The top nine highest-paid soccer players in the world for the 2025-26 season have been revealed, with some big names included in Forbes’ latest list. Cristiano Ronaldo earns more than twice as much in a year as his long-time rival Lionel Messi, even though the Portugal captain is 40 years old and nearing the end of his career. Express Sport looks at the list of high earners…
9th place – Jude Bellingham (£32.7m)
He may not have been in the England squad of late, mainly due to injury, but Jude Bellingham remains one of the richest players in the world. The Real Madrid midfielder earns more than £20 million a year thanks to his more than £300,000-a-week wages at the Bernabéu. Still just 22 years old, Bellingham’s place on this list could grow even more in the coming years. He has deals with SKIMS and Louis Vuitton, in addition to Adidas and Lucozade. He is also the cover star of EA FC 26.
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7th place – Mohamed Salah (£40.9m)
Liverpool’s Egyptian king Mohamed Salah signed a lucrative new contract with the Reds in April, with wages of up to £400,000 a week. This means the two-time Premier League winner is the second-highest paid player in England’s top flight. Salah’s off-field income comes from long-standing contracts with boot supplier Adidas, as well as Pepsi, Vodafone, DHL and Uber.
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6th place – Vinicius Junior (£44.6m)
Another Real Madrid player, Vinicius Junior, has become one of Los Blancos’ top performers and is a big target for the Saudis, who could end up paying a world record transfer fee if they are ultimately successful in luring the 25-year-old to the Gulf nation. However, even in Spain, he still earns a hefty wage of over £300,000 a week, contributing to his huge income. The Brazilian also has a host of sponsors including Nike, Pepsi, Hugo Boss and Gatorade, and earns £15 million a year off the pitch.
(Image: Getty Images)
