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Full List: Top 10 Highest Paid Footballers In Saudi Pro League As Ronaldo, Benzema, Neymar Top Chart
Presently, Portuguese professional footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, is the highest-paid player in the Saudi Professional Football League.
The 39-year-old player earn a reported double the salary of Neymar, as the top 10 salaries in the Saudi Professional League (SPL) have been disclosed in anticipation of the 2024-25 season.
Sportxparte reports that Neymar and Karim Benzema are following closely behind Ronaldo in the latest chat of highest highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League.
The significant disparity in their earnings underscores the value placed on these athletes.
Ronaldo’s transfer to Al Nassr in January 2023 was a pivotal moment in the history of the Saudi Professional League.
His arrival, coming from former clubs Manchester United and Real Madrid, heralded a period of high-profile signings, signalling a shift in the league’s landscape.
Despite not leading Al-Nassr to a league championship in his two stints, Ronaldo’s impressive performance, scoring 50 goals in the 2023-24 season, demonstrates the substantial return on investment in his talent.
This, coupled with his undeniable appeal as a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, further solidifies his position as one of the league’s most valuable players.
Capology reports Ronaldo as the highest-paid player in the Saudi Professional League, amassing an annual salary of €200 million.
This figure is significantly higher than that of the league’s second and third-highest earners, Neymar and Karim Benzema, who each bring in €100 million.
The trio of Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema is followed by former Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez, who rakes in €52.5 million.
See Top 10 Highest-paid Footballers in the Saudi Pro League below:
| Rank | Player | Wages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) | €200m (£168m/$217m) |
| 2 | Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad) | €100m (£84m/$108m) |
| 3 | Neymar (Al Hilal) | €100m (£84m/$91m) |
| 4 | Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) | €52.5m (£44m/$57m) |
| 5 | Sadio Mane (Al Nassr) | €40m (£34m/$43m) |
| 6 | Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal) | €34.7m (£29m/$38m) |
| 7 | Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al Hilal) | €25m (£84m/$27m) |
| 8 | Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal) | €25m (£21m/$27m) |
| 9 | N’Golo Kante (Al Ittihad) | €25m (£21m/$27m) |
| 10 | Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr) | €24.5m (£21m/$27m) |
The substantial remunerations received by these athletes underscore the Saudi Pro League’s dedication to attracting premier talent in football.
As the 2024-25 season commences, a plethora of renowned players have been associated with Saudi Arabia, including Casemiro, Ederson, Alisson Becker, and Kevin De Bruyne.
Neymar, who participated in just five matches for Al-Hilal during the 2023-24 season due to a severe ACL injury, has earned an impressive €20 million per appearance.
Despite his injury, he is in the process of returning and is keen on meeting the high expectations placed upon him by contributing to his team’s defence of the league title.
