Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and David Beckham – if you know these people, then you must be one of the millions of avid soccer (aka football) fans today. They are just some of the most popular personalities in the intense and action-packed world of football. Beside the fact that they are among the most decorated athletes in the sport’s history, they are also the frontrunners in our list of wealthiest footballers. Football is a very lucrative sport that is played in over 200 countries worldwide. With more than 250 million people playing this sport, football is also considered as among the watched sports nowadays. Given its popularity, it’s no wonder that many footballers were able to snatch millions of dollar worth of contracts with some renowned teams and sports associations. In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo topped Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes. In addition to his staggering annual salary, Ronaldo’s total fortune is further upped by sealing lucrative endorsement and sponsorship deals with some globally renowned brands. This also happens with other great-performing players in the leagues. Ronaldo was able to earn a total salary of $58 million and sponsorship deals valued at $35 million. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi came in third with his $80 million annual earnings, $53 million was given as salary while the rest was earned from endorsing brands such as Samsung, Dolce & Gabbana, Gatorade, Gillete, and Adidas. Success in the football field usually required hard work, perseverance, determination, and intensive training. The player’s outstanding football ground performance usually leads to greater popularity and higher income. Curious about who else made it to the list of wealthiest footballers today? Read on!