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World Cup: How Much do Top Footballers Earn?With the World Cup less than a month away, CareerBuilder took a look at the Salary top players in the football world are earning from their sport. After reviewing the top 5, we have come to the realization we should have practiced a bit harder during our youth. How do the top 20 compare to your salary? The top five 1. Coming in at No. 1 is 25-year-old Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Rinaldo, who earns 79.64 crore* (£11,300,000, €13,210,184) per year as a forward for Italian football club Real Madrid. Rinaldo -- who also captains the Portuguese national team -- is the most-expensive soccer player in history. Real Madrid bought his rights from U.K.-based Manchester United in a 2009 trade -- for a cool $132 million.
 2. Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes in at number two, earning a reported 73.29 crore (£10,400,000, € 12,158,046) for the 2009-2010 season. The 29-year-old striker plays for Barcelona and the Swedish national team; and until Rinaldo's Real Madrid deal was inked in 2009, Ibrahimovic was soccer's highest-paid player.
3. At 22, Lionel Messi is the youngest player to make the top-20 list of highest-paid soccer stars. Messi's 2009-2010 contract is worth 64.13 crore (£9,100,000, € 10,638,290). Messi, a striker for Barcelona, will represent his home-country of Argentina at this year's World Cup.
4. Samuel Eto'o is the captain of Cameroon's national team and a member of Italy's Internazionale club. The striker was part of the team that won the 2000 Summer Olympics and will participate in his third World Cup tournament this year. His experience has paid off -- his current contract is worth 64.13 crore (£9,100,000, € 10,638,290).
5. Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, more commonly known as Kaka to fans, rounds out the top five. Kaka, 27, hails from Brazil and will make 61.31 crore (£8,700,000, € 10,170,673) as a midfielder for Real Madrid this year. Before teammate Cristiano Rinaldo's Real Madrid deal, Kaka also spent time at the top of the highest-paid players list.
The rest of the top 20 6. Karim Benzema Country: France Club Team: Real Madrid Age: 22 Salary: 52.15 crore; £7,400,000; € 8,650,917
7. Carlos Tevez Country: Argentina Club Team: Manchester City Age: 26 Salary: 49.33 crore; £7,000,000; € 8,183,300
8. John Terry Country: England Club Team: Chelsea Age: 29 Salary: 45.81 crore; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
9. Frank Lampard Country: England Club Team: Chelsea Age: 31 Salary: 45.81 crore; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
10. Thierry Henry Country: France Club Team: Barcelona Age: 32 Salary: 45.81 crore; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
11. Xavi Country: Spain Club Team: Barcelona Age: 30 Salary: $9,813,809; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
12. Ronaldinho Country: Brazil Club Team: AC Milan Age: 30 Salary: $9,813,809; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
13. Steven Gerrard Country: England Club Team: Liverpool Age: 29 Salary: $9,813,809; £6,500,000; € 7,598,778
14. Daniel Alves Country: Brazil Club Team: Barcelona Age: 26 Salary: $9,209,882; £6,100,000; € 7,131,161
15. Michael Ballack Country: Germany Club Team: Chelsea Age: 33 Salary: 39.46 crore; £5,600,000; € 6,546,640
16. Raul Country: Spain Club Team: Real Madrid Age: 32 Salary: 39.46 crore; £5,600,000; € 6,546,640
17. Rio Ferdinand Country: England Club Team: Manchester United Age: 31 Salary: 39.46 crore; £5,600,000; € 6,546,640
18. Kolo Toure Country: Ivory Coast Club Team: Manchester City Age: 29 Salary: $8,454,974; £5,600,000; € 6,546,640
19. Wayne Rooney Country: England Club Team: Manchester United Age: 24 Salary: $7,851,047; £5,200,000; € 6,546,640
20. Robinho Country: Brazil Club Team: Manchester City Age: 26Salary: 39.46 crore; £5,200,000; € 6,546,640
*Soccer player salary information provided by Portuguese marketing agency Futebol Finance
Last Updated: 24/05/2010 - 6:44 AM
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