David Beckham is football's highest earner
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David Beckham is football's highest earner
Beckham earned £24.4 million last year, overtaking Ronaldinho as football's highest earner.
David Beckham earned £24.4 million last year, overtaking Ronaldinho as football's highest earner, it has been revealed. Beckham topped the pay league table, despite having forsaken the glamour of Manchester United and Real Madrid for the relative footballing backwater of LA Galaxy.
The former England captain may no longer be playing against elite opposition on a regular basis, but his fame endures giving him lucrative advertising deals in addition to the money he receives from the team with whom he signed a five-year deal worth £128 million last year.
Ronaldinho, Barcelona's earned a total of £16.3 million beating his clubmate Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal striker, into third place with £12.5 million.
The leading English-based player was Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, who took fifth spot with £9.2 million, one place behind his namesake Ronaldo of AC Milan who claimed fourth position with £10.6 million.
Kaka of AC Milan was sixth with £8.8 million followed by Fabio Cannavaro of Real Madrid with £8.7 million. The second highest English-based player was Andrily Shevchenko of Chelsea, who was paid £8.7 million to take eighth.
The league table was drawn up by Forbes, the US business magazine. Steven Gerrard of Liverpool came ninth with £8.5 million, closely followed by his compatriots John Terry of Chelsea (£8.5 million) and Wayne Rooney, Manchester United, on £8.1 million.
Paul Maidstone, one of the authors of the list, said: "More TV money, more matches, more shirts shifted and more endorsements have translated into rising incomes for the world's top soccer stars."
Of the top 20 players, nine played for English clubs including five for Chelsea. The other Chelsea players were: Michael Ballack in 13th place with £8 million, Frank Lampard, who took 14th place with £7.4 million and Didier Drogba in 16th place with £6.7 million.
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I remembered seeing a certain D. Bent in the top 20 last year
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Beckham's taste really one kind.. just look at his ride.. might be worth a forture but looks more like a floating coffin
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Its a Rolls-Royce Phantom... How appropriate of him to be driving a British brand car even when he is in the US...
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Cool Man + Cool Cars.. he must be making millions just froms elling jersey in US and so is LA
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