Lionel Messi named 'Highest Earning Footballer' of 2014

Lionel Messi has been named the highest-paid footballer on the planet according to a new research. A report by French Football Rich List reveals that the Barcelona player was on a weekly pay of about $1.5million in wages and sponsorship deals in 2014. With his club salary at $39m47.8 and earnings from lucrative endorsements with the likes of Adidas, FIFA 15 and Turkish Airlines, Lionel Messi reportedly made $71m in 2014.
In second place is Cristiano Ronaldo who has been named the overall richest footballer on earth by Goal. According to French Football Rich List, the current Ballon d'Or holder made $59m in 2014. Another Barcelona player on the list is Neymar, who comes a distant third with an earning of $40m. Manchester United striker Robin van Persie is the highest-ranked Premier League player with a basic salary of $17.5m, $7m in bonus and $3m from various sponsorship deals.
He earned a total of $28m in 2014. On sixth is another Real Madrid player, with an annual income of $26m , followed by United and England captain Wayne Rooney on $24.6m. The top 10 is rounded out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic with $23.5m, Sergio Aguero with $23.2m and Robert Lewandowski with $22.1.