Lionel Messi was denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract-dispute but the Argentine maestro remains the world's richest footballer. According to a list compiled by Forbes, Messi's total earnings this year are $126 million - $92 million from his salary and $34 million in endorsements. Not surprisingly Cristiano Ronaldo comes in second although earnings of $117 million will soften the blow for the Juventus forward, as will his status as the most followed footballer in the world on social media. Neymar comes in third on the Forbes list with his Paris St-Germain team mate, 21-year-old Kylian Mbappe, up in fourth spot. Here is a list of the top 10 earners:
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Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina): $126m
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal): $117m
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Neymar (Paris St-Germain and Brazil): $96m
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Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France): $42m
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Mo Salah (Liverpool and Egypt): $37m
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Paul Pogba (Manchester United and France): $34m
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Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona and France): $33m
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Gareth Bale (Real Madrid and Wales): $29m
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Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland): $28m
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David de Gea (Manchester United and Spain): £27m
Image Credit: AP
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