For the first time in nine years, a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of the highest-paid footballers. Kylian Mbappe.
According to Forbes, Mbappe, 23, a forward for Paris Saint-Germain, will make $128 million (£115.2 million) this year.
Messi, a PSG teammate of Mbappe, is in second place with $120 million (£108 million), while Ronaldo, a striker for Manchester United, is in third place with $100 million (£90 million).
Mohamed Salah and Neymar make up the top five.
Neymar of PSG and Brazil will make an estimated $87 million (£78.4 million) in 2022–2023; Salah of Liverpool will make $53 million (£47.7 million).
Former England captain David Beckham was the final player to rank top outside of Ronaldo or Messi in 2013.
In May, Mbappe agreed to a lucrative new three-year contract with PSG, putting an end to rumors of a summer transfer to Real Madrid.
Since arriving on loan from Monaco in 2017, the France World Cup champion has won 11 trophies at the club, including four Ligue 1 championships.
Erling Haaland, who joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in the summer and has scored 19 goals in 12 appearances, debuts in the top 10 at number six.
Together with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, and Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City, the Norwegian attacker is one of four Premier League players in the top 10.
The only players on the list under 30 are Haaland and Mbappe.
1. Kylian Mbappe – PSG: $128m (£115.2m/€130.9m)
2. Lionel Messi – PSG: $120m (£108.0m/€122.7m)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo – Man Utd: $100m (£90.0m/€102.3m)
4. Neymar – PSG: $87m (£78.3m/€88.9m)
5. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool: $53m (£47.7m/€54.2m)
6. Erling Haaland – Man City: $39m (£35.1m/€39.9m)
7. Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona: $35m (£31.5m/€35.8m)
8. Eden Hazard – Real Madrid: $31m (£27.9m/€31.7m)
9. Andres Iniesta – Vissel Kobe: $30m (£27.0m/€30.7m)
10. Kevin De Bruyne – Man City: $29m (£26.1m/€29.7m)