Beckham earned £24.4 million last year, overtaking
Ronaldinho as football's highest earner.
David Beckham earned £24.4 million last year,
overtaking Ronaldinho as football's highest earner, it has been
revealed. Beckham topped the pay league table, despite having
forsaken the glamour of Manchester United and Real Madrid for the
relative footballing backwater of LA Galaxy.
The former England captain may no longer be playing
against elite opposition on a regular basis, but his fame endures
giving him lucrative advertising deals in addition to the money he
receives from the team with whom he signed a five-year deal worth
£128 million last year.
Ronaldinho, Barcelona's earned a total of £16.3 million
beating his clubmate Thierry Henry, the former
Arsenal striker, into third place with £12.5 million.
The leading English-based player was Manchester
United's Cristiano Ronaldo, who took fifth spot
with £9.2 million, one place behind his namesake Ronaldo of
AC Milan who claimed fourth position with £10.6
million.
Kaka of AC Milan was sixth with £8.8
million followed by Fabio Cannavaro of Real Madrid
with £8.7 million. The second highest English-based player was
Andrily Shevchenko of Chelsea, who was paid £8.7
million to take eighth.
The league table was drawn up by Forbes, the US
business magazine. Steven Gerrard of Liverpool
came ninth with £8.5 million, closely followed by his compatriots
John Terry of Chelsea (£8.5 million) and
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United, on £8.1
million.
Paul Maidstone, one of the authors of the list, said:
"More TV money, more matches, more shirts shifted and more
endorsements have translated into rising incomes for the world's
top soccer stars."
Of the top 20 players, nine played for English clubs
including five for Chelsea. The other Chelsea players were:
Michael Ballack in 13th place with £8 million,
Frank Lampard, who took 14th place with £7.4
million and Didier Drogba in 16th place with
£6.7 million.
