Stars from Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and Actual Madrid are amongst European soccer’s 15 most highly-paid gamers in 2025-26.
Footballer wages are increased than they’ve ever been proper now, with extra money sloshing across the higher echelons of the game than is fairly wholesome.
We’ve compiled an inventory of the 15 best-paid gamers within the European sport. A watch-watering learn lies forward.
15. Raheem Sterling (€376,952 p/w)
As soon as a key determine for each membership and nation, Sterling has skilled an infinite fall from grace since swapping Manchester Metropolis for Chelsea in 2022.
With a weekly wage of €376,952, his inconsistent showings led him to be shipped out on mortgage to Arsenal for the 2024-25 season, the place he made little to no impression.
Time is working out for Sterling to show he nonetheless has one thing to supply on the highest degree. His subsequent transfer will virtually actually embrace a considerable wage reduce.
=10. Robert Lewandowski, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Jan Oblak, Joshua Kimmich (€400,577 p/w)
Stars from Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid all take dwelling €400,000 per week in line with business estimates.
It’s arduous to argue that any of them don’t warrant these figures. Lewandowski remains to be scoring often, Oblak is considered one of Europe’s greatest goalkeepers and Kimmich is a senior determine at Bayern.
The Madrid pair – Bellingham and Vinicius – are essentially the most attention-grabbing. Whereas the previous is settled, Vinicus is pushing for a pay rise.
ESPN have reported that Madrid have provided him a small enhance on his present phrases, however his brokers have suggested him to see how the 2025-26 marketing campaign underneath Xabi Alonso progresses.
9. Manuel Neuer (€403,846 p/w)
Bayern’s No.1 is significantly forward of his compatriot Marc-Andre ter Stegen (€320,577 per week – no surprise he’s determined to remain at Barca) to be the top-paid goalkeeper in Europe.
Neuer signed his most up-to-date, one-year contract extension earlier in 2025 and he’ll be 40 by the point it runs out in June.
It’s been hinted that he’ll hold up his gloves at that time. We wouldn’t blame him.
=7. Casemiro, Virgil Van Dijk (€405,948 p/w)
Nonetheless most likely the most effective centre-back in world soccer, Van Dijk’s wage packet displays that.
Solely essentially the most one-eyed observer or someone who’s been in a coma since 2020 would argue Casemiro stays one of many world’s greatest midfielders.
Simply one of many causes Liverpool and Manchester United are at present poles aside.
6. Dusan Vlahovic (€427,308 p/w)
After exhibiting unimaginable promise early in his profession, Vlahovic hasn’t taken off as many anticipated him to at Juventus.
Nonetheless, he’s being paid very handsomely by the Serie A giants for his companies and at present takes dwelling €427,308 per week.
Having refused to signal a brand new contract, Juve are actively making an attempt to promote the Serbia worldwide, however there have been few takers.
5. David Alaba (€432,692 p/w)
Amazingly, Alaba is the fifth highest-paid participant throughout Europe, in line with business estimates.
Actual Madrid picked up the skilled defender again in 2021 and made up for the shortage of a switch price by paying him a monster wage.
He instantly proved definitely worth the funding, serving to ship yet one more Champions League, however sluggish progress from an ACL damage decreased him to simply 17 begins and 600 minutes performed final season.
4. Mohamed Salah (€463,940 p/w)
Solely three gamers throughout European soccer – all strikers – take dwelling greater than Liverpool’s Egyptian King.
Salah let his contract run down final season, solely signing an extension deep into April with the title already gained.
He’ll keep at Liverpool till 2027, a full decade since he first arrived at Anfield.
READ: The highest 10 goalscorers in Europe of the 2025 calendar 12 months up to now: Kane, Salah, Mbappe…
3. Harry Kane (€480,769 p/w)
Broadly acknowledged as among the best strikers in world soccer, Kane’s wage packet since swapping Tottenham for Bayern Munich displays that evaluation.
The England captain is paid €480,769 per week to attain and create for the Bundesliga champions. He opened his 2025-26 account with a gap day hat-trick in opposition to RB Leipzig.
2. Kylian Mbappe (€600,962 p/w)
Mbappe reportedly took a pay reduce after leaving PSG, however Actual Madrid aren’t precisely paying him peanuts.
Whereas Madrid went trophyless final season, the Frenchman scored 44 targets in all competitions and gained the European Golden Shoe.
Considered one of Xabi Alonso’s principal missions on the Bernabeu might be to harness Mbappe’s goalscoring prowess for the great of the workforce.
1. Erling Haaland (€608,922 p/w)
Say hiya to the very best earner in European soccer. Manchester Metropolis pay the outrageously prolific Norwegian goalscorer an estimated €31million (£27million) a 12 months.
And he’s received that locked in till 2034. Only a few gamers within the historical past of the sport can have banked as a lot.
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