Kicking It Rich: The Highest Earning Footballers In The Saudi Professional League, Ranked
Highlights
- The Saudi Soccer Pro League has attracted top talent and raised its status through significant investments and acquisitions, including the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Players like Roberto Firmino, Marcelo Brozovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sadio Mane, Jordan Henderson, Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante, Neymar Junior, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo are earning massive salaries in the league.
- These high-profile signings have brought increased sponsorship deals, social media visibility, and fan following to the Saudi clubs, making the league a destination for global soccer stars.
In recent years, the Saudi Soccer Pro League has experienced significant expansion through cash influxes and investment from private stakeholders and members of the royal family. The country's wealth fund (Public Investment Fund, worth $776 billion) is the league's biggest investor, and it owns over 75 percent stakes in four of the teams in the league.
This has subsequently led to the teams making huge investments by securing the services of some of the world's best soccer players. The league made a big statement when they acquired one of the greatest players in the game, Cristiano Ronaldo, after the player decided to leave Manchester United in the winter of 2023.
Their acquisition of the Portuguese player effectively served as a pioneering force, that consequently led to the transition of talents from some of Europe's best leagues to the Middle East soccer scenes. The migration of these players has not only raised the league's status but also the players' compensation, with astounding figures being reported alongside recruitment news.
1 Roberto Firmino, $20 Million Per Year
This Brazilian player bid farewell to Liverpool after eight trophy laden years in the English club, winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. The 31 year old star's decision to leave as a free agent was subject to a lot of speculation after his contract expired.
Saudi Club Al-Ahli moved for Firmino and secured his services, and the star signed a three-year deal with the club. He is under a $20 million per year contract, a substantial pay rise from his $11 million yearly salary at Liverpool.
2 Marcelo Brozovic, $26 Million Per Year
Croatian maestro Marcelo Brozovic smiles all the way to the bank with an impressive weekly salary of $490,000 – which amounts to $26 million per year at Saudi Pro Club Al Nassr. The versatile midfielder joined the club on a three-year contract after leaving Italian giants Inter Milan.
Brozovic established himself as a cult hero with Inter Milan, helping them reach the finals of the most prestigious club competition in European soccer, the Champions League. Al Nassr paid Inter Milan a staggering $22 million to bring the player to their club in the summer of 2023.
3 Kalidou Koulibaly, $36 Million Per Year
Veteran defender Kalidou Koulibaly spent most of his career with the Italian club Napoli before switching to English outfit Chelsea FC. The player endured a woeful solo season with the English club before moving to Saudi Pro club Al-Hilal in a deal worth $24 million.
The Senegalese captain put pen to paper on a deal that is good through the summer of 2026, which will see him earn a massive $36 million annually at Al-Hilal. It is also worth noting that the Riyadh based club has the second highest wage bill in the country's professional league.
4 Sadio Mane, $40 Million Per Year
Sadio Mane, like his compatriot Koulibaly, made the switch to the Saudi Soccer scene after spending twelve months in Germany with Bayern Munich. The Senegalese athlete teamed up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr after reaching an agreement on a four year deal that will see him earn an astonishing $40 million in each of those years.
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She paid a reported $370,000 for the luxurious gift.The soccer star opted to leave Bayern Munich for a transfer fee of $31 million, after falling out with the hierarchy at the club. Sadio Mane is well known for his philanthropic endeavors in his home country, and this significant pay rise will mean his efforts can continue for a long while.
5 Jordan Henderson, $44 Million Per Year
A Liverpool legend in his own right, the English midfielder saw his time with the Merseyside soccer outfit come to an emotional end after serving the club for twelve years. Jordan Henderson has won everything there is to win in Europe, and decided to make the jump to Asia.
The English player joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq on a deal that will earn him $44 million for three years, and the Saudi club paid $15 million to acquire him. The former Liverpool captain's move to Saudi Arabia (where same-sex marriage is illegal) was not without controversy, given that he is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
6 Riyad Mahrez, $53 Million Per Year
This Algerian footballer made a name for himself at Leicester City in England, after helping the club win their first ever championship in a fairy tale season – as major underdogs. Mahrez was then transferred to Manchester City, where he spent a successful five years, winning ten trophies.
After dropping in the pecking order of the club, Mahrez opted to leave, and Saudi side Al-Ahli came to his rescue. Al-Ahli paid $38 million to Manchester City after agreeing to a deal with the Algerian winger that will last till 2027.
Riyad Mahrez is slated for an annual salary of $53 million, putting him in the top five highest earners in the league.
7 N'golo Kante, $104 Million Per Year
This France International player needs no introduction, having attained global recognition following the 2018 World Cup triumph with France in Russia. The reserved soccer star moved to the Saudi league in the summer of 2023, but nothing is reserved about his income.
A former teammate of Riyad Mahrez at Leicester City, N'golo Kante moved to Chelsea, where he spent seven years. Following the expiration of his contract at Chelsea, the midfielder joined Al-Ittihad as a free agent, teaming up with fellow countryman Karim Benzema.
He will be earning an impressively high $108 million in wages per year, eclipsing the $15 million he received during his time in London several times over.
8 Neymar Junior, $168 Million Per Year
A mega star in every sense of the word, this Brazilian scored the record for the most expensive soccer trade ever when he moved from Spanish club Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain for $220 million in 2017. One of the most marketable athletes in the world, Junior made a cameo in xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage, and also appeared as an icon series outfit in Fortnite: Battle Royale.
After a falling out with the management at Paris Saint Germain, the player's future was subject to speculation, but Al-Hilal paid $95 million for Neymar to join them. Neymar will be entitled to $168 million per year at the club, a stunning amount for a sensational player.
9 Karim Benzema, $209 Million Per Year
Karim Benzema oozes class both on and off the soccer pitch, a striker of colossal repute and the winner of the prestigious individual award the Ballon d'Or in 2022. The French soccer wizard lands the second spot on the list, pocketing an astronomical $209 million annually.
He left soccer giant Real Madrid, where he spent 14 years winning 25 trophies and several individual awards. The 35 year old wanted out of his contract with the Spanish club and was recruited by Saudi Club Al-Ittihad for three years, an agreement that will see the star paid over half a billion dollars.
10 Cristiano Ronaldo, $216 Million Per Year
The highest paid player in football history, the highest paid athlete in 2023, and the most-followed celebrity on Instagram and Facebook unsurprisingly tops the list. Cristiano Ronaldo was the catalyst for the migration of soccer stars to the Middle East nation.
Following a rift between Ronaldo and English club Manchester United in November 2022, he decided to part ways with the club and moved to Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr. The player signed a two year deal with Al-Nassr and significantly raised their profile among fans and fellow football stars.
The club experienced a massive boost in sponsorship deals and social media visibility, going from a lowly 860,000 followers to over 19 million followers on Instagram just days after his arrival was made official. The Portuguese forward is set to receive a mammoth $14.7 million monthly, accumulating to a whopping sum of $177 million yearly; who knew that kicking a ball could get you enough money to buy a spaceship – or at least throw an extravagant soccer party on the moon?
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