Soccer players are some of the most well-paid athletes in the world. Their salaries depend on a number of factors, including age, experience level, and performance with their club or country. As you might imagine, soccer players’ salaries vary widely depending on their team and position – but what is an average salary? We’ve compiled this article to answer that question!
How much money do professional soccer players make?
The salary of soccer players varies depending on many factors, including club and country. But on average, professional soccer players make about $100,000 a year. This number can range anywhere from the tens of thousands to millions of dollars per year.
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are many different ways to calculate player salaries. In general, though, the top soccer players in the world earn millions of dollars per year. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns $93 million per year from salary and endorsements. Neymar is close behind with earnings of $90 million per year. Lionel Messi earns $80 million annually.
These numbers may seem high, but they reflect the booming global popularity of soccer. The sport has become increasingly popular around the world in recent years, and this growth has led to higher salaries for top players. Additionally, sponsorships and endorsement deals have become more lucrative as well. Soccer stars now earn millions of dollars from these deals, in addition to their salaries from clubs.

So why do soccer players make so much money? There are several reasons. First, the sport is incredibly popular and there is a lot of demand for top talent. Additionally, soccer is an international sport, which means that sponsorships and endorsement deals can be lucrative on a global scale. Finally, the salaries for top players have continued to increase as the popularity of the sport has grown.
There are some other factors to consider as well. Many top players also earn income from appearances and autograph signings. They often receive a percentage of ticket sales when they play home games. And finally, many clubs pay their players bonuses for winning or doing well in competitions.
So how much do the average soccer players make? This is a difficult question to answer, as salaries vary greatly from player to player. However, in general, most soccer players earn relatively modest salaries when compared to the top earners. For example, according to Forbes, the median salary for a professional soccer player in Europe is just $238,000 per year. While there are some very high earners, the majority of soccer players earn a more reasonable wage.
So what factors into how much money a soccer player makes? Let’s take a look…

Talent, Location and Age
One of the biggest factors in how much money a soccer player makes is their talent. The best and most sought-after players can demand higher salaries from clubs, as well as endorsement deals.
Location is also a big factor – players who play for top teams in large markets like Europe or South America can make more money than those in smaller leagues or countries. In order to make more money, soccer players often move from team to team.
Age is another important consideration – younger players often earn less than their older counterparts since they have yet to prove themselves at the highest level. However, with time and consistently good performance, these young stars can eventually see their salaries increase significantly.
Gender
Women in soccer are usually get paid a lot less than men.
In the United States, for example, women soccer players earn an average of $72,000 per year – while men make about $263,000 annually. This discrepancy is largely due to the fact that there is a much higher demand for male players than female players.
However, this trend is slowly changing. In 2015, England’s Women’s National Soccer Team negotiated a new contract that pays them equally as their male counterparts – a first for any major countrywide team. So although women in soccer still generally make less money than men, things are looking up! With more and more teams and countries starting to value female talent equally, we may see this gap close in the near future.

Top 5 World Leaders in Soccer Player Salary
The highest paid players are the best players in the world
The list is ordered by annual salary.
#1 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is one of the top-paid soccer players in the world. He earns an annual salary of about $127 million with Paris Saint-Germain – that’s more than any other athlete in the world!
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese soccer player who currently plays for Manchester United. He is the second-highest paid athlete in the world, with an annual salary of $109 million.
Ronaldo has been named FIFA’s Player of the Year five times, and he is also the most followed person on Instagram!
#3 Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. is a Brazilian soccer player who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain. He has an annual salary of $90 million – the third highest in the world!
Neymar started his career playing with Santos FC, where he won two consecutive Campeonato Paulista championships and was named Brazil’s Football Player of the Year twice consecutively at age 20 and 21. Neymar also played on Brazil’s national team during their 2014 FIFA World win against Germany.
#4 Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann is a French soccer player who currently plays for Atletico Madrid. He’s the fourth-highest paid athlete in the world, with an annual salary of $88 million!
Griezmann became interested in soccer when he was young, playing on his local club team from age six until 14 before moving to Real Sociedad’s youth academy. In 2014, Griezmann won France Football’s Silver Ball award – given to the second-best football player each year behind their winner Lionel Messi.
#5 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale is a Welsh soccer player who currently plays for Real Madrid. He has an annual salary of $82 million – the fifth highest in the world!
Bale began his professional career at Southampton, before signing with Tottenham Hotspur in 2007. In 2013, he transferred to Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of €100 million. Since joining Real Madrid, Bale has helped them win four UEFA Champions League titles.

