – £200,000
David De Gea and Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United) – £200,000
Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain) – £185,000
Eden Hazard (Chelsea) – £185,000
