Football’s Biggest Cash Machines; Or: The Week Of Messi Continues.

You’d have to think that despite his overly humble exterior, Lionel Messi is doing a dirty dance on the inside. A few may have heard he’s made some noise over the past couple weeks. Noise which proclaims him now beyond doubt currently the greatest in the lands and perhaps one day the greatest ever. “Maradona noise”, we’ll call it (not the nasally huffing and belching – the other kind).

Now it gets even better, because he’s again surmounted the insurmountable: Leo makes more cash than Brand Beckham.

When compiling the on and off-pitch incomes of footballers (advertising, gambling, lawsuits, etc), Lionel has usurped Davey Becks – who just can’t win anything these days – while Cristiano is hanging a couple of minor goal-scoring, hair-gelling bonuses from making it a Clasico duel at the top.

What’s slightly staggering is the dropoff from those three to the rest of the sport’s paupers.

The top 20 in millions of euros via France Football.

1. Messi, Barça, 33
2. Beckham, Milan, 30,4
3. C. Ronaldo, Real, 30
4. Kaka, Real, 18,8
5. Henry, Barça, 18
6. Ronaldinho, Milan, 17,2
7. Tevez, Manchester City, 15,4
8. Ibrahimovic, Barça, 14,5
9. Lampard, Cheslea, 14,2
10. Eto’o, Barça, Inter, 13,8
11. Drogba, Chelsea, 13
12. Puyol, Barça, 12,8
13. Rooney, ManU, 12,6
14. Ballack, Chelsea, 12,2
15. Torres, Liverpool, 11,7
16. Gerrard, Liverpool, 11,5
17. Terry, Chelsea, 11,4
18. Xavi, Barça, 11
19. Buffon, Juventus, 10,6
20. Totti, Roma, 10,1

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Ever so impressive Henry still hangs in the top 5, which you’d imagine is largely down to the contract he won when coming over from Arsenal, along with a little Va Va Voom, and just as impressive to consider Carlos Tevez has a marketable enough face to crack the top 10. Of course Ronaldinho has never won any beauty contests but he’s still managed to do alright in the advertising world the last half-dozen years or so.

And a quick look at Futebol Finance’s strict wage reports indicate Zlatan really isn’t pulling his (advertising) weight – but you knew that already.

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Category: World Football