Lionel Messi and Jose Mourinho are the 2010-2011 highest paid player and manager in football, according to France Football magazine.
Barcelona’s two time world footballer of the year Messi’s income from his salary and publicity deals in 2011 amounted to 31 million euros, while Real Madrid boss Mourinho topped the manager’s rich list with an income of 13.5mn euros.
Messi’s income, while making him the top paid footballer in the world, still falls a long way short of Tiger Woods, who with a revenue of 53mn euros is the highest paid sportsman of them all.
1.Lionel Messi
Annual salary: €31 million
Current club: FC Barcelona – Spain
Country of citizenship: Argentina
The Argentina international, who is widely recognised as the world’s best footballer and has won the Ballon d’Or for the past two years, earns €31 million per annum. This amount that he garnered in 2011 came from his salary and publicity deals.
2.Cristiano Ronaldo
Annual salary: €27.5 million
Current club: Real Madrid – Spain
Country of citizenship: Portugal
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo come in second on the list with 27.5 million euros, with Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney in third with 20.7mn euros.
3.Wayne Rooney
Annual salary: €20.7 million
Current club: Manchester United – England
Country of citizenship: United Kingdom
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, a former team-mate of Ronaldo at Old Trafford, is third in the list with an annual income of €20.7 million.
4.David Beckham
Annual salary: €19 million
Current club: LA Galaxy – United States
Country of citizenship: United Kingdom
US-based footballer, David Beckham of LA Galaxy is fourth in the list with earnings of €19 million.
5.Thierry Henry
Annual salary: €13.6 million
Current club: New York Red Bulls – United States
Country of citizenship: France
Thierry Henry, now playing for New York Red Bulls in the United States,ranked fifth with salary of 13.6 million euros.
Check out The 2011 Highest-Paid Football Managers!
Source: France Football magazine
