Richest footballers in the world 2025: The most watched and popular sport in the world is still football, or soccer as it is known in some parts of the world. Top players can now generate substantial money due to the industry’s multibillion dollar valuation due to its enormous worldwide following and commercial appeal. The wealthiest football players in 2025 will be well-known individuals in business and entertainment in addition to being the highest-paid athletes. The football players who have had exceptional financial success are highlighted in this list.
Richest footballers in the world 2025
Their wealth is the result of a mix of large wages, performance bonuses, endorsement agreements with well-known companies, and astute investment choices. Some have gone so far as to diversify their sources of income by starting their own companies, taking up other sources of income, and investigating alternative avenues for making money. By looking at the wealthiest football players in the world, we may learn more about the industry’s financial titans and the various ways that these players have amassed their fortune.
Richest footballers in the world 2025 Details
Player
|
Net Worth |
| Faiq Bolkiah |
$20 billion |
| Lionel Messi |
$600 million |
| Cristiano Ronaldo |
$500 million |
| David Beckham |
$450 million |
| Dave Whelan |
$210 million |
| Neymar Jr. |
$200 million |
| Zlatan Ibrahimovic |
$190 million |
| Kylian Mbappe |
$180 million |
| Wayne Rooney |
$170 million |
| Ronaldo Luís Nazário |
$160 million |
| Alexandro Pato |
$145 million |
| Wayne Rooney |
$145 Million |
| Gareth Bale |
$145million |
List of top 13 richest footballers in the world 2025
Top 13 richest football players
Here are the top 13 richest football in the world. Brunei prince Faiq Bolkiah tops the list, with Messi and Ronaldo following in:
Faiq Bolkiah
Net worth: $20 billion
Team: Chonburi F.C., Thailand
Records: Richest football player in the world
Professional football player Faiq Bolkiah hails from Brunei. He plays as a winger for both the national team of Brunei and Chonburi F.C. in Thailand. At an estimated $20 billion in net worth, Bolkiah is the richest football player in the world. He has led the Brunei national team as captain since 2018. He has earned caps for the team since 2014. is Brunei’s Prince. Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, is Bolkiah’s uncle. His father is Jefri Bolkiah, the Prince of Brunei.
Lionel Messi
Net worth: $600 million
Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Records: Most ballon D’Or award winner, most liga goals, and many more
Awards: World soccer player of the year, FIFA ballon D’Or, and many more
Books: The “GOAT” Messi and more
Movie: Lionel
Messi: The greatest
Widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. He is the second-richest footballer in the world, with a net worth of $600 million. has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, a record in itself. is the player to have been awarded the covet trophy the most number of times. He has also won six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Net worth: $500 million
Team: Al Nassar
Records: Highest goal-scorer in football and many more
Awards: European golden shoe, FIFA ballon D’Or, and many more
Books: Cristiano
Ronaldo: The rise of a winner
Movie: Cristiano
Ronaldo: The World at its feet
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo captains the Portugal national team and plays as a forward for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. He has won five ballon d’Or awards, the most by a European player. Ronaldo is the all-time leading goal scorer with the highest number of goals in international football. He is widely consider to be one of the greatest football players of all time and constantly pitt against fellow soccer legend Lionel Messi.
David Beckham
Net worth: $450 million
Team: Manchester United
Records: Only player to win league titles in 4 countries, and more
Awards: Premier league player of the month, BBC sports personality of the year, and more
Books: Beckham: My World (autobiography)
Movie: King Arthur, The man from U.N.C.L.E.
David Beckham was a professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is considered to be one of the best players of his generation and was one of the most popular athletes in the world. Beckham played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, the LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain. He won 19 major trophies, including six Premier League titles, one La Liga title, and one MLS Cup. Beckham retired from professional football in 2013. He is currently the fourth-richest football player, with a net worth of $450 million.
Dave Whelan
Net worth: $210 million
Team: Blackburn rovers and Crewe Alexandra
Awards: Freedom of the borough
Books: David
Whelan: Playing to win – The autobiography
Dave Whelan is an English footballer who played as a winger. He was born in Bradford, England, on November 24, 1936, and played for Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra during his career. won the Football League Third Division North title with Blackburn Rovers in 1959–60. retired from professional football in 1966. He later became a successful businessman and founded the Wigan Athletic football club. His net worth is $210 million.
Neymar Jr.
