Top 50 Highest Paid Soccer Players

A list has been compiled by Futebol Finance, a Portuguese marketing agency, which comprises of the top 50 highest paid soccer players based on their club salaries for the 2009-2010 season alone. Sponsorship and advertising dollars (or Euros or Pesos) are not included. It can be quite surprising if you are a fan of the game.

Rank/Name/Country/Club/Salary

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid, $17.5 million)
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Barcelona, $16.1 million)
3. Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona, $14.1 million)
4. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Internazionale, $14.1 million)
5. Kaka (Brazil, Real Madrid, $13.4 million)
6. Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo, Manchester City, $11.4 million)
7. Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid, $11.4 million)
8. Carlos Tevez (Argentina, Manchester City, $10.8 million)
9. John Terry (England, Chelsea, $10 million)
10. Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea, $10 million)

11. Thierry Henry (France, Barcelona, $10 million)
12. Xavi (Spain, Barcelona, $10 million)
13. Ronaldinho (Brazil, AC Milan, $10 million)
14. Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool, $10 million)
15. Daniel Alves (Brazil, Barcelona, $9.4 million)
16. Michael Ballack (Germany, Chelsea, $8.6 million)
17. Raul (Spain, Real Madrid, $8.6 million)
18. Rio Ferdinand (England, Manchester United, $8.6 million)
19. Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast, Manchester City, $8.6 million)
20. Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United, $8 million)

21. Robinho (Brazil, Manchester City, $8 million) *1
22. Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid, $8 million)
23. Victor Valdez (Spain, Barcelona, $8 million)
24. Frederic Kanoute (Mali, Sevilla, $8 million)
25. Deco (Portugal, Chelsea, $8 million)
26. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea, $7.4 million)
27. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus, $7.4 million)
28. Francesco Totti (Italy, Roma, $7.4 million)
29. Luca Toni (Italy, Roma, $7.4 million) *2
30. David Villa (Spain, Valencia, $7.4 million)

31. Arjen Robben (Netherlands, Bayern Munich, $7.4 million)
32. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany, Bayern Munich, $7.4 million)
33. Ashley Cole (England, Chelsea, $7.4 million)
34. Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool, $7.4 million)
35. Gareth Barry (England, Manchester City, $7.4 million)
36. Patrick Vieira (France, Internazionale, $7.4 million) *3
37. Charles Puyol (Spain, Barcelona, $6.6 million)
38. Andres Iniesta (Spain, Barcelona, $6.6 million)
39. Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Atletico Madrid, $6.6 million)
40. Andreas Pirlo (Italy, AC Milan, $6.6 million)

41. Willy Sagnol (France, Bayern Munich, $6.6 million) *4
42. Frank Ribery (France, Bayern Munich, $6.6 million)
43. David Beckham (England, AC Milan, $6.6 million) *5
44. Wayne Bridge (England, Manchester City, $6.6 million)
45. Lassana Diarra (France, Real Madrid, $6.6 million)
46. Dimitar Berbatov (Bulgaria, Manchester United $6.3 million)
47. Andrei Arshavin (Russia, Arsenal, $6.3 million)
48. Nicolas Anelka (France, Chelsea, $6.3 million)
49. Ryan Giggs (Wales, Manchester United $6.3 million)
50. Alessandro Del Piero (Italy, Juventus, $6.3 million)

Players in BOLD are on new teams from the 2008-2009 season

*1 = Robinho now plays for Santos
*2 = Luca Toni is on loan from Bayern Munich
*3 = Patrick Vieira now plays for Manchester City
*4 = Willy Sagnol has retired
*5 = David Beckham is on loan from L.A. Galaxy