goal.com
According to a report published by L’Equipe, Lionel Messi of Barcelona is the best paying player in European football by a large margin.
Messi makes more than twice as much as long-time competitor Cristiano Ronaldo, according to the French newspaper, pocketing €10.5 million a month. Meanwhile, Ronaldo, who is now with Juventus, is said to receive a monthly gross salary of €4.53 million.
Messi’s salaries, in fact, well outstrip those of any other European player. Indeed, Barcelona teammate Antoine Griezmann and Atletico Madrid’s Luis Suarez are the second top earners in Spain, both earning €2.9 million a month.
Real Madrid also has a handful of high-earning players. Eden Hazard, who is currently hospitalized, is one of the best-paid players in the world, earning €2.5 million a month, while legendary team captain Sergio Ramos earns €2 million.
The Premier League teams do not seem to have the most financial clout in the game, as demonstrated by their salary bills, provided that the largest concentration of major earners in football is in Spain – most specifically at Clasico rivals.
According to the article, the Premier League’s highest-earning player is Tottenham’s Gareth Bale, who is on loan from Real Madrid. He already earns €2.5 million a month.
In terms of permanent players, Manchester United’s David de Gea leads the way with €1.85 million per month. Given his latest inconsistent performances, it’s no surprise that his importance to the club has been called into question.
Unsurprisingly, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain are among the highest earners on the continent. Brazil international Neymar earns €3.06 million a month from the Ligue 1 winners, while World Cup winner Mbappe earns around €2.1 million. PSG is now negotiating new contracts for both players.
In the meantime, European champions Bayern Munich pay less. Their highest-paid players are Robert Lewandowski and Manuel Neuer, who both raise €1.7 million a month.
