Best Paid Football Players

[lizann]

David Beckham has been knocked off the top of the list of football's highest earners, with Barcelona's star player Lionel Messi now the best-paid player in the game.

The annual survey, conducted by France Football magazine, estimates Messi's earnings at £29.6 million, £2.3m ahead of Beckham.

The Englishman - who is currently out with a long-term injury - remains in second place on the list, just £100,000 ahead of Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi's salary is made up of a £9m basic wage, £3.6m in bonuses and a further £17.1m in personal endorsements. The Argentine has deals with companies including Adidas, Pepsi and Gillette.

The top English-based played is Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, who comes in seventh with £13.8m, while Chelsea's Frank Lampard is ninth on £12.7m

Internazionale boss Jose Mourinho is the best paid manager in the game with £11.7m, just ahead of Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini on £10.8m.

Top-earning players in football:

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) £29.6m

2. David Beckham (LA Galaxy) £27.3m

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) £26.9m

4. Kaka (Real Madrid) £16.9m

5. Thierry Henry (Barcelona) £16.2m

6. Ronaldinho (AC Milan) £15.4m

7. Carlos Tevez (Manchester City) £13.8m

8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona) £13m

9. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) £12.7m

10. Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan) £12.4m

[alan45]

Just think of the number of Doctors and Nurses that could be hired by the wage bill of just one Premier League club. Its scandalous that these prima donnas earn more in one day than many people earn in three months.

[Siobhan]

How can they justify these earnings?? there are people risking their lives everyday for their work and getting pay pitance compared to these "skilled" people who kick a bag of air around for 90 mins once maybe twice a week