Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo overtaken in Forbes' top 10 highest-paid players | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been knocked off their perch on football’s rich list.

For the past nine years, either member of the superstar duo has finished top of Forbes’ annual list ranking the highest-paid footballers in the business – but their streak has finally come to an end.

That’s because none other than Kylian Mbappe has topped the latest iteration of the top 10 to become the first player other than Ronaldo or Messi to take top spot since David Beckham back in 2013.

Mbappe takes spot in the rich list

Not only is Mbappe widely touted as a future Ballon d'Or winner set to become the seminal player of his generation, but he also happens to be paid an absolute fortune along the way.

After all, this is the man who signed a lucrative new contract at Paris Saint-Germain in the summer said to include all manner of head-spinning clauses in order to ward off Real Madrid.

Marry that to his burgeoning social media influence as well as his growing number of commercial deals and it quickly becomes apparent that we have a new kid on the footballing Monopoly board.

But before we get too carried away, let's break things down, because it's always fascinating to see how Forbes' annual list breaks down the state of play in the beautiful game.

How does Forbes' list work?

Well, first and foremost, it's important to explain that the figures provided in the list are what Forbes estimates each player will earn across the 2022/23 season before taxes and agents’ fees.

Most engrossing of all is the fact that this not only factors in the players' wages, but also the estimated pay packets they take home from all their various sponsorship endeavours.

Everything from licensing to appearances and memorabilia to personal businesses are also included in the pot for what makes for the most thorough estimation of its kind.

Who are the world's 10 highest-paid players?

For reference, Forbes calculated that the peak of Messi's financial powers came in 2019 when he was clocked in at $127 million, whereas it was 2021 for Ronaldo to the tune of $125 million.

And that means Mbappe doesn't just overtake Messi and Ronaldo, but he also sets a new record along the way, so be sure to check out the 2022 rich list for yourself to get the full lowdown.

10. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City): $29 million

On-field: $25m

9. Andres Iniesta (Vissel Kobe) - $30 million

On-field: $25m

Off-field: $5m

8. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) - $31 million

On-field: $27m

Off-field: $4m

7. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) - $35 million

On-field: $27m

Off-field: $8m

6. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) - $39 million

On-field: $35m

Off-field: $4m

5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - $53 million

On-field: $35m

Off-field: $18m

4. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) - $87 million

On-field: $55m

Off-field: $32m

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - $100 million

On-field: $40m

Off-field: $60m

2. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) - $120 million

On-field: $65m

Off-field: $55m

1. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain): $128 million

On-field: $110m

Off-field: $18m

How does Mbappe make his money?

The times really are a-changing! Mbappe surpasses the $127m attributed to Messi in 2019 to produce the most eye-watering figure that Forbes' footballing rich list has ever seen.

Industry experts are said to have estimated that Mbappe will take home a jaw-dropping $110 million this season across both his massive salary and share of his signing bonus.

Meanwhile, the $18 million that he's set to pocket away from the field is comprised by his annual endorsements for partners such as Nike, Dior, Hublot, Oakley and Panini, as well as through founding his own production company, Zebra Valley.

Mbappe also spent a third consecutive year on the cover of EA Sports' FIFA video game series and got on board with fantasy NFT platform Sorare as an ambassador and investor.

Before tax, the entire top 10 is set to net a barely believable $652 million over the course of the 2022/23 season with the top three alone accounting for more than half of the overall total.

So although Messi and Ronaldo are still going strong on the podium deep into their thirties, there is a clear indication that the wind of change is blowing harder and harder throughout football.

And with a certain Mr. Haaland also climbing the rungs up into sixth place, you can rest assured that a new era in the beautiful game is fast approaching. It's going to be fascinating to watch.