For several months, Saudi Arabia has offered a golden bridge to many football stars to join its teams. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema or even Neymar, who wins the most?
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– Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in their Saudi colors.
This is the new Eldorado of world football, at least financially: Saudi Arabia. Since 2023, the kingdom of the Arabian Peninsula has taken out the checkbook to attract the greatest football players on the planet. Starting with Cristiano Ronaldo, the pioneer, who paved the way for dozens of arrivals later. But to convince them to sign in one of the 18 first division clubs where the sporting aspect is undoubtedly far from being the number 1 criterion, the kingdom offers staggering salaries. Thanks to figures from Forbes and Bloomberg, the local media Al Sharq Newsrelayed by West Francelisted the astronomical salaries of the ten highest paid players currently.
Without real surprise, it’s the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo who hits the jackpot with 200 million euros in salary. A sum enhanced by juicy sponsorship contracts (Nike, Whoop, etc.) which increase his remuneration to 263 million euros. The Al-Nassr player is far ahead of the others. Because the second is none other than Neymar. The former Barça and PSG striker, away from the field for a year in Saudi Arabia, receives 100 million euros from Al-Hilal: 75 million euros in salaries and 25 million in ancillary income. According to our colleagues, his contract would also allow him to benefit from advantages such as a private jet, luxury cars or a mansion.
Also read: Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappé… who are the highest paid footballers in 2024?
Three French people in the top 10
On the third step of the podium, we find the French Karim Benzema. Former Real Madrid player gets paid 90 million euros at Al-Ittihad where he plays alongside other French people like Moussa Diaby or N’Golo Kanté. His contract ends at the end of the season, but he could come back! From fourth place in this ranking, salaries are “less” important, below 50 million euros. The Senegalese, former Liverpool star, Sadio Manereceives 48 million euros. He has revealed on several occasions that he gives part of his emoluments to the most deprived in his country.
In fifth place, he is not the best known, and yet: from Brentford, the Englishman Ivan Toney signed a contract worth 23 million euros with Al-Ahli. It’s more than the Portuguese João Cancelo and the French Moussa Diaby who receive 15.8 million euros respectively from Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, or that another Frenchman, Mohamed Simakan (ex-Leipzig) paid 15.5 million euros to Al-Nassr.
Also read: Ronaldo, Benzema, Kanté… these footballers who left for Saudi Arabia (and the next ones)
Finally, the former OM striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the former Madrilenian Nacho Fernandez, have a salary of 10.3 million euros at Al-Qadsiah. Players who are all much better paid than when they played in Europe!
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