Net worth
$200 million | Team: Paris Saint-Germain | Records: Youngest player to reach 100 caps for Brazil, all-time highest scorer for Santos, and many more | Awards: Ballon D’Or, FIFA Puskas, Player of the year and many more | Books: Neymar: My story: Conversations with my father | Movie: Neymar: The perfect chaos
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, known as Neymar Jr. or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. Neymar is the greatest Brazilian football player of all time. He won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League in 2015 with Barcelona. He has helped Brazil win the Olympic gold medal in 2016 and the Copa América in 2019.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Net worth
$190 million | Team: Serie A club AC Milan | Records: Oldest player ever to score in Serie A, greatest striker of all-time, and more | Awards: Best MLS player ESPY award, FIFA Puskas, golden foot, Serie A player of the year, and many more | Books: I Am Zlatan Ibrahimović (autobiography) | Movie: Asterix & Obelix: The middle kingdom (Cameo)
Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays as a striker for Serie A club AC Milan and the Sweden national team. Ibrahimovic, who has played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, LA Galaxy, and AC Milan, is the greatest striker of all time. He has won 33 trophies in his career, including 11 league titles, five UEFA Champions League titles, and one FIFA Club World Cup title. He has helped Sweden qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2018.
Kylian Mbappe
Net worth
$180 million | Team: Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-germain |Records: Four goals in two appearances in the FIFA World Cup finals, and more | Awards: FIFA World Cup golden boot, golden boy, Kopa trophy, and more | Books: Kylian Mbappe: World soccer star and more
Kylian Mbappé is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the France national team. He is widely regard as one of the best players in the world and one of the most exciting young players of his generation. Mbappé has won 4 Ligue 1 titles, 3 Coupe de France titles, and 2 Coupe de la Ligue titles with PSG. He has also won the Golden Boot award in Ligue 1 in 2018–19 and 2021–22. Mbappé has won 21 caps for France, and has scored 17 goals. He helped France win the FIFA World Cup in 2018, and was named the Best Young Player at the tournament.
Wayne Rooney
Net worth
$170 million | Team: D.C. United | Records: England’s second-most-capped player and second-highest goal scorer. | Awards: MLS best XI, FIFPro World young player of the year, and more. | Books: Wayne rooney: My decade in the premier league (autobiography) | Movie: ROONEY (Netflix Series)
Wayne Rooney is a retired English professional footballer who played as a striker. He is considered to be one of the best players in the history of the Premier League and England. Rooney won 13 trophies with Manchester United, including five Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title, and one FIFA Club World Cup title. He retired from professional football in 2021.
Ronaldo Luís Nazário
Net worth
$160 million | Team: Real Madrid | Records: Third-highest goal scorer of Brazil, highest goals in a single La Liga season, and more | Awards: European golden shoe, FIFA World player of the year, World soccer player of the year, Serie A foreign footballer of the year, and more
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired footballer and successful businessman from Brazil. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Throughout his illustrious football career, Ronaldo achieved numerous records and accumulated substantial wealth. At just 21 years old, he became the most expensive player in football history and the youngest recipient of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award—a record that still stands to this day. He has been serving as a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador since 2000, using his fame and influence to make a positive impact on various humanitarian causes.
Alexandre Pato
Net worth
$145 million | Team: São Paulo FC | Records: Youngest goal scorer at a senior men’s FIFA tournament |Awards: Serie A young footballer of the year, golden boy, Italian super cup winner, and many more.
Brazilian-born football player Alexandre Pato competes in Major League Soccer for Orlando City SC as a forward. His speed, dribbling, and finishing prowess are well-known. Pato started his career at Internacional, where he was the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup winner and the Copa Libertadores. After that, he relocated to AC Milan, where he was the 2011 Serie A champion. In addition, Pato has represented Orlando City, Tianjin Quanjian, Villarreal, Corinthians, São Paulo, and Chelsea. He has 10 goals in 27 appearances for the Brazilian national team.
Wayne Rooney
Net worth
$145million | Team: D.C. United | Records: Has won the England player of the year award four times, in 2008, 2009, 2014, and 2015. With 53 goals in 120 international caps | Awards: BBC young sports personality of the year, MLS best XI, FIFPro World young player of the year
English professional football manager Wayne Rooney was once a striker for the Manchester United. He has scored more goals than any other player in Manchester United’s history as well as the England national team. is the all-time top scorer for both Manchester United and England, and he currently coaches the D.C. Unit. His estimated net worth is $145 million. His lucrative contracts—which include his time spent in Major League Soccer (MLS)—endorsements, and image rights are the main sources of his riches. Additionally, in order to pay the players, Rooney postponed his salary while serving as Derby County’s manager due to financial difficulties.
Gareth Bale
Net worth
$145million | Team: LAFC | Records: Bale won 15 trophies, including three La Liga titles and five champions leagues | Awards: EFL Young player of the season, Tottenham Hotspur F.C. player of the year, The football manager team of the decade
Welsh-born Gareth Frank Bale OBE, who played as a winger in professional football, was born on July 16, 1989. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest Welsh players of all time and among the best footballers of his period. In 2006, Bale made his professional debut at Southampton, where he began his career. 2007, he relocated to Tottenham Hotspur, where he developed into one of the league’s best wingers. addition to winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award in 2013, he assisted Tottenham in making it to the 2011 UEFA Champions League final.
Richest footballers in the world Images
