Cristiano Ronaldo: the king of the paycheck

247 – Argentine Lionel Messi, the great star of Barcelona, ​​is the highest-earning football player on the planet. According to a recent survey by France Football magazine, "La Pulga," as the attacking midfielder is known, pocketed 31 million euros last year, including salaries, sponsorships, and bonuses. However, the king of paychecks in the world of football is Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, with annual earnings of 12 million euros, 1,5 million more than Messi is paid by the Catalan club.

The information comes from the Portuguese website Futebol Finance (www.futebolfinance), which listed the 100 highest-paid players in football. Brazilians, in fact, have nothing to complain about: Kaká occupies sixth place, with annual paychecks of 9 million euros, and is accompanied by nine compatriots in the ranking (see the list below). Two of them play in Brazil – Flamengo's Ronaldinho Gaúcho, ranked 46th with 5 million euros annually, and the Portuguese-Brazilian Deco, from Fluminense, in 91st place with 4 million – the only "intruder" from the Southern Hemisphere in a ranking overwhelmingly dominated by Europe.

The English Premier League boasts the highest number of millionaire footballers, with 37 athletes, followed by the Spanish league with 23 and the Italian league with 17. In the club rankings, Real Madrid appears first with 12 athletes, tied with the emerging Manchester City, demonstrating the greater administrative competence of the Spanish club. After all, Manchester City currently occupies only fourth place in the table, while Real Madrid has already won the Copa del Rey, defeating Barcelona, ​​and is preparing to play the Champions League semi-finals against the Catalan club. Meanwhile, Barcelona, ​​the virtual Spanish champion, has eight athletes among the 100 highest-paid, one less than Manchester United.