Football megastars rake in millions in Saudi Arabia's booming league
2:57 PM EDT, July 23, 2024
The Capology platform has published a list of the 10 highest-earning footballers in Saudi Arabia. Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list. Karim Benzema and Neymar completed the podium.
Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034. The country has already begun its expansion into the football market, ultimately convincing FIFA to organize the next World Cup in the Arab world. In 2022, Qatar hosted this major tournament.
Saudi Arabian clubs have invested huge amounts of money to attract stars to their teams. Footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar are not only tasked with raising the level of the Saudi league but also with increasing its popularity.
The contract signed by Cristiano Ronaldo with Al-Nassr at the turn of 2022 and 2023 remains record-breaking. The Portuguese player earns 218 million USD per year. Ronaldo is involved not only as an athlete but also as a "brand ambassador" for Saudi Arabia worldwide.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been competing with Lionel Messi for the title of the best footballer in the world for decades. Before joining Al-Nassr, he played in three top-ranked national leagues according to the UEFA ranking. He was a player for Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United.
Karim Benzema and Neymar complete the podium of the highest-earning footballers in Saudi Arabia. Neymar's transfer has been a failed investment for Al-Hilal due to a severe injury. Both Karim Benzema and the Brazilian each earn 109 million USD per year.
Who completes the top ten highest-earning players in Saudi Arabia? Following the already mentioned footballers are Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrović, Sergej Milinković-Savić, N'Golo Kanté, and Aymeric Laporte. The Spaniard's salary is 26.7 million USD per year.
