Forbes List: Messi, Ronaldo dethroned from being richest footballers alive

For the first time in nine years, a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of the highest-paid footballers. Kylian Mbappe.

According to Forbes, Paris Saint-Germain’s 23-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe will make $128 million (N55.5 billion), overtaking teammate, Messi’s estimated sum of $120 million (N52 billion).

Manchester United forward Ronaldo sits third on the Forbes list with $100 million (N43.37 billion).

Mbappe’s PSG teammate Neymar and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah are the other two players who complete the top five with an estimated $87 million (N37.7 billion) and $53 million (N22.89 billion) respectively.

The last player to ever be named number one by Forbes other than Ronaldo or Messi was former England captain David Beckham, in 2013.

After winning 11 trophies at the club including four Ligue 1 titles, the France World Cup champion in May, Mbappe agreed to a lucrative new three-year contract with PSG, putting an end to rumours of a summer transfer to Real Madrid.

With his renewed contract, Mbappe was further distinguished at PSG as the club’s most expensive player.

The 23-year-old and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland are the only players on the list aged under 30.

Haaland joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer and has so far, scored 19 goals in 12 appearances and debuts at number six on the Forbes top 10.

Together with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, and Kevin de Bruyne – his Manchester City teammate, the Norwegian attacker is one of four Premier League players in the top 10.

Forbes’ list of highest-paid footballers 2022

1. Kylian Mbappe – PSG, France ($128 million)
2. Lionel Messi – PSG, Argentina ($120 million)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United, Portugal ($100 million)
4. Neymar – PSG, Brazil ($87 million)
5. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool, Egypt ($53 million)
6. Erling Haaland – Manchester City, Norway ($39 million)
7. Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona, Poland ($35 million)
8. Eden Hazard – Real Madrid, Belgium ($31 million)
9. Andres Iniesta – Vissel Kobe, Spain ($30 million)
10. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City, Belgium ($29 million)