The list above contains some of the richest athletes in sports today. However, these numbers can change depending on how many endorsements players receive from companies like Nike or Adidas (for example). So while many soccer players do make millions each year, this number is a rough estimate – and it can fluctuate significantly in either direction.
While these players make a lot of money, there are many others who earn a comfortable living playing soccer. For example, English striker Jamie Vardy makes only around £22,000 ($30,000) a week at Leicester City. But he also has numerous endorsement deals which bring in additional income.
So there you have it! While there isn’t an exact answer to how much money soccer players make, we’ve given you some of the most important factors that go into it. As you can see, there is a lot of money to be made in this sport – so if you’re talented and have your sights set on being a professional soccer player, start training now! We hope you enjoyed this article. Please share with your friends if you found it interesting! And be sure to check back soon for more content like this. Thank you for reading!
FAQ
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Do soccer players get paid during the off-season?
That’s the time when they’re not playing.
Yes, players are compensated during the off-season. The majority of the time, players will be paid an annual base salary from their club’s contract. A club may leave a little bit of money aside to pay the player in the offseason. This is more often determined by a player’s deal with the club. Most professional soccer players get paid once every four weeks, and it has nothing to do with how much soccer they play during that period.
But there are some cases where players go on to earn money from commercial sponsorships and endorsements during this period–not as much as their salary while playing for a club though.
In addition, many players who have been injured will wait until after rehab before considering what other opportunities may be available to them whether it’s in coaching or business ventures that bring sponsorship deals with it. -
Do soccer players have to pay taxes?
Yes. Soccer players are required to pay income taxes on their salary, just like everyone else in the United States!
Although soccer is one of the most popular sports with fans around the world, it’s still not as big as football or basketball here in America – so many people don’t realize that professional soccer is now a legitimate career option for young athletes who have talent and drive
The list above contains some of the richest athletes in sports today. However, these numbers can change depending on how many endorsements players receive from companies like Nike or Adidas (for example). So while many soccer players do make millions each year, this number is a rough estimate – and it can fluctuate significantly in either direction. -
How much do soccer players make an hour?
This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many factors that come into play. The most basic way to calculate it would be by taking the player’s annual salary and dividing it by 365 days. This will give you their daily rate. Then, divide that number by the hours in a day (24). This will give you their hourly rate.
However, this calculation does not take into account bonuses or performance-based pay which can often be quite substantial. It also doesn’t take into account taxes which vary from country to country. So, while this calculation can provide a general idea, it’s not 100% accurate.
In addition, some players may have additional income streams such as sponsorship deals or endorsements which could bump up their hourly rate quite a bit.
For example, Lionel Messi earns down to $12,000 per hour.
On the lower end of the spectrum, MLS players earn an average salary of $130 per hour.
So as you can see, there is a wide range when it comes to how much soccer players make an hour.
It depends on a variety of factors including experience, talent level, and club/league they play in. -
Do soccer players get paid weekly, monthly, or yearly?
Again, this depends on the contract that the player has with their club. Most professional soccer players are paid once every four weeks. However, there are some cases where players receive their salary payments monthly or even yearly.
It’s also worth noting that many players will have bonuses built into their contracts which could see them earn more money depending on things like how well they play or how many goals they score.
So, while most players are typically paid once every four weeks, it varies from player to player and situation to situation.