Big Question: Which World Cup Players Get Paid the Most?

April 2nd, 2006 | by: WC Bob |

In addition to playing for pride of country, some of the players you see this summer make a few coins to kick a ball around. Close your eyes and try to guess the top five highest paid players. Include both their club salaries and endorsement deals. Give up? Well you are in luck because we have access to their bank accounts and have put together a list of the 20 highest paid players. You might want to keep this list handy in case you need a loan in the future.

1 Ronaldinho (Barcelona) £32.6m
2 David Beckham (Real Madrid) £31.2m
3 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) £30.4m
4 Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona) £21.3m
5 Lionel Messi (Barcelona) £21.1m
6 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus) £20.9m
7 Ronaldo (Real Madrid) £20.4m
8 Frank Lampard (Chelsea) £20m
9 Thierry Henry (Arsenal) £19.95m
10 Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich) £19.9m
11 Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) £19.2m
12 Raul (Real Madrid) £18.9m
13 Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) £18.8m
14 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) £18.6m
15 Didier Drogba (Chelsea) £18.3m
16 Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) £12.9m
17 Ryan Babel (Ajax Amsterdam) £12.6m
18 Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United) £12.1m
19 Lukas Podolski (Cologne) £11.3m
20 Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan) £9.9m

Source

Poor Samuel Eto’o. He’ll have to watch the World Cup from his home while he counts his money.

What do you think? Who is the most overpaid player on this list?

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

Luis Carlos

It’s AMAZING what a pretty face can do! (Beckham).
Euler

Finally football prevailed over glamour!!!

http://brazil.worldcupblog.org/group-f/ronaldinho.html

Talent should always be more valueable than looks, but the consumers are to blame, since they are the ones buyng Beckham’s hair spray and lip gloss.
http://portugal.worldcupblog.org Luis Paulo

The most overpaid player is Ryan Babel. Who tha’ hell is Ryan Babel?

He is follow by Podolsky. If I was german they would start with me instead of him.
Chris

Beckham isn’t really a player, he was Florentino Perez’s muse for Real’s next clothing line.
John

Do some more research folks. This list has nothing to do with salaries or transfer values. Just what marketers view as the most commercially marketable players. Babel makes nowhere near what any of these guys make in salary.
Euler

Hair spray, lip gloss, magazines, fashion related products, video games… that’s what I was talking about.
Pax

Obviously Beckham and Ibrahimovich. Comparing to them, Sheva is incredibly underpaid.
John

I know that’s what you were talking about… but the blog entry states the list is of what players get paid through salary and endorsements. I’m just pointing out that’s inaccuarate. It’s not in any way a list of what players earn.
niall

Sadly inaccurate, on all counts. Here’s a Forbes.com link

http://money.uk.msn.com/MyMoney/Insight/Special_Features/Pennywise/article.aspx?cp-documentid=408269
http://www.worldcupblog.com Bob

As the author of the mistake I can only recommend that you all execute me. Thanks for catching it and for adding the correct list of player salaries.

I think we all agree that more posts like this and I will make the list of overpaid workers.

Cheers
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/fire-this-guy.html Fire this Guy! – FIFA World Cup 2006 – World Cup 2006 Blog

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http://portugal.worldcupblog.org Luis Paulo

I’ve just heard Rivelino, former Brazilian midfielder and World Champion in 1970 saying on Brazilian TV about Beckham: “Earn that much to do what he does… I’m 60 and i’ll do it better then him”.

The funny part is… I agree.
4ishy

no doubt beckham is overated, but hes been real’s best player this season and was immense in england’s warm ups versus hungary and jamaica – set to dominate the world cup for england in the absence of wayne (also MUCH fitter than he was for euro 2004 and korea 2002).
gilbert

I think michael ballack is underpaid. HEs one of the best german footballer in the world.
http://www.google.com akmal

michale ballack is the worst player ever good that chelsea had him next time man u play it will be an easy victory
http://www.google.com saf

akmal ur gonna die u little rat watch ur gonna die when i get ma big tonk hands on ya and tell ur mom she still ows me frm last night
http://www.google.com saf

ur mom da bitch robed my steroids
http://dontworry litg garvin

first of all who da hell is ryan babel,what does beckham do 2 be even in the top 3.
dragunov

thierry henry is definately underpaid the man changed not to mantion only arsenals but the epl’s history too
http://www.bebo.com IAN

THIERRY HENRY IS A FUCKIONG LEDGEND
Josh

hi mom
http://WWW.GOGOGO.COM KEITH

Liverpool will win