Top 10 Soccer Players in the World by Salary

Grab your lozhkas and drink of choice (and toast to brighter days for the U.S. Team) -- The 2018 FIFA World Cup is finally here! The great games began on Thursday afternoon as host country Russia defeated Saudi Arabia 5-0 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. As the tournament unfolds, so will rambunctious debate about the top players in the world. We’ll leave those rankings to you and your brethren as you stumble to the sports pub. But, based on Forbes’ Highest-Paid Soccer Players and Highest-Paid Athletes, we’d like to show you the money the world’s greatest soccer players are earning for their efforts on the pitch.

Here are the top 10 players in the world by salary and bonuses, no endorsements:

1) Lionel Messi

Team: FC Barcelona*
Country: Argentina*
Total compensation: $84 million

2) Neymar

Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Brazil
Total compensation: $73 million

3) Cristiano Ronaldo

Team: Real Madrid
Country: Portugal
Total compensation: $61 million

4) Gareth Bale

Team: Real Madrid
Country: Wales
Total compensation: $28.6 million

5) Oscar

Team: Shanghai SIPG
Country: Brazil
Total compensation: $25.9 million

6) PaulPogba

Team: Manchester United
Country: France
Total compensation: $25 million

7) Wayne Rooney

Team: Everton
Country: England
Total compensation: $22 million

8) Thiago Silva

Team: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Brazil
Total compensation: $21.4 million

9) Grazuabi Pellè

Team: Shandong Luneng
Country: Italy
Total compensation: $21.1 million

10) Hulk

Team: Brazil
Country: Shanghai SIPG
Total compensation: $21 million

*Team refers to the professional football club to which the player is currently signed
*Country refers to the national team the player is representing in the World Cup

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