The profession of a professional football player is one of the highest paid in the world. Even players from Brazilian teams in lower divisions, such as B and C, earn salaries that exceed 5 minimum wages.
Although it’s a profession that pays very well, there are only a few Brazilian players who can be considered the richest in the world.
So, let’s find out who are the richest Brazilian football players in the world together!
Criterias for Evaluation
There are many rich players currently playing football, but they cannot yet be considered the highest paid of the century. The list includes retired and currently playing footballers. All of them are big names and are really good players.
The criterion for evaluation will be the value of their assets, the price of their biggest transfers, and the influence these players have on world football. Find out everything about the richest Brazilian football players in the world below.
Yet, the main criteria is their financial assets right now!
The 5 Richest Brazilian football Players
1st Neymar – $250 Million
Neymar is not only among the richest Brazilian football players in the world, but he is also one of the players who have earned the most money in the history of this sport. Currently, Neymar plays for Al-Hillal, a team from Saudi Arabia, he has also played for several European clubs such as Barcelona and PSG.
Neymar holds two curious records during transfer negotiations; he was the most expensive player to leave a Brazilian club for Europe, with the negotiation costing 88 million Euros. In addition, he was also the most expensive player ever sold in football history, when he was sold from Barcelona to PSG for the value of 222 million Euros.
2nd Ronaldo Nazário – $160 Million
Ronaldo Fenômeno is one of the richest players in Brazil. Throughout his career as a player, Ronaldo accumulated numerous important titles playing for major football teams in the world.
Ronaldo Nazário made his professional debut playing for Cruzeiro and was soon sold to PSV in the Netherlands. There, he became a major highlight of world football and was negotiated with Barcelona and then with Inter Milan.
After a long period of injuries, he was transferred to Real Madrid, and just these three transfers among European football giants are enough to make anyone rich.
3rd Alexandre Pato – $145 Million
Alexandre Pato is also on the list of the richest football players in the world. He has played for various renowned teams and is currently, at 34, a free agent in the transfer market.
The player emerged from the Internacional’s youth team, where he gained prominence and secured a spot in Milan. From there, he moved to Corinthians and after a poor stint with the team, he was loaned to São Paulo, but soon returned to Corinthians.
It was from this transfer that Alexandre Pato really started to get rich. From Corinthians, he went to Chelsea, then returned to Corinthians and went to play for Villarreal in Spain, from there he went to TH Tianhai in China and returned to Brazil to play for São Paulo. After that, he became a free agent and went to Orlando City in MLS.
After that, he returned to São Paulo, but quickly became clubless. Currently, he is without a team, but still, his long international career has made him one of the richest players in the world.
4th Kaká – $120 Million
Midfielder Kaká was the last Brazilian to be considered the best in the world, he is now retired but had a grand career that made him rich.
Kaká emerged from São Paulo’s youth team as a great promise of Brazilian football and was soon hired by Milan, where he spent most of his career as a fan idol. From Milan, he went to Real Madrid and had a return to Milan from where he left to finish his career at Orlando City. He was a very important player for the history of Milan, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the world for several consecutive years.
5th Ronaldinho – $90 Million
Considered by many as one of the greatest geniuses in the history of football, Ronaldinho Gaúcho had a long and title-filled career. He debuted as a player for Grêmio, where he was very successful and quickly went to play for PSG. At PSG, he caught the attention of Barcelona, which bought him and kept him as a football star for many years.
After long years of wearing Barcelona’s jersey, Ronaldinho moved to Milan and from there to Brazilian football, wearing Flamengo’s jersey. His stint at Flamengo was good, but it was even better at Atlético Mineiro; from Flamengo, he went to Galo and there he was a Libertadores champion.
Then he moved to Fluminense where he barely played and soon went to play Mexican football, wearing the jersey of Querétaro.
Market Analysis
Currently, it’s difficult to think that any other Brazilian player will be able to make as much money as these. VinÃcius Junior, Rodrygo, and Endrick are the most cited names when it comes to possibilities. These three names are very young players who still have a lot to show to the world of football.
The great fortune of these players mentioned above came due to good investment in image and high-level artistic football. Currently, only the three players mentioned above can secure a place on this list in the future.
Financial Management and Sustainability
When it comes to managing a career, there are two names that stand out a lot on this list, Kaká and Ronaldo Nazário. Both players, after retiring, did not leave football aside and started to use their image to become great businessmen.
Today, they achieve huge monthly profits, and the Phenomenon, for example, owns two football clubs under his command. Indeed, when it comes to management and financial sustainability, Ronaldo Nazário and Kaká are examples.
The Impact of Wealth on Brazilian football
The fortune made by Brazilian players often returns to national football itself. For example, citing Ronaldo Nazário again, he owns Cruzeiro’s SAF and manages the celestial team daily, his fortune is helping the team to rise within national football. The trend is that this will be repeated with the popularization of Club Companies with owners in Brazil.
Conclusion
All the richest Brazilian football players in the world are big names in the history of the sport. They made international careers wearing the jersey of several European football giants and made their fortune playing at a high level and mainly managing their personal image.
Referências
https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/ronaldinho/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/3373
https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/alexandre-pato/profil/spieler/37579
https://www.transfermarkt.com.br/kaka/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/3366
https://www.economiabr.com.br/jogadores-de-futebol-mais-rico-do-brasil/
