Mbappe now the highest-paid player in the world

FT Desk

7 Oct 2022 21:21 BST
3 min read

Move over Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi: there's a new highest earner in world football in the shape of PSG and France superstar Kylian Mbappe.

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Mbappe spurned Real Madrid to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain in May. The deal saw him secure a €100m signing on fee and a bumper €50m salary, as well as being given a meaningful say in broader decision-making at the club.

The final part of that equation has reportedly rattled Neymar and Lionel Messi. The former has outscored both this season while the latter looks like he could return to Barcelona on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

OFFICIAL: Kylian Mbappe has signed a new PSG contract 📝 pic.twitter.com/vDaJyzDodv
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) May 21, 2022

But Mbappe can certainly console himself on the fact that he is now the highest-earning player in world football, according to Forbes.

"Mbappe will collect roughly $110 million [€113m] between his salary and a share of his signing bonus for this season, according to industry experts.

"That is in addition to the estimated $18 million [€18.5m] in annual endorsements Mbappe earns from a stable of partners that include Nike, Dior, Hublot, Oakley and Panini.

Diverse portfolio

"His interests off the field don't end there: Mbappé recently appeared on the cover of EA Sports' FIFA video game for the third consecutive year; founded his own production company, Zebra Valley; and joined fantasy NFT platform Sorare as both an ambassador and an investor."

Ronaldo and Messi were both in their 30s when they grossed more than €100m for the first time, while Mbappe is still only 23. He is not the only youngster in Forbes' list, however.

Erling Haaland made his first appearance in the top 10, the 20-year-old having hit the ground breaking the land speed record following his €60m move from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, with 14 goals in eight Premier League games already.

That has helped the Norwegian off the field too, and Nike are understood to be delaying signing a new boot contract with Harry Kane as they try to make sure they are at the front of the queue for Haaland in the new year.