Soccer players turn playing the game they love into a truly lucrative career. When it comes to salaries and wages, this will vary as high tax rates in different countries often prompt huge demands form elite players. For them to keep the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, clubs increase gross wages and pick up their tax bills to make it look like what they would earn in a tax-friendly country and world class league, such as the Premier League.
In 2013, David Beckham emerged as the highest paid soccer player making $50 million a year. Now retired, he is already disqualified from this list which is composed of active players. However, the former LA Galaxy star is the third highest paid retired athlete with a total earning of $37 million.
To come up with its list of world's highest paid soccer players, Forbes inspected team filings as well as consulted agents, talent agencies, commercial sponsors and soccer experts in the US and Europe. The figures indicated in the list include salaries, bonuses, and endorsement deals earned last year. Transfer fees are not included in the figures. Here now are the Top five richest soccer players for 2014.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo - $73 million
Taking the place of David Beckham is Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo with $73 million in total earnings. He makes $49 million playing for Real Madrid and an additional $24 million for endorsement deals. Ronaldo scored 31 goals en route to helping Real Madrid reach the Finals of the Champions League.
2. Lionel Messi - $65 million
Argentina's Lionel Messi is expected to become the top highest paid athlete next year when his new $31 million raise with Barcelona takes effect. He makes $41 million from yearly salaries and another $24 million from endorsing products such as Adidas and Turkish Airlines. He recently became Barcelona's all-time leading scorer with 371 goals, breaking the 87 year-old record.
3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - $40.4 million
Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes $36.4 million worth of total earnings and $4 million from product endorsements. Playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Ibrahimovic scored 30 goals for his club this season, the first to achieve the feat in 20 years. He also led PSG to two straight French Ligue 1 titles to bring PSG back among the top European clubs.
4. Gareth Bale - $36.4 million
Real Madrid spent $118 million last September to have Gareth Bale transfer to their team from Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. This is the second largest transfer for the year next to Neymar's move to FC Barcelona. The 24-year old Welshman makes $36.4 million divided into his $25.4 million salary and $11 million worth of endorsements with Adidas, EA Sports, and Lucozade.
5. Radamel Falcao - $35.4 million
His move to AS Monaco doubled the salary he is getting at Atletico Madrid the previous year which saw him scoring 34 goals that season. However, the Colombian suffered a serious knee injury which derailed the first of his five years with his new team. Rafael Falcao makes $35.4 million a year from his $32.4 million dollar salary and $3 million worth of endorsements.